**Abstract**

The implementation of lean manufacturing is one of the most discussed and studied topics in management; references are at the business, educational and public levels. However, the changes faced in the fourth industrial revolution generate challenges that will only encounter solution through innovative efforts and industrial improvements as well as a radical change in our way of interacting. In the current revolution, there are digital changes that cause ruptures in social, economic and political aspects, and the administrative process is part of it, this chapter proposes to analyze the implementation of lean manufacturing in the process of continuous improvement in business organizations through a literary review of the implementation of tools.

**Keywords:** continuous improvement, industrial revolution, digital, lean tools, high quality, globalization

### **1. Introduction**

Despite being in many fields, organizations continue to be the spearhead in the innovation process. In the competition to produce high quality, low cost products, industries want to be more agile and faster. The environment of modernity forces companies to compete in markets outside their national borders, it is itself part of globalization, which as we know has played a very important role in the development of international finance. Multinational companies have managed to position themselves as one of the engines of the economy, coexisting in complex and heterogeneous environments.

In the search for quality, there is a fierce competition of globalization; organizations have invested in the development of knowledge and technology, improving already established processes. However, progress has not been homogeneous in all areas.

Lean manufacturing implementation is more important in some areas, as different tools are used to benefit the company and its employees. Some of the benefits include: reduction in production costs, reduction of inventories, reduction of delivery time (lead time), better quality, less labor, greater equipment efficiency, reduction of waste, overproduction, time of waiting (delays), transportation, inventories, movements, poor quality, among others.
