Best practices for implementing Lean techniques in retail and wholesale “Essential reading for those who want to learn how Lean provides a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced, multi-channel, and cost-conscious environment.” --Mark Temkin, Director, Demand Planning, Barnes & Noble, Inc. “Provides an enlightening perspective on the applications of Lean principles to the increasingly challenging worlds of the retail and wholesale sectors.” --Professor C. John Langley, Jr., Penn State University Featuring real-world case studies, this practical, streamlined guide reveals how utilize a comprehensive Lean methodology throughout retail and wholesale businesses to reduce costs and improve productivity, quality, customer service, and profitability. Lean Retail and Wholesale examines Lean opportunities from the viewpoint of retail strategy, merchandise management, and store and distribution operations and provides a holistic, systematic approach for identifying and eliminating non-value-added activities. The Lean techniques presented can be applied to traditional brick-and-mortar wholesalers and retailers as well as e-businesses. Coverage includes: Using Lean as a tool to survive and thrive in retail and wholesale (R)evolution of retail--from the general store to e-commerce The Lean journey from goods to services Lean retail and wholesale: early signs of promise Basic Lean concepts and tools: building a solid foundation Advanced Lean concepts and tools: K.I.S.S. (keep it simple and straightforward) Retail strategy: sales and marketing, location, human resources management, IT, supply chain management, and customer relationship management Merchandise management: planning, buying, pricing, and communications Store operations management Lean retail and wholesale distribution Lean assessments and value stream mapping Leadership, culture, teams, and training Partnering, outsourcing, import, technology, and Six Sigma Critical thinking and continuous improvement: methodology, education, training, and analytics Defining and measuring success—measurements and current statistics The road ahead: thoughts and suggestions on the future of Lean in retail and wholesale

Introduction to Business covers the scope and sequence of most introductory business courses. The book provides detailed explanations in the context of core themes such as customer satisfaction, ethics, entrepreneurship, global business, and managing change. Introduction to Business includes hundreds of current business examples from a range of industries and geographic locations, which feature a variety of individuals. The outcome is a balanced approach to the theory and application of business concepts, with attention to the knowledge and skills necessary for student success in this course and beyond. This is an adaptation of Introduction to Business by OpenStax. You can access the textbook as pdf for free at openstax.org. Minor editorial changes were made to ensure a better ebook reading experience. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.