Lean and Agile Performance Framework for Manufacturing Enterprises

The overall performance of a manufacturing organization is a drastic function of the strategies applied to its physical sectors. Traditional strategies were based on the principle of economies of scale, which resulted in excess of waste and difficulty of reconfiguration. Global competition necessitates formulating efficient and effective paradigms in response to the global economies to improve the overall performance. Lean and agile manufacturing have been widely adopted in recent years’ enterprises. Leanness mainly leads to eliminating the non-value added activities while agility focuses on leads to market responsiveness. This paper discusses the leanness and agility definitions, factors, paradigms, differences, and combination. A hierarchic framework is presented which can be used to measure the leanness, agility, leagility, and overall performance of an enterprise, further, to compare different enterprises. This enables using the multi-criteria decision making methods especially AHP and ANP. Levels of leanness and agility can be fed as input to define a variety of enterprises. Moreover, a different view is introduced for general features of an efficient/effective manufacturing organization irrespective to the definitions of leanness and agility.Full Tex

Developent of a new sesame product using QFD and DOE methods: A case study of sesame product in yazd

The aim of the study is to identify customer’s needs for new sesame products, converting requirements into product and process qualitative characteristics, and improving the new product quality. Based on morphological approach and point of views of the manufacturers of sesame products and customers(384 persons), new ideas were extracted and between them a chocolate sesame product was selected. By coducting a survey of consumer expectations(382 sam-ple) taste of new product was examined and translated into technical specifications. The paper considers the implementation of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and DOE in BAH(Booz, Allen and Hamilton) framework for the development of new food products. It also aims to meet the challenge of satisfying customer’s inconstant demands and, in turn, to make the business thrive. The results show that main quality features for final product are in good taste, no bitter-taste and be Fresh. Satisfying these requirements are relative to parameters such as sesame variety, chocolate melting point, control of cooking time and oven temperature

Supply chain risk assessment approach for process quality risks

Purpose- The purpose of the paper is to proactively analyse and mitigate root causes of the process quality risks. The case study approach examines the effectiveness of the fuzzy logic approach for assessing the product and process related failure modes within global supply chain context. Design/Methodology/approach- The case study of a printed circuit board company in China is used as a platform for conducting the research. Using data triangulation, the data is collected and analysed through interviews, questionnaires, expert opinions and quantitative modelling for drawing useful insights. Findings- The fuzzy logic approach to FMEA provides a structured approach for understanding complex behaviour of failure modes and their associated risks for products and processes. Supply Chain Managers should conduct robust risk assessment during the design stage to avoid product safety and security risks. Research Limitations/implications- The research is based on a single case study. Multiple cases from different industry sectors may support in generalising the findings. Originality/Value- The study attempts to mitigate the root causes of product and processes using fuzzy approach to FMEA in supply chain network

The analysis of lean and agile supply chain strategy on environmental performance with mediating of supply chain responsiveness: Evidence from manufacturing industries in Malaysia

Environmental concerns have garnered increasing global attention, prompting discussions on how to integrate these issues into business operations and strategies. While lean supply chain strategy (LSC) and agile supply chain strategy (ASC) are recognized for their environmental benefits to organizations, the impact of LSC and ASC on the environmental performance of firms remains relatively unexplored. This study aims to analyze the influence of LSC and ASC within various functional areas of manufacturing firms on their environmental performance. To gather data, a quantitative survey methodology was employed, involving 299 manufacturing firms in Malaysia. Out of the collected responses, 231 were deemed usable for analysis. The survey results reveal that lean supply chain strategy and agile supply chain strategy positively affect environmental performance. Moreover, supply chain responsiveness (SCR) partially mediates the relationship between LSC and ASC on environmental performance. This study contributes to the existing literature and practices in supply chain management strategy and sustainable performance in manufacturing industries

Integrating Industry 4.0 and Total Productive Maintenance for Global Sustainability

The integration of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and industry 4.0 (I4.0) is an emerging model, and the global pressure of various stakeholders raises scepticism of any emerging model towards providing sustainability. Therefore, this research aims to identify and rank the potential significant drivers of an integrated model of I4.0 and TPM to guide manufacturing enterprises towards sustainability. This research follows a four-phase methodology including literature review and expert opinion to select the sustainability indicators and I4.0 integrated TPM key drivers, followed by employing the Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach for weight determination of sustainability indicators. The research then deploys the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to prioritise the I4.0 integrated TPM key drivers based on their effect on various sustainability indicators. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to check the robustness of the TOPSIS. The findings establish the top five most influential key drivers of an I4.0 integrated TPM system, which include Top management support, Formal I4.0 adoption program, Mid-management involvement and support, Solid TPM baseline knowledge, and High engagement of the production team. These top drives can lead manufacturing firms towards sustainability. The digitalisation of shop floor practices, such as TPM could be adapted by shop floor managers and policymakers of manufacturing companies to deliver sustainability-oriented outcomes. In addition, this research may aid decision-makers in the manufacturing sector in identifying the most important drivers of Industry 4.0 and TPM, which will assist them in more effectively implementing an integrated system of Industry 4.0 and TPM to practice sustainability. The scope of TPM applicability is wide, and the current research is limited to manufacturing companies. Therefore, there is a huge scope for developing and testing the integrated system of Industry 4.0 and TPM in other industrial settings, such as the textile, food and aerospace industries. This research makes a first-of-its-kind effort to examine how an I4.0 integrated TPM model affects manufacturing companies' sustainability and how such effects might be maximised

A framework for implementing lean principles in the supply chain management at healthcare organizations: Saudi's perspective

Purpose The main purpose of this paper is to present lean implementation in hospital supply chain management (HSCM) and propose a new conceptual framework tailored specifically to the needs of Saudi health-care organizations. Design/methodology/approach This paper starts with an in-depth review of existing frameworks or models for lean implementation in health care in general and in HSCM specifically. Based on the literature studies and taking experts’ opinions into account, a new framework for lean implementation in the Saudi HSCM is presented. Findings A new lean implementation framework is offered to decision-makers in the health-care organization for implementing a lean approach in HSCM practices. Research limitations/implications This study focused on health-care organizations, which were selected from hospitals operated by the Ministry of Health and only those hospitals that are accredited by both the Saudi Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions and the Joint Commission International. The framework is limited to Saudi health care. Practical implications The lean supply chain management (LSCM) framework is easy to understand and use without much complexity. This simplicity makes the LSCM applicable in health-care settings. Further, LSCM was validated in three different hospitals, and it helped them to identify and improve their non-added activities, thereby readying them for lean deployment in HSCM. Originality/value Little attention has been paid to implementing a lean approach by health-care providers in developing countries. This study presents a new framework that is considered the first of its kind for implementing lean in HSCM in Saudi. This framework could help HSCMs’ decision-makers to implement lean successfully in HSCM practices

A systematic literature review of hybrid approaches of lean, agile and six sigma philosophies in supply chain management

The purpose of this study is to critically review the current literature on hybrid approaches of lean, agile and six sigma applications in supply chain management. Lean, agile and six sigma are improvement philosophies; these are developed in the manufacturing industry. In the last two decades, the applications of these philosophies have received considerable attention in both the manufacturing and the service industries. This attention is evident in many published studies in different journals, showing challenges and limitations for adopting these philosophies, including the integrated lean six sigma (LSS) and lean-agile (legality or leagile) in the supply chain practices. However, studies on hybrid approaches of lean, agile and six sigma philosophies in the supply chain management using a systematic literature review are relatively lacking. With this motivation, this study aims to address such gaps in the supply chain management literature. More specifically, it focuses on exploring the challenges and limitations to identify the benefits of hybrid approaches in border supply chain management. In particular, to identify how those challenges and limitations impact on overall supply chain practices and performance. To this end, the final sample of 118 peer-reviewed articles was reviewed to constitute the knowledge base of the study. Therefore, this study critically reviewed and analysed previous theoretical and evidence-based literature on the key themes associated with the topic by using a systematic literature review. This study adopted a systematic literature review research methodology involving a three-stage review method. The three stages were (1) planning the review; (2) conducting the review; and (3) reporting and dissemination. This study presents the details of the literature search, outcomes of the search, subsequent analysis of 118 articles from 40 different journals, and contributions to knowledge, key findings and recommendations. This study is one of the first systematic literature reviews on hybrid approaches of lean, agile and six sigma philosophies, in particular reviewing the literature to explore to what extent hybrid approaches of these philosophies influence supply chain practices and performance in the context of various industries. None of the previous literature has critically reviewed the hybrid approach of lean, agile and six sigma philosophies in terms of challenges and limitations in the context of supply chain practices. This study adds to the existing literature by critically reviewing the literature on hybrid approaches of lean, agile, and six sigma philosophies, emphasizing challenges, limitations, and benefits of integrated approaches in the context of supply chain management for various industries. Based on a critical literature review, a conceptual framework is developed as the basis of integrated LASS philosophy for supply chain management

Lean Supply Management in the Canadian Agri-food Sector

This thesis examines a novel conceptualization and operationalization of the lean supply management (LSM) construct and investigates its practical relevance for the Canadian agri-food sector. The thesis consists of three integrated essays, intended to advance the LSM scholarly theorization and managerial understanding. The first essay offers a systematic literature review to gain a better comprehension of the current state of research on LSM regarding its definition, practices, and frameworks, as well as context and contingencies related to its implementation. The second essay offers a conceptual development of the LSM construct presenting a new definition and a new contextual contingent model that is supplemented by an empirical validation of its practical utility through a Delphi study. The new model shows an alignment association between supply challenges and performance objectives that aligns and influences the selection of lean pillars. Findings identified the main supply challenges faced by Canadian agri-food processors and the lean pillars used to address them when pursuing specific performance objectives, their associations, and alignments. The third essay offers a qualitative inquiry to deepen the understanding of LSM in the Canadian agri-food sector using multiple case studies, which reveal how and why LSM is being utilized in the industry. This study determined the specific lean concepts, tools, and practices to deploy to achieve performance objectives when facing supply challenges. Results from this thesis contribute new insights to reorient the scholarly examination of LSM and practical illustrations to guide managers in LSM implementations

A framework for implementing lean principles in supply chain at healthcare organisations.

The aim of this research is to develop a framework to implement lean thinking in healthcare supply chain management (HSCM). The framework comprises four implementation phases namely; preparation state, assessment of the current state in terms of lean, developing the desired future state in terms of lean and steady (sustainable) state of new actions taken. The developed framework covers the lean enablers, factors and the barriers that may hinder the lean implementation. The final edition of the framework was validated by three hospitals in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the developed framework includes model to assess leanness maturity of the HSCM. The HSCM leanness assessment model was developed by using multi-grade fuzzy approach. This approach consists of three levels; enablers, criteria and attributes. By using such approach, the HSCM leanness index was calculated and practices for further improvement were identified. Five enablers that are important for implementing lean principles in HSCM were identified. The enablers are medical management responsibility, healthcare supply chain processes management, medical human resource, consumer relationship and supplier relationship. Nine lean barriers that are obstacle lean implementation include: existence of physicians’ preferences, unpredictable patient demand, Inadequate knowledge and lack of understanding lean concept , identify type of waste through HSCM processes (delivering value to the patient), hospital culture and resistance to change, lack of hospital support, commitment and disbelief in lean , scarcity of qualified human resources and lack of training , assessment of the required level of leanness and lack of effective communication and information sharing. Prioritization and proposed solutions to overcome these barriers were provided. HSCM leanness assessment model was developed based on three levels: enablers, criteria, and attributes. Mixed methods has been used as research methodology. The research has started with extensive literature review related to supply chain management and lean with focus on healthcare context. Next, the qualitative method was used during field study by using semi-structured and structured interview to capture the knowledge from experts (data collection). The proposed framework enables decision-makers at healthcare providers to implement lean principles in supply chain management through a step by step process. Implementation of the framework will contribute significantly to improving the supply chain's overall performance, quality of work, reducing cost and eliminating wastes and on-time delivery.PhD in Manufacturin