Journal of Contemporary Management Submitted on 05/October/2011 Article ID: 1929-0128-2012-01-71-12 Alireza Anvari and Roholah Moghimi ~ 71 ~ The Strategic Approach to Exploration Review on TQM and Lean Production Alireza Anvari Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Gachsaran Branch I.A.U. Gachsaran, IRAN; E-mail: ar_anvar@yahoo.com Roholah Moghimi Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Gachsaran Branch I.A.U. Gachsaran, IRAN; E-mail: ro_moghimi@yahoo.com Abstract: The aim of this paper is to explore similarities and differences between TQM and Lean Production with an emphasis on Lean strategy approach. This paper investigates the related literature of various studies, analyzes, and finally reviews them systematically. This study finds that, although Lean and TQM both aim to improve quality, TQM reaches a certain point or stage at which no more improvements can be made. Lean, however, focuses on taking quality improvement to the next level. It is clear that Lean journey is deeper and more extensive in comparative to TQM Journey. Lean production evolution is Lean thinking; Lean was reconsidered to this renown. And, the result of this research discloses that TQM and Lean Production have many concepts in common. However, based on Lean strategies; TQM, similar to many improvement approaches, can be a tool to support and create synergy for making a more competitive factors market place amid firms. JEL Classifications: L15, M11, O14, O33 Keywords: Lean Production, Lean strategy, Total quality management 1. Introduction Different management theories have been presented over the years. Total quality management (TQM) and Lean Production (LP) are two management approaches to optimization, but there are not unique ideas and views of them. TQM is a management manufacturing strategy. The purpose of TQM is to increase awareness of quality in all parts of the organization's processes. TQM is an integrated management philosophy and a set of practices that promotes an organization-wide focus on quality starting with top management, but involving workers at all levels of the organization. The major objective of TQM is the development of a business strategy that harnesses all of the company‟s resources to achieve world-class quality at reasonable costs (Small, et al., 2011). Lean strategies have arisen from the Toyota Production System. The evolving variants are originally founded in the Japanese Automotive industry; and its evolution has mostly carried out in the West. Needless to mention that TQM likes the management of initiatives and procedures has also been introduced and developed in Japan. However there are not common perspective of authors and researchers in this issue. LP which is often known simply as „Lean‟ is a production practice that considers the expenditure of resources for any goal other than the creation of value for the end customer to be