The Oretical Aspects of «Lean Enterprise» Definition

Lean production was established as a production management concept in the 1970s in Japan at the car making company Toyota and became the standard for enterprises around the world in many industries. However, despite the fact that using the tools and following the principles of lean production became common practice, there are also national standards, and we cannot describe all enterprises which use the tools and follow the principles as «lean». The subject of this research is the definition of «a lean enterprise». Literature analysis identified two approaches to the «lean enterprise» definition – direct and indirect, using individual characteristics. On the basis of the analyses we identified several groups of characteristics in the definition of the «lean enterprise» (structure, aim and action) that were used by some authors. The analysis of the groups of characteristics enabled the authors to identify three features of the «lean enterprise»: those adhering to the concept principles, using the tools and transformation. We determined that some features of the «lean enterprise» relate to the features of a self-organizing enterprise (culture, structure, motivation, leadership, learning) in line to 2S-system theory. By comparing the features of the self-developing organization and the Toyota Production System principles we formulated the «lean enterprise» definition and described it as an enterprise which uses the tools of lean production, follow the concept principles and seek to become a self-organizing and self-developing organization. Using this research will help create a lean enterprise model and it classification.«Бережливое производство» (lean) как концепция производственного менеджмента сформировалось в 70-е гг. ХХ в. в Японии, в автомобильной корпорации «Тойота», и с тех пор стала эталоном для многих предприятий различных сфер экономики. Однако, несмотря на то, что применение инструментов и следование принципам бережливого производства стало практически повсеместной практикой, существует ряд ГОСТов по бережливому производству, далеко не все предприятия, применяющие элементы концепции бережливого производства, можно считать «бережливыми». Предметом исследования статьи является понятие «бережливое предприятие». Анализ научной литературы позволил выявить два подхода к данному понятию – непосредственные и опосредованные, через отдельные характеристики (признаки). На основе проведенного анализа литературы в статье выделены группы признаков «бережливого предприятия» – структура, цель, действия, используемые отдельными авторами. Анализ групп признаков позволил выделить три признака бережливого предприятия: следование принципам и использование инструментов бережливого производства, трансформация. Выявлено, что сформированные признаки соотносятся с признаками саморазвивающейся организации (структура, культура, мотивация, обучение и лидерство), согласно теории 2С-систем (самоорганизация и саморазвитие). На основании сопоставления признаков саморазвивающейся организации и принципов производственной системы «Тойота», основателя концепции «бережливого производства», сформировано понятие бережливого предприятия, которое следует принципам бережливого производства, использует инструменты (методы) бережливого производства и стремится к саморазвитию и самоорганизации. Использование данного понятия, сопоставление теории 2С-систем и бережливого производства позволит в дальнейших исследованиях сформировать модель бережливого предприятия, а также создать классификацию бережливых предприятий

Exploring the challenges and the implementation of lean practices under lean transformation project in Malaysian small and medium enterprises

This study aims to explore the challenges and the implementation of lean practices by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. It was conducted as a multiple-case study based on six companies that participated in the Lean Transformation Project (LTP) organized by the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC). Data were collected through a combination of observation, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed significant improvements in the companies after participating in the LTP. These improvements included enhancing material handling processes through proper labeling and arrangement of materials. This study provides valuable insights for academics and practitioners on the impact of lean practices on operational activities in SMEs, particularly in the Malaysian context. It highlights the significance of lean principles in driving positive changes in companies, focusing on improving process outputs and outcomes

Building an Agile Enterprise: Case OP Financial Group - OP Oulu

The fundamental question in the field of strategic management is how organizations can achieve and sustain competitive advantage. Achieving such an ambitious goal has become even more difficult in the modern world of innovation-based competition. Moreover, past success does not guarantee success in the future, which is why companies need to embrace a dual transformation towards focusing on changing customer needs and other strategic interventions. Organizations need to become adaptive and ambidextrous. The enterprise agile framework is gaining popularity and is proposed as a comprehensive answer to the question of building sustainable competitive advantage by many managers in organizations across industries. Agile teams were originally designed for use in small teams and projects, but their potential benefits have made them attractive for adoption at scale. However, adopting agile at scale is complicated. Doing so also means transforming strategy work from long-term planning to a continuous process. Enterprise agile is designed to increase manoeuvrability at the entire spectrum of the organization’s activities, which supports a continuous strategy process. A theoretical representation of the agile operational model is presented. As the enterprise agile framework does not yet have an intellectual home in academic research, the concept of dynamic capabilities is proposed as a theoretical basis as it is well-researched and rooted in the research on adaptive and innovative organizations. Other concepts of interest in this thesis are innovation strategies, business model innovation, technological innovation and a specific dynamic capability, also a well-researched construct, called absorptive capacity. Absorptive capacity emphasizes organizational learning capability which helps firms assimilate and implement new technologies, practices and processes. The empirical section of the thesis studies an independent branch of the largest financial services corporation in Finland. A synthesis between theory and research suggests that organizational learning capability manifests in absorptive capacity, which has comprehensive potential to affect the organization’s ability to implement innovative managerial practices, such as enterprise agile. The enterprise agile framework is found to have potential to broadly strengthen several types of dynamic capabilities, which are at the heart of the organization’s ability to create and sustain competitive advantage. The empirical results further suggest that agile can be divided between concrete agile working methods and broader agile working techniques, which help conceptualize and compartmentalize the broader enterprise agile framework

Melhoria contínua numa linha de montagem de caldeiras

Mestrado em Engenharia e Gestão IndustrialEste projeto tem como principal objetivo a implementação de ferramentas de melhoria contínua numa empresa produtora de esquentadores e caldeiras. Pretende-se a eliminação de desperdícios de uma linha de montagem de caldeiras através da implementação de ferramentas Poka-Yoke e sistemas Jidoka, que garantam a qualidade da montagem dessas caldeiras. Com estas ferramentas espera-se que o controlo de qualidade seja efetuado no posto e que a execução adequada das tarefas seja validada pelo sistema automático da linha.The goal of this project is the implementation of continuous improvement tools on a factory that produces boilers and water heaters. It’s intended to eliminate waste in a boiler assembly line through the implementation of Poka-Yoke tools and Jidoka systems that ensure the quality of the boilers components and assembly process. With these tools it’s expected that the quality control is guaranteed on the workstation and that the correct execution of the tasks is validated by the line’s automatic system

Self-Efficacy and Leadership Commitment During Lean Strategy Deployment

Lean strategy deployment (LSD) provides a means to create lasting value at reduced cost; yet most LSD efforts fail to attain sustainable improvements. The current study sought to gain an understanding of how leaders in oral healthcare manufacturing setting in the northeastern region of the United States can apply self-efficacy and leadership commitment during an LSD. Using Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy this qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences and perceptions of 15 mid-to-senior level managers, concerning the use of self-efficacy and leadership commitment during a lean strategy deployment (LSD). The key findings resulted in 10 emergent themes. The top 3 highly regarded themes that emerged from this study were: (1) committing to a lean strategy deployment, (2) communicating lessons learned/changes, and (3) bringing the best out of employees. LSDs are not easy to implement. Many companies attempt to carry out lean activities and many of these same companies fail to have successful results. To be effective, leaders should focus on creating sound practices and give more attention to the human behaviors and leadership characteristics needed to support eliminating barriers and creating a lean culture

Upravljačko-računovodstvena podrška menadžmentu preduzeća u lean poslovnom okruženju

Management accounting is, by the content and character of information produced, an indispensable basis for the implementation of the defined strategy and management of the enterprise. Devising an appropriate information basis for efficient management of the enterprise has always been a subject of interest of scientific and professional community. Numerous efforts have been made to make information relevant for business decision-making transparent and easily accessible. However, business conditions have mercilessly changed and surpassed the solutions found. A large number of concepts that belong to the group of modern ones have shown their unsuitability in conditions in which the product life cycle shortens, all types of waste and non-value-added activities are eliminated, and product delivery just in time, with the aim of providing the required value to the user. Under such conditions, a significant information basis for enterprise management is lean accounting. Before applying lean accounting, enterprises must begin their process of lean transformation. This implies the acceptance and implementation of lean business concept and its basic principles in all processes in the enterprise, not only in the production process. Organization of the process around the “value stream” has created the conceptual basis of the new concept of costing. “Value stream” costing successfully overcomes the problem of cost allocation, making the link between costs and cost drivers easily accessible and discernible. This concept of costing makes one segment of the three-dimensional performance presentation achieved, which is possible by using the Box Score. Lean accounting adds information on available capacity to the financial performance presented in the “value stream” income statement and performance measures. Consideration of information on available capacity is important due to the fact that increased production capacity at the expense of non-production capacity leads to performance improvement of production cells, “value streams”, and enterprise itself, which further leads to increased profitability of “value streams” and the enterprise. In this way, lean accounting provides relevant, reliable, fast, and comprehensive information basis for the performance of management activities in the enterprise

A Framework for Lean Transformation in Developing Countries: The Case of Saudi Arabian Industry

Lean is a dynamic, knowledge-driven, and customer focused philosophy that continuously eradicates waste and generates value, with a goal to improve a company\u27s productivity, efficiency, and quality. Successful implementation of lean does not only offer cost reduction and improved quality and productivity, but also provides efficient guidance for organizations to attain significant and continued growth. Although its adoption by companies has proven successful in developed countries, there is no sufficient evidence of its successful implementation in developing countries such as Saudi Arabia. A review of the literature indicates that there is a need to study lean transformation in developing countries as part of a comprehensive approach to their survival in the global economy. The purpose of this research is to develop a framework for a successful lean transformation in developing countries. The framework was developed by conducting a thorough literature review analysis and interviewing key personnel in ten local and eight multinational Saudi Arabian companies. The framework reacted to general data about lean transformation in developing countries, assessed a lean transformation level, and constructed the Interpretive Structure Molding (ISM) for barriers to achieve a successful lean transformation. Expert opinions were used for validation of the main components of this study, which are assessment, barriers, ISM and framework. Similar to the literature findings which indicated that the level of successful lean transformation in developing countries is low, the assessment revealed that the lean transformation level in local companies in Saudi Arabia is between 30% and 40%, and in multinational companies the level is between 50% and 60%. Both local and multinational companies in the case of Saudi Arabian industry considered lack of suppliers\u27 involvement, lack of cooperation from suppliers, lack of good quality suppliers, and slow response to market due to demand fluctuations as the root barriers that need to be addressed at the primary stages of lean transformation. The resulting framework provides clear phases with an estimated timeline for each phase, from the foundation phase to the excellence level phase. In addition, it involves executive leaders and a cross-functional team to mentor and assess the transformation after each phase. The framework comprises several methods and tools that can be considered critical success factors for lean transformation, which will enable companies in developing countries to move toward achieving a successful lean transformation and sustainability, as well as reaching higher and persistent levels of growth

Razvoj modela ranog upravljanja inželjerskim ljudskim resursima u Lean industrijskim sistemima

REZIME Osnovna svrha doktorske disertacije je da ukaže na dodatnu mogućnost za unapređenje načina na koji se tretira ljudski faktor u Lean industrijskim sistemima koristeći princip ranog menadžmenta u upravljanju ljudskim resursima. Kandidat je predstavio model i ideju Ranog upravljanja ljudskim resursima (EHRM model), osmišljenog kroz integraciju koncepata Ranog upravljanja i Razvoja ljudskih resursa (koncentrisan u pilaru Razvoj ljudi u WCM, odnosno Obrazovanje i obuka u TPM sistemima). Inovativan pristup problemu obezbeđivanja, razvoja i integracije ljudskih resursa u Lean industrijske sisteme i stvaranje novog, poboljšanog modela zasniva se na primeni osnovnih principa Lean proizvodne filozofije. Principi i ideje Lean-a korišteni su kao platforma za unapređenje procesa obrazovanja i obuke, kako bi se postigao racionalan i optimalan sistem, lišen svih oblika gubitaka, rasipanja i neracionalnog angažovanja ljudskog rada. Predloženi EHRM model neophodan je savremenim Lean (WCM/TPM) industrijskim sistemima da napuste svoj trenutni pasivan pristup i, intenziviranjem saradnje sa obrazovnim institucijama, aktivno se uključe u proces obezbeđivanja, razvoja i integracije inženjerskih ljudskih resursa potrebnog nivoa znanja i kompetencija. EHRM model koristi princip vertikalnog startovanja (VSU) kako bi omogućio drastično smanjenje vremena od početnog razvoja inženjerskih ljudskih resursa u obrazovnim institucijama do dostizanja njihovog punog potencijala i postizanja željenog nivoa kompetencija pre stvarnog zapošljavanja u Lean industrijskim sistemima. Na ovaj način će Lean preduzeća sprovoditi rano upravljanje ljudskim resursima kroz aktivno učešće u procesu obuke i obrazovanja ljudskog faktora u obrazovnim institucijama i omogućiti njihovu efektivnu i efikasnu tranziciju iz akademskog u industrijsko okruženje. Novozaposleni inženjeri će već pri dolasku u kompaniju početi da rade punim kapacitetom i neće biti potrebne nikakve dodatne obuke. Time će se rešiti aktuelan i urgentan problem neadekvatnog obrazovanja i neusklađenosti između znanja, veština i kompetencija koje zahteva industrija i onih koje poseduju inženjerski ljudski resursi nakon diplomiranja.ABSTRACT The main purpose of this PhD thesis was to point out at the additional possibility to improve the ways Human Factors are treated in Lean industrial systems using the Early Management principle in managing Human Resources. Therefore, the candidate has introduced the model and idea of Early Human Resources Management (EHRM model), which is designed through the integration of concepts of Early Management and Human Resources development (concentrated in the pillar of People Development in WCM and pillar Education and Training in TPM). An innovative approach to the problem of providing, developing and integrating human resources into Lean industrial systems and designing a new, improved model is based on the application of fundamental principles of Lean manufacturing philosophy. Principles and ideas of Lean were used as a platform for improving training and education process in order to achieve a rational and optimal system, deprived of all forms of losses, dissipation and irrational engagement of human work. The proposed EHRM model is a necessary for modern Lean (WCM/TPM) industrial systems to leave their current passive approach and, by intensifying cooperation with educational institutions, actively engage in the process of providing, developing and integrating engineering human resources of the required level of knowledge and competencies. EHRM model is using the Vertical start-up (VSU) principle to enable drastic reduction of time from initial development of engineering human resources at the educational institutions until reaching their full potential and achieving the desired level of competencies before actual employment in Lean industrial systems. Thus, Lean companies will conduct Early Management of human resources throughout active participation in the process of human factor training and education at educational institutions and empower their effective and efficient transition from academic to industrial environment. New engineering employees will start operating at full capacity and no additional training will be needed upon arrival in the company. That way, the current and urgent problem of inadequate preparation and mismatch between the knowledge, skills, and competencies required by the industry and those possessed by engineering human resources right after graduation will be solved