continuous improvement. A commodity

continuous improvement. A commodity-based firm (agribusiness, building products, etc.)
with a few homogeneous products and integrated manufacturing processes would probably
focus on efficiency and many of the lean manufacturing principles but have little need for
the value-stream income statement. Similarly, firms such as Coach and Tiffany that succeed
on the basis of a strong differentiated brand would likely focus on performance measures
that advanced its brand, rather than emphasize the principles of lean. Exhibit 17.16 provides
a summary of the strategic role that can be played by the lean approach relative to full-cost
accounting.