Enablers and Constraints in Implementing Lean Manufacturing: evidence from Brazilian SMEs

Lean Manufacturing has revolutionized the global manufacturing environment at an unprecedented rate. In scholarly and managerial literature, many works have reported that Lean Manufacturing is a very efficient approach and a straightforward way towards process improvements, in terms of productivity and value adding activities ratio. However, many studies on Lean Manufacturing have highlighted many problems in its implementation. The analysis carried out within the research project is aimed to the factors enabling or constraining the Lean Transformation of a firm’s production system, along with the most relevant tools or practices to be applied. The research methodology used is the so-called “Normative Delphi” with a panel formed by 32 experts coming from 16 Brazilian SMEs. Our results are partially consistent with what has already been discussed in the literature and we found that the most relevant tools/practices are: value stream mapping, 5S methodology, and Kaizen (Gemba walks); the top three enabling factors are: knowledge and sponsorship of senior management, focus on continuous improvement, and employee development fostered by the company; finally, the main critical constraints are: little support from the top management, resistance to change by middle management, and poor or non-qualified Lean training activities

Lean thinking in the food supply chain: an action case research

The purpose of the study is to examine the adoption of lean tools in food supply chains as well as to understand how small and medium companies (SMEs) can implement lean tools in order to develop a lean action plan designed for SMEs. A case study research is used in the present study of a UK tea company. An action research approach was adopted to study the lean process and diagnosis of problems occurred during implementation (Vlachos, 2011). The present study developed a lean action plan needs to include the following steps: Re-Define Value, Map Value Streams, Detect Waste, Lean the Production Operations, Ideal State of Production Operations, and Develop a Pull Strategy. The findings derived from this research would facilitate practitioners in undertaking lean endeavours. The potential contribution of leaning food small and medium companies can be enormous given the percentage of food waste across supply chains (Vlachos, 2004a, Vlachos, 2004b). The contribution of this study is threefold: (a) it offers insights on a lean action plan for small and medium companies. (b) it sheds light on how lean thinking can be applied in the food sector (c) it tests a unique reflecting methodology using action case research to gather, interpret, and develop reflective learning

Improving access to health services – Challenges in Lean application

Purpose: Healthcare organisations face significant productivity pressures and are undergoing major service transformation. This paper serves to disseminate findings from a Lean healthcare project using a NHS Single Point of Access environment as the case study. It demonstrates the relevance and extent that Lean can be applied to this type of healthcare service setting. Design/methodology/approach: Action research was applied and Lean tools used to establish current state processes, identify wastes and develop service improvement opportunities based upon defined customer values. Findings: The quality of referral information was found to be the root cause of a number of process wastes and causes of failure for the service. Understanding the relationship and the nature of interaction between the service‟s customer/supplier led to more effective and sustainable service improvement opportunities and the co-creation of value. It was also recognised that not all the Lean principles could be applied to this type of healthcare setting. Practical implications: The study is useful to organisations using Lean to undertake service improvement activities. The paper outlines how extending the value stream beyond the organisation to include suppliers can lead to improved co-production and generation of service value. Originality/value: The study contributes to service productivity research by demonstrating the relevance and limitations of Lean application in a new healthcare service setting. The case study demonstrates the practical challenges of implementing Lean in reciprocal service design models and adds validity to existing contextual models

Lean principles applied to software development – avoiding waste

Under the current economic conditions many organizations strive to continue the trend towards adopting better software development processes, in order to take advantage of the numerous benefits that these can offer. Those benefits include quicker return on investment, better software quality, and higher customer satisfaction. To date, however, there is little body of research that can guide organizations in adopting modern software development practices, especially when it comes to Lean thinking and principles. To address this situation, the current paper identifies and structures the main wastes (or muda in Lean terms) in software development as described by Lean principles, in an attempt to bring into researchers’ and practitioners’ attention Lean Software Development, a modern development methodology based on well-established practices such as Lean Manufacturing or Toyota Production System.Lean, software development, agile methodologies

Delivering and sustaining change through implementation of a lean management system : a journey towards health improvement : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Studies in Management at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

In this ever-changing world organisations seek to be adaptive and innovative and in response they are adopting new ways of working. Approaches to managing change have been well documented and have progressed as a deeper understanding of change and the associated study of human behaviours has developed. One such methodology that emerged from the well-studied area of Lean Thinking is the Lean Management System, which aims to align direction and distribute decision-making in an organisation in order to have greater sustainability of change. This study was conducted in the pharmacy department of a large New Zealand public hospital that sought to engage their team in change from a supply-driven pharmacy model, to a model focused on medicines optimisation. To enable the change, the pharmacy department developed work practices based on a Lean Management System that had been adopted in other areas of the hospital. There is very little literature on studies that discuss the impact of Lean Management Systems in healthcare organisations, in particular a pharmacy department. The primary aim for this study is to explore the impact that a Lean Management System has on the sustainability of change in a hospital pharmacy department. Participatory Action Research was selected as the methodology to explore the two main themes of ‘Relevance’ and ‘Reactivity’ before, during and after the introduction of a Lean Management System. The data for the study was collected through a combination of focus groups, interviews and researcher reflections. Given that the researcher worked with the participants of the study to facilitate the introduction of the Lean Management System, processes were established to ensure the study was conducted in an ethical manner. The findings from the study indicate that the introduction of a Lean Management System has a positive impact on sustainability of change, as observed through an increase in the Relevance individuals had with the wider pharmacy department and a reduction in the day-to-day Reactivity team members experienced. This improvement was not consistent across all teams in the pharmacy department, in particular a difference observed in the level of Relevance between the Pharmacy Leadership Team and the ‘front line’ teams. The findings also highlight the strong connection between leadership behaviours and effectiveness of the Lean Management System. The findings can be explained by a range of literature relating to behavioural characteristics, identity theory, alignment to purpose and leadership. Implications for policy and practice are provided with the aim of guiding organisations introducing Lean Management Systems to be successful. The research identifies a number of gaps in literature and recommends that, in order to achieve greater sustainability of change, the introduction of a Lean Management System be conducted in conjunction with the development of leadership behaviours. Finally, future research is recommended focusing on the development of Lean Management Systems aligned to social networks and the impact of Organisational Identity on Lean Management Systems

Reducing the delivery lead time in a food distribution SME through the implementation of six sigma methodology

Purpose – Six sigma is a systematic data driven approach to reduce the defect and improve the quality in any type of business. The purpose of this paper is to present the findings from the application of six sigma in a food service “small to medium sized enterprise” (SME) in a lean environment to reduce the waste in this field. Design/methodology/approach – A simplified version of six sigma is adopted through the application of appropriate statistical tools in order to focus on customer's requirements to identify the defect, the cause of the defect and improve the delivery process by implementing the optimum solution. Findings – The result suggests that modification in layout utilization reduced the number of causes of defect by 40 percent resulting in jumping from 1.44 sigma level to 2.09 Sigma level which is substantial improvement in SME. Research limitations/implications – Simplicity of six sigma is important to enabling any SME to identify the problem and minimize its cause through a systematic approach. Practical implications – Integrating of supply chain objectives with any quality initiatives such as lean and six sigma has a substantial effect on achieving to the targets. Originality/value – This paper represents a potential area in which six sigma methodology along side the lean management can promote supply chain management objectives for a food distribution SME

Is good enough 'making do'?: An investigation of inappropriate processing in a small design and build company

Purpose: The aim was to address behaviour that led to inappropriate processing in a small design and build contracting organisation that employs direct labour. The objective was to reduce process waste and improve the value delivered to clients. This formed part of a larger knowledge transfer project (KTP) to improve performance on construction sites through the application of lean thinking. Methodology: Action research was used to identify and bring about change within the contracting organisation. The method was applied to live construction projects in the social housing sector in the greater London area. The intervention was to raise the awareness of site personnel to the importance of finishing tasks through informal discussions and visual management techniques. Findings: Raised awareness of the importance of finishing work to allow other trades to follow on unimpeded led to significant improvements in the quality and flow of work. This helped to contribute to significant savings in time and cost. Practical implications: This applied research is practical and cost effective to apply to live projects managed by small and medium sized contracting organisations. Academic implications: the observations made reveal a form of waste in construction that has not been widely recognised in the literature on Lean. Research limitations: Findings relate to a small SME with directly employed labour, therefore the findings have limited applicability. Further applied research is required to determine the generalisation of the approach/findings to organisations that subcontract their labour Originality/value: Provides a unique insight into the practical application of lean thinking tools and process improvement

Lean healthcare assets challenge FM performance measurement conventions

Purpose; To show how Lean Asset thinking can be applied to health care facilities using different measures to compare the estates contribution to the business of health care providers. The challenge to conventional wisdom matches that posed by Lean Production to Mass Manufacturing. Methodology; Data Envelope Analysis examines the income generated and patient occupied area as outputs from the Gross Area of a Trust’s estate. Findings; The approach yield strategic comparisons that conventional FM measures of cost per m2 hide. The annual cost of an excess estate is conservatively estimated at £600,000,000(in England alone) Research limitations/implications; Further research to understand the causes of the excess is needed and is in hand. Meanwhile the research illustrates the power of an alternative way of assessing facilities performance. Practical implications Have already been demonstrated in two trusts who have used such an analysis to define strategic estates targets, Originality. The author’s are not aware of the Lean Asset perspective previously being applied to healthcare facilities. The research shows the underlying fallacy of relying on cost per m2 as the primary measure of asset performance.</p

Could “Lean Lite” be the cost effective solution to applying lean manufacturing in developing economies?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to suggest a solution to the problem of implementing a full “Lean” methodology for small-/medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a developing economy. Design/methodology/approach – This is a reflective paper that looks at an illustrative case study against the wider perspectives of the financial and resource costs of implementing a full lean programme in a developing country and suggests that using a “Lean Lite” approach may help the consultant/manager introduce lean concepts into a manufacturing organisation in a developing country. Findings – The paper concludes that “Lean Lite” as an approach that can be used to introduce lean initiatives in an SME in a developing economy by allowing a company with very limited resources to engage not only in business improvement but also in improving working conditions and education for employees. Research limitations/implications – The observations are limited to a single case study, although tempered by the authors’ wider experience. Further empirical research and critique of the original research is required to validate the observations and conclusions. Practical implications – The proposed “Lean Lite” initiative can help to introduce lean concepts to an organisation with limited financial and other resources. This helps organisations to increase productivity and assists the adoption of the lean philosophy and principles in a developing economy. The approach may also be used to engage in a wider corporate social responsibility strategy at ground level. Social implications – The social benefits as a result of implementing a Lean Lite approach include improving working conditions and educating employees. Originality/value – The paper proposes an approach that can be used to widen organisational involvement in lean initiatives in a developing economy by allowing a company with limited resources to engage not only in business improvement but also in improving working conditions and education for employees. As such the approach has both economic and social benefits