Towards digital lean manufacturing: A Brazilian case

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present a case study to describe the contact points between industry 4.0 technologies and lean manufacturing practices, that characterize the concept of digital lean manufacturing. Design/methodology/approach - After building a research framework extracted from the literature review, a single and in-depth case study was carried out in a Brazilian factory to understand the implementation of the digital lean manufacturing. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis, and resulted in the development of a conceptual map. Findings - The results revealed characteristics regarding six contact points implemented in the organization investigated. Also, it was observed that the results with the digitization of lean practices are consistent with the traditional literature, as they are aimed at reducing operating costs, eliminating waste, increasing quality, reducing lead time and real-time information. Research limitations/implications - The results of the research are based on a single case study and cannot be generalized. Therefore, the application of the same research framework will be conducted in other companies. Practical implications - Understanding the requirements for implementing the contact points illustrated in this case can help lean practitioners in the process of converting to the digital lean manufacturing model. However, it is understood that the implementation of DLM requires investments in technology and organizational culture aligned to the digital transformation. Originality/value - This work represents the first attempt to verify the adequacy of a research framework for the characterization of digital lean manufacturing practices

Lean Six Sigma in manufacturing process: a bibliometric study and research agenda

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a bibliometric study about Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in the manufacturing process and to conduct an analysis of sources of publication, authorship, citations and other bibliometric indicators. This paper also identifies the research agenda for future research related to the LSS approach in manufacturing processes. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 508 articles published during the period 2002 to 2017 were collected through an automated process from the Scopus and Web of Science databases and later analyzed using techniques such as data mining, bibliometric indicators analysis, cluster analysis, network analysis and word cloud. The boundaries of the study cover studies directed to the manufacturing processes. Findings: The research identified 1,110 authors from 54 countries and 15 most prolific journals among the 162 journals investigated. The study unveils relevant articles, authors and journals that have discussed LSS initiatives in the manufacturing process. Practical implications: The study findings can make practitioners aware of the state of the art and the specificities of the most prolific studies. Furthermore, this paper also intends to clarify the project themes and tools most used in these works. Originality/value: The geographical locations of influential articles and authors are revealed. Additionally, frequently used words are listed and helped to develop a research agenda that highlights relevant themes, methods and industries