muda
n.— «The Japanese word for waste is muda. In Japan, muda refers to any activity that is not value-adding. Taiichi Ohno, who introduced the just-in-time (JIT) production system at Toyota Motor Company, was the first person to recognize the enormous amount of muda or waste in the everyday work activities of an organization.» —“IQ and Muda: Information Quality Eliminates Waste” by Larry English DMReview (U.S.) Sept., 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Leo, a scientIst in Tucson, Arizona, used to live in Japan, where he often heard Japanese speakers using English that wasn’t quite correct. For example, one Japanese friend described someone “full of worry” as scareful. Another...
Book recommendations and the art of apology. Martha and Grant share some good reads, including an opinionated romp through English grammar, a Spanish-language adventure novel, an account of 19th-century dictionary wars, and a gorgeously illustrated...