Which of the following is a benefit of lean manufacturing?

Lean manufacturing focuses on maximizing customer value while minimizing waste. One of the primary benefits of lean manufacturing is the reduction of waste, which encompasses any activity that does not add value to the product. This includes excess production, waiting times, transportation, excess inventory, unnecessary motion, and defects. By streamlining processes and eliminating non-value-added activities, organizations can not only reduce waste but also improve the quality of the products being produced. Improved quality often leads to higher customer satisfaction and better market competitiveness.

The emphasis on continuous improvement and employee involvement in lean practices also encourages a culture of quality throughout the organization. As teams work collaboratively to identify and eliminate inefficiencies, they often discover ways to enhance product quality simultaneously.

The other options do not align with the core principles of lean manufacturing. For example, increasing workforce size would often lead to higher costs and could introduce complexity rather than simplicity, which lean aims for. Higher product prices go against one of lean's goals of delivering value at the lowest possible cost. Additionally, lean manufacturing seeks to simplify production processes rather than make them more complex, as complexity tends to introduce more waste and inefficiency.