Lean manufacturing, supplemented by Six Sigma principles, can help companies attain the goal of continuous improvement - but only when embraced as a core corporate philosophy. Management slogans often boil down to little more than platitudes in slick consultancy packaging. But some corporate lingo stands for more than a passing fad. "Lean manufacturing", a shorthand for a commitment to eliminating waste, simplifying procedures and speeding up production, is one such concept. Six Sigma, the quality-assurance principles that are often paired with lean efforts, is another. The principles and techniques that the two terms encompass have been shown to deliver impressive bottom-line results in industrial manufacturing.