The Lean Advancement Initiative (LAI) is a research consortium that enables the focused and accelerated transformation of complex enterprises. LAI has members from industry, government, and academia and collaboratively engages all of its stakeholders to develop and institutionalize principles, processes, behaviors, and tools for enterprise excellence. Started in 1993, LAI resides within the Center for Technology, Policy and Industrial Development of the Engineering Systems Division (ESD) in the School of Engineering. Faculty from the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, ESD, and the MIT Sloan School of Management participate in LAI research. LAI has produced 25 case studies, 18 working/white papers, and 122 conference papers. More than 170 graduate students from Aeronautics and Astronautics, ESD, Mechanical Engineering, Sloan School of Management, and other programs have completed 170 master's and doctoral theses within LAI.
LAI conducts its research in close collaboration with its industry and government members and has developed an array of tools to help its members assess and analyze their enterprises. These products include, but are not limited to, Lean Enterprise Self-Assessment Tool, Enterprise Transformation Roadmap, Enterpise Value Stream Mapping and Analysis, Systems Engineering Leading Indicators Guide, Enterprise Strategic Analysis for Transformation.
LAI's Educational Network (EdNet) is an international group of more than 40 universities and colleges that develop and deploy curricula based on LAI's latest research, practical knowledge, and member best practices. These curricula include: LAI Lean Academy®, LAI Lean Engineering Seminar™, LAI Lean Healthcare Academy™, Lean Enterprise Value Short Course, and customized courses
LAI captured major findings in its 2003 award-winning book Lean Enterprise Value: Insights from MIT's Lean Aerospace Initiative. Further information about LAI is available on the LAI website.