Is lean manufacture universally relevant? An investigative methodology

Sustainability through Operational Excellence: An Emerging Country Perspective

Operational excellence is directly related to improving performance and efficiency in every dimension of sustainability (i.e., economic, environmental and social). Consequently, companies are implementing this initiative to remain competitive in their industries. Previous works measured operational excellence in first-world companies. However, it is expected that the productivity level in many companies from developing or emerging countries is far below the average level of developed companies. In this context, the research objectives of this study are to (1) evaluate the level of implementation of operational excellence, impacting the three dimensions of sustainability simultaneously in some companies from the central-savanna region of Colombia; (2) compare their implementation status with similar studies carried out in companies of developed countries. In order to solve it, we first present an empirical assessment of operational excellence in that region using semistructured interviews in 79 different companies. Then, we compare the obtained results with the assessments available in the literature. Our results show that operational excellence performance in Colombian companies is lower than in developed companies in terms of economic performance by operations standards and continuous improvement schemes, environmental sustainability and social sustainability.

From a Quality Management System (QMS) to a Lean Quality Management System (LQMS)

Purpose

This paper deals with the subject of “Lean Normalization.” The purpose of this paper is to propose a comprehensive methodology which combines the benefits of both International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards and Lean Management. The application of this methodology leads manufacturing or service companies to certification without creating more documentation. It guarantees agility and flexibility in the day-to-day management of the company, and induces lower costs and reduced times. This methodology provides a new way of tackling the implementation of ISO standards in a company.

Design/methodology/approach

This methodology is based on the synergistic combination of both ISO standards (Quality Management System) and the key concepts of Lean Management. After a short presentation of ISO standards and Lean Management, the possibility of implementing a synergy between these two different approaches will be discussed. At this point, ISO 9001 standards will be focused on. The proposed methodology will be introduced step by step. Each step of the model will be formalized using the Structured Analysis and Design Technique graphic representation tool. Moreover, each step is associated with a key concept of Lean Management. In order to illustrate the proposed method, an example of implementation will also be presented.

Findings

To show the feasibility of this methodology, this paper finishes with a summary of the results achieved in a company and draws some interesting conclusions. Companies have the possibility of achieving certification in combination with a Lean Quality Management System (LQMS): a one-page quality manual, only ten records, no major non-conformities and no customer complaints over a two-year period.

Research limitations/implications

The methodology may have to be adapted to better suit the needs of companies seeking to implement the latest version of the ISO 9001 standards.

Practical implications

This paper presents the deployment of ISO 9001 standards whilst simultaneously respecting key Lean Management concepts. The practical results for enterprises are the implementation of an LQMS leading to a certification.

Social implications

This paper presents a new method combining both ISO standards and Lean Management concepts to achieve certification with an LQMS.

Originality/value

Due to its simplicity and the relevance of its steps, the proposed methodology can be applied to companies with a guaranteed success of certification.

Lean-team effectiveness through leader values and members’ informing

Purpose

Although empirical tests of effective lean-team leadership are scarce, leaders are often blamed when lean work-floor initiatives fail. In the present study, a lean-team leader’s work values are assumed to affect his or her team members’ behaviors and, through them, to attain team effectiveness. Specifically, two of Schwartz et al.’s (2012) values clusters (i.e. self-transcendence and conservation) are hypothesized to be linked to team members’ degree of information and idea sharing and, in turn, to lean-team effectiveness. The paper aims to report the examination of these hypotheses.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey responses (n=429) of both leaders and members of 25 lean-teams in services and manufacturing organizations were aggregated, thereby curbing common-source bias. To test the six hypotheses, structural equation modeling was performed, with bootstrapping, linear regression analyses, and Sobel tests.

Findings

The positive relationship between lean-team effectiveness and leaders’ self-transcendence values, and the negative relationship between lean-team effectiveness and leaders’ conservation values were partly mediated by information sharing behavior within the team.

Research limitations/implications

Future research must compare the content of effective lean-team values and behaviors to similar non-lean teams.

Practical implications

Appoint lean-team leaders with predominantly self-transcendence rather than conservation values: to promote work-floor sharing of information and lean-team effectiveness.

Originality/value

Human factors associated with effective lean-teams were examined, thereby importing organization-behavioral insights into the operations management literature: with HRM-type implications.

Empirical assessment of the causal relationships among lean criteria using DEMATEL method

Purpose

It is difficult for anyone to implement all the lean tools simultaneously. One of the core issues is identifying critical criteria for the successful implementation of lean manufacturing (LM) and evaluating them. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the causal relationships of LM criteria in a machine tool manufacturing firm located in national capital region of India using the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method.

Design/methodology/approach

The research paper presents a blend of theoretical framework and practical applications. Based on literature review, 17 LM criteria were extracted that were validated by experts. A questionnaire was developed that was answered by experts serving in the XYZ machine tool manufacturing firm. Then, the DEMATEL method was applied to analyze the importance of criteria and the casual relations among the criteria were developed.

Findings

Using DEMATEL, the lean criteria were divided into cause group and effect group. In this study, information technology, computer-integrated manufacturing, enterprise resource planning, training, fixed position layout, smart processes and automation and concurrent engineering were classified in the cause group. Just in time, value stream mapping, 5-S, single minute exchange of die, visual control, job scheduling, standardized work, cellular manufacturing, poka-yoke, and total quality management were categorized in the effect group. The DEMATEL framework indicates that “training” is the most influencing factor for the lean implementation process in machine tool sector.

Originality/value

To know the key lean criteria and relationship among them can help many organizations to develop lean competencies. If the authors want to obtain high performance in terms of the effect group factors, it would be necessary to control and pay a great deal of attention to the cause group factors beforehand. This study is perhaps among the first few with focus on segmenting the set of lean criteria into some meaningful portions in order to effectively facilitate its implementation. The paper provides useful insights to the lean production implementers, consultants, and researchers.

Modeling Lean implementation for manufacturing sector

Purpose

The purpose of this research paper is to identify the enablers for Lean implementation in the manufacturing sector, to establish a relationship among them using interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and to rank them using interpretive ranking process (IRP).

Design/methodology/approach

The research paper presents a blend of theoretical framework and practical applications. In the paper, eight enablers of Lean production are identified from literature survey and experts’ opinion. These include 5S, value stream mapping (VSM), just in time, single minute exchange of die, computer-integrated manufacturing, concurrent engineering, training and enterprise resource planning. ISM is used to obtain a structural relationship among these enablers of Lean. MICMAC analysis is used to identify the driving power and dependence of the variables. Further, IRP is used to rank the lean enablers with respect to key performance areas.

Findings

The ISM- and IRP-based models indicate that “training” is the most significant factor for the Lean implementation process in manufacturing sector. The MICMAC analysis also shows that “training” has the maximum driving power and the least dependence and hence has strong managerial significance. The management should place high priority on tackling this criterion. VSM occupies the top level in the ISM hierarchy, indicating that all other Lean enablers should act in unison to make VSM implementation a success.

Originality/value

Enablers are the building blocks for deployment of the Lean concept. To know the key enablers and relationship among them can help many organizations to develop Lean competencies. This study is perhaps among the first few that focuses on two modeling procedures based on interpretive logic, i.e. ISM and IRP. The paper provides useful insights to the Lean production implementers, consultants and researchers.

An empirical study for implementation of lean principles in Indian manufacturing industry

Purpose

– Lean manufacturing (LM) principles are one of the alternatives to improve manufacturing productivity, quality and customer satisfaction in Indian manufacturing industry. The purpose of this paper is to find the implementation status of LM principles across Indian manufacturing organizations through the empirical survey methodology.

Design/methodology/approach

– The survey questionnaire was developed based upon literature review conducted on LM and also considered experts suggestion in the field of LM. The survey questionnaire was sent to 753 manufacturing organization located in India. The respondent organization details have gathered from the list of Confederation of Indian Industries directory for the year 2011.The selected respondents were production managers, quality managers, sales managers, maintenance managers, CEOs of the organization. The empirical survey collected 180 filled survey questionnaires from Indian manufacturing industries.

Findings

– The study clearly identified that many manufacturing organizations were in initial transition stage and concentrating mostly in-plant operations instead of collaboration in all levels of business with suppliers and customers. The present study found that drivers for implementation of LM were customer satisfaction and organizational continuous improvement program. The present study also found that barriers to implement LM principles were employee resistance, implementing few elements of LM principles instead of the complete package of LM framework, budget constraints and lack of understanding of LM principles to shop floor managers. Finally the study concluded that Indian manufacturing organizations have to conduct continuous learning programmed to improve understanding of LM principles as well as to maintain their motivation level in apex point. The study also suggested that a systematic LM framework is needs to Indian manufacturing organizations, which will act as clear cut guiding torch to the organization managers to implement LM principles across organization.

Research limitations/implications

– The sample size of the present study was moderate number than previous studies. However the study only concentrated on manufacturing organizations across India. The results of the present study cannot generalize across all the sectors of Indian organizations.

Originality/value

– The concept of LM was very popular among developed and developing countries in the world. Many research studies were performed across world to find the status of LM implementation in their countries. Very few research studies reported the status of LM implementation in Indian manufacturing industries and those studies also with limited focus of the status of LM implementation. Hence the study presented details status of LM principles implementation in Indian manufacturing industries.

How did the publication of the book The Machine That Changed The World change management thinking? Exploring 25 years of lean literature

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to take a critical, analytical approach to explore the growth and spread of Lean through the academic and practitioner community over the last 25 years to understand the impact of the book The Machine that Changed the World on management thinking.

Design/methodology/approach

– A comprehensive and systematic review of the extant literature of lean was undertaken and analysed critically to observe patterns and trends that could explain the acceptance of Lean as an operations management philosophy. The review spans from 1987 to 2013. To enable us to effectively manage and understand the diffusion of this literature a database, the Lean Publications Database, was constructed. The number of publications has been adjusted to compensate for growth in the total number of articles published in the same period.

Findings

– Lean has evolved to be one of the best-known, yet fiercely debated, process improvement methodologies. It emerged during a proliferation of such methodologies in the business and management literature. Lean has developed from a generic description of Toyota Production System (TPS) to a particular type of organisational and management intervention focused on best practice and process improvement methodologies.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper provides the first comprehensive review of the Lean literature, from the perspective of Lean as the unit of analysis. It covers both sides of the academic debate and categorises the progression of Lean from its origins as a generic description of TPS to a movement that has changed management systems in many and diverse sectors.

Practical implications

– This paper demonstrates how Lean research, application and thinking has evolved over 25 years from its origins in Japanese auto-manufacturing to a holistic value system that is applicable to all business sectors, both private and public.

Originality/value

– In most empirical studies on Lean, the unit of analysis is the organisation. In this study, the unit of analysis is the Lean phenomenon itself. This paper examines the impact of The Machine that Changed the World on management thinking. In addition, it presents a step to developing an underpinning theory by linking Lean to the Theory of Swift, Even Flow. As such it is of interest to academics in the field of operations management and offers a contribution to knowledge. It is also likely to be of interest to policy makers. Considerable amounts of public money have been spent, and continue to be spent, on promoting Lean. Taxpayers and policymakers are likely to be interested in whether that expenditure is justifiable. 25 years of publications have been analysed to provide clarity around this popular approach to organisational improvement.

Service improvement in the English National health service: Complexities and tensions

The English National Health Service (NHS) is a public sector organisation with a longstanding objective to deliver high quality healthcare that is free at the point of use. In order to achieve this, the NHS has endured an evocative and controversial theme of reform across many decades. Despite such high levels of reform, the recent Operating Efficiency Framework declared that the NHS is about to enter its toughest ever financial climate. This paper will illustrate the complexities and tensions of implementing service improvement in the NHS in a climate of persistent policy reform, reduced budgets and tough regulation. The paper reports findings of three case studies of hospital trusts in the UK in relation to the implementation of Lean improvement methodologies, highlighting key complexities of a hospital context and the corresponding tension with service improvement activity.

Service improvement in the English National health service: Complexities and tensions

The English National Health Service (NHS) is a public sector organisation with a longstanding objective to deliver high quality healthcare that is free at the point of use. In order to achieve this, the NHS has endured an evocative and controversial theme of reform across many decades. Despite such high levels of reform, the recent Operating Efficiency Framework declared that the NHS is about to enter its toughest ever financial climate. This paper will illustrate the complexities and tensions of implementing service improvement in the NHS in a climate of persistent policy reform, reduced budgets and tough regulation. The paper reports findings of three case studies of hospital trusts in the UK in relation to the implementation of Lean improvement methodologies, highlighting key complexities of a hospital context and the corresponding tension with service improvement activity.

The challenges of lean manufacturing implementation in SMEs

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify the lean manufacturing implementation challenges in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The study is based on experiences of the Finnish furniture and boating sectors. The paper outlines the overall characteristics of the studied organizations and contrasts them with one of the most famous example of lean implementation – the Toyota Company. By comparing the different manufacturing environments as well as organizational characteristics, the potential challenges of lean adoption are outlined.

Design/methodology/approach

– The findings presented in this paper were achieved through the case study method. The research utilizes the deductive approach.

Findings

– The results present an assessment of the companies’ current situations. The results uncover their readiness for lean implementation and identify the challenges that might hinder lean implementation. Early identification of weaknesses will make companies more aware of their own capabilities. Moreover, it has potential for making them better prepared for lean implementation and more consistent in their process.

Practical implications

– The importance of addressing certain aspect of lean implementation in the specific context of SMEs characteristics might contribute to the successful implementation of lean.

Originality/value

– The author presents an original look at supporting companies in the process of adopting lean manufacturing.