Which of the following emphasizes the elimination of waste in processes?

The concept that emphasizes the elimination of waste in processes is lean management. Lean management focuses on improving efficiency by identifying and removing any non-value-adding activities within a process. It encourages organizations to streamline their operations, reduce cycle times, and improve quality, ultimately leading to higher customer satisfaction.

Lean principles aim to optimize the flow of products and services through a process by eliminating waste in various forms, including excess inventory, overproduction, wait times, unnecessary motion, and defects. By focusing on these areas, organizations can create more value with fewer resources, making lean management a critical approach for companies looking to enhance performance and competitiveness.

In contrast, Six Sigma primarily focuses on process improvement through the reduction of variation and defects. Zero defects is a philosophy aimed at achieving error-free performance, while the balanced scorecard is a strategic planning and management tool that aligns business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization. These concepts, while valuable, do not specifically emphasize the elimination of waste to the same extent as lean management.