Which of the following is considered a Lean Manufacturing practice?

• A. Just-in-time
• B. Kanban Scheduling
• C. Centralized Management Control
• D. Value Stream Mapping

Answer: (C)

Lean Manufacturing focuses on creating value by eliminating waste and enabling a smooth, pull-based flow of work. Just-in-time is a core practice because it aligns production with actual demand, reducing inventory and overproduction. Kanban scheduling supports this by providing visual signals to trigger replenishment, creating a pull system that limits work in progress. Value Stream Mapping is another essential tool, used to map the entire process from start to finish to identify and remove non-value-added steps and bottlenecks, driving continuous flow and improvement. Centralized management control, by contrast, tends to slow decision-making and hinder local problem-solving and rapid response, which conflicts with the lean emphasis on empowerment and quick, process-level improvements. So the lean practices here are just-in-time, Kanban scheduling, and value stream mapping; centralized management control does not align with lean principles as a practice.