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Later in this book, in Chap. 11, cultural change will be discussed. However, in this
book, as much as practical, we will separate the behavioral level skills from the deep
cultural changes required and try to highlight them when they appear. Ohno did not
develop the culture of the TPS, nor did he get it fully implemented in just a few years.
He spent over 30 years in this effort, and had built on what others accomplished before
him. So to expect that in a year or two you can achieve what Toyota and others now
have in place is not reasonable. The development of a culture is truly a journey, not an
event.

To Enhance Your Understanding
Finally, I hope this book will enhance your understanding of Lean and its many
applications, as well as its limitations. Lean, they say, is a journey without any
destination. T. S. Eliot expressed this idea quite elegantly: “We must not cease from
exploration. And the end of all exploration will be to arrive where we began and to
know the place for the first time.” My hope is that this book will enhance your own
exploration.
Lonnie Wilson