Lean manufacturing evolved from lean thinking, which aims to remove waste, defined as any activity that uses resources without creating value. It is a systematic approach to continuously improving operations by identifying and eliminating waste. Motorola developed Six Sigma in the 1980s to address quality problems like high warranty claims. Inspired by Japanese quality practices that prevented defects, Motorola launched its Six Sigma Quality Program in 1987 with the goal of achieving very low defect levels. The use of Six Sigma at Motorola proved that increasing quality does not have to increase costs and helped popularize the methodology with other companies worldwide.