The Gold Mine.

The Gold Mine, by Freddy Balle and Michael Balle, Book, 2005, Lean Enterprise Institute, $24.95.

Storytelling has been an accepted teaching principle since before humans first drew pictures of their hunting prowess on cave walls. The spoken word--songs, ceremonies, and conversation--has

been a way (and in many cases, the only way) to pass down tradition and culture, train young warriors and hunters in the skills necessary to survive, and school young mothers in childrearing and the household and farming skills also necessary to survive.

The more things change, the more they remain the same. The "business fable," a recent reincarnation of classic storytelling as teaching technique, has helped many a young (and old) modern day business warrior through the jungle that is the manufacturing world. Examples are numerous and include what are now classics: Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox's The Goal, Ken Blanchard and Jim and Diana Robinson's Zap the Gaps, Spencer Johnson's Who Moved My Cheese?, and William Byham and Jeff Cox's "Zapp! The Lightning of Empowerment."

Each story works through a complex business or manufacturing concept in classic archetypal style: The wiser, experienced teacher (generally garrulous or cantankerous to add a dash of character and realism) nurtures the knowledge-seeking acolyte or novice through a series of questions and exercises that lead to enlightenment.

To this list add Freddy and Michael Balle's The Gold Mine: A Novel of Lean Turnaround. A father-son team, Freddy and Michael, bring a unique perspective to the operational and maintenance disciplines of lean manufacturing. Freddy worked in the French auto industry for over 40 years, learning and implementing the Toyota production system upon which the concepts of lean manufacturing were first developed. Michael, a professor and business consultant, has focused on the human application and implications of the lean manufacturing system.

Each chapter moves the story forward, with love interests, sailing lessons, and marital stress, and provides an explanation and application of each of the concepts that make up lean manufacturing theory. The concepts include:

* Gold in the Flow: discrete flow of "widgets" or the process flow of a refinery--it's all about reducing waste.

* Takt Time: producing what the customer consumes, no more and no less.