"Lean Retail & Wholesale is a highly insightful and succinct guide to lean application and a valuable resource for any retailer or wholesaler seeking a competitive edge." --APICS Magazine, January/February 2015

Part I - Current State1.Introduction Why it is critically important at this time to examine the current "state" of Lean in Wholesale, Distribution and Retail; Wholesale, Distribution and Retail - definitions and opportunities2.Brief history of implementation and expansion of Lean (from Manufacturing to Service)3.Is Lean right for Service Industries. When, where, and why Lean can help in the Retail, Wholesale and Distribution industries4.Cases/examples - some success storiesPart II - Future State5.Thinking LeanDefinitions; Value Stream Mapping; Standardized Work and Visual Workplace; 5S or Workplace Organization; Mistake Proofing and Quality at the Source; One Piece Flow and Pull Systems (with Work Cells); Total Productive Maintenance6.Being LeanOffice/Administration (with cases/examples, including Customer Service, Purchasing, Accounting, Sales and Marketing and Human Resources; Warehouse (with cases/examples); Stores (with cases/examples)7. Staying Lean - Leadership, Culture, Teams and Training and other "soft skill" tools with examples of where this has workedCases/examples8.Becoming Even LeanerPartnering Lean with Suppliers - expanding Lean beyond your "four walls" (Cases/examples); Increased use of Technology - enabling Lean with added visibility and collaboration (Cases/ examples); Lean Six Sigma vs. "traditional" Lean in Retail and Wholesale - when and where Lean Six Sigma is useful and how it works (Cases/examples); "How-To" Methodology - One size does NOT fit all!Part III - Conclusions9.Critical Thinking and Continuous Improvement - analytical tools and how to use them in Lean Thinking (including education and training)10.Defining and Measuring "Success" - What and how to measure along with some current statistics on the subjectLean Assessment Tool; Metrics and Measurement; Sustaining the gains11.The Way Forward - thoughts and suggestions on the future of Lean in Retail, Wholesale and Distribution (author and Wholesale/Retail "thought leaders")