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Validated quantitative models for lean supply chain planning (LSCP) are still scarce in the literature, particularly because conventional push systems have not been widely integrated and tested with pull systems in sustainable and resilient environments in the Industry 4.0 context. Hence the main contribution of this paper is to develop an optimisation model that is able to contribute to the LSCP with the combination of push and pull strategies. Here we present an integrated just-in-time (JIT) production system with material requirement planning (MRP) for a SC that takes a traditional five-level structure based on a mixed-integer linear programming model (MILP) dubbed as LSCP 4.0. The model is able to simultaneously plan the production and inventory of materials and finished goods to satisfy demand from forecasts and firm orders. The selection of alternative suppliers as a proactive measure to face disruptive events is also considered. Furthermore, sustainable practices are included in the objective function for profit maximisation by considering CO2 emissions. This proposal is tested in the footwear sector. The results demonstrate that the combined use of JIT and MRP through a quantitative approach improve performance in leanness, sustainability and resilience by decreasing the bullwhip effect at different SC levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lean manufacturing (LM) applies different tools that help to eliminate waste as well as the operations that do not add value to the product or processes to increase the value of each performed activity. Here the main motivation is to study how quantitative modelling approaches can support LM tools even under system and environment uncertainties. The main contributions of the article are: (i) providing a systematic literature review of 99 works related to the modelling of uncertainty in LM environments; (ii) proposing a methodology to classify the reviewed works; (iii) classifying LM works under uncertainty; and (iv) identify quantitative models and their solution to deal with uncertainty in LM environments by identifying the main variables involved. Hence this article provides a conceptual framework for future LM quantitative modelling under uncertainty as a guide for academics, researchers and industrial practitioners. The main findings identify that LM under uncertainty has been empirically investigated mainly in the US, India and the UK in the automotive and aerospace manufacturing sectors using analytical and simulation models to minimise time and cost. Value stream mapping (VSM) and just in time (JIT) are the most used LM techniques to reduce waste in a context of system uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern manufacturing is the world's largest and most automated industrial sector. The rise of Industry 4.0 technologies such as Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and Machine Learning has enabled a better connection with machines and factory systems. Data harvesting allowed for a more seamless and comprehensive implementation of the knowledge-based decision-making process. New models that provide a competitive edge must be created by combining the Lean paradigm with the new technologies of Industry 4.0. This paper presents novel computer-based vision models for automated detection and classification of damaged packages from intact packages. In high-volume production environments, the package manual inspection process through the human eye consumes inordinate amounts of time poring over physical packages. Our proposed three different computer-based vision approaches detect damaged packages to prevent them from moving to shipping operations that would otherwise incur waste in the form of wasted operating hours, wasted resources and lost customer satisfaction. The proposed approaches were carried out on a data set consisting of package images and achieved high precision, accuracy, and recall values during the training and validation stage, with the resultant trained YOLO v7 model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern manufacturing systems, operators' role is evolving continuously in relation to the main production paradigms affecting how companies approach their manufacturing and logistics operations. If the introduction of Lean Manufacturing principles has affected workers' well-being directly, the adoption of digital technologies is modifying how factory work is organised and performed. As a result, digitalised and Lean Manufacturing contexts require operators to enhance their skills increasingly to perform several tasks and functions. This paper examines the evolution of operators' role in production by recalling two main work design paradigms that originated in the 1960s: Job Enlargement and Job Enrichment. Indeed, through a literature review and development of a causal loop diagram (CLD), this research points out how the main features of Industry 4.0 and Lean Manufacturing jointly affect the Job Enlargement and Job Enrichment concepts. The study significantly helps reshape work design in next-generation production systems, shedding light on the implications and relationships of the most widespread manufacturing paradigm, i.e. Lean Manufacturing and Industry 4.0, using Job Enrichment and Job Enlargement strategies. A CLD also can be a helpful tool for practitioners to understand what factors to leverage to increase efficiency and worker satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel lean tool called Project Time Deployment (PTD) whose objectives are to classify, analyse, and eliminate losses in order to reduce production lead time in Engineer-to-Order (ETO) environments. By combining two already known approaches, i.e. the Manufacturing Critical-path Time and the Manufacturing Cost Deployment, PTD identifies the critical losses affecting the project, focusing on the business processes where causal losses occur, and providing opportunities for greater efficiency and effectiveness by reducing or even eliminating them. In ETO projects, the lead time and respecting deadlines are of paramount importance and they are often threatened by several different losses that are difficult to compare. Companies thus need a tool to identify the losses and the tasks where they occur, quantifying them in terms of a single dimension: the time. PTD was designed using a methodology based on four steps: analysis of current solutions, concept design and prototype, proof of concept and validation, and definition of future researches. It was also validated in an industrial implementation concerning an Engineering, Procurement & Construction company operating in the steel industry, and led to an approximate 24% reduction in lead time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most recent trend manufacturers have embraced to seek operational performance improvements is the use of a wide range of digital technologies typically associated with Industry 4.0. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between such technologies and the long-established lean manufacturing domain, and how they, together, influence operational performance. Based on data from a cross-sectional survey of manufacturing companies, this study investigates the relationships between the use of lean manufacturing, factory digitalisation, and operational performance using hierarchical multiple regression analysis. While simultaneously controlling for the effects of production repetitiveness, company size, and length of lean manufacturing implementation, the findings show that both lean manufacturing and factory digitalisation individually contribute to improved operational performance. Furthermore, it is found that when used together, they have a complementary (or synergistic) effect that is greater than their individual effects combined. These research findings provide both theoretical and practical insights into how lean manufacturing and factory digitalisation affect the operational performance of manufacturing firms. In light of the upcoming fourth industrial revolution, these findings suggest that lean manufacturing is not obsolete but rather is more important than ever in order to reap the benefits from emerging technologies and translate them into improved operational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies are extensively employing lean manufacturing practices and temporary work, which at face value are in stark contrast to each other. While lean manufacturing emphasises the value of workers, temporary work refers to precarious work arrangements that, based on social exchange theory, may harm workers' commitment. The objective of this paper is to unveil the role of temporary work on the lean manufacturing – operational performance (i.e. cost, quality, delivery, flexibility) relationship. To answer our research question and test our hypotheses we utilise cross-country data collected through the sixth iteration of the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey and conduct multilevel regression analysis. Our results indicate that while lean manufacturing improves operational performance, the use of temporary work positively influences the relationship between lean manufacturing and mix and volume flexibility performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at identifying the pairwise relationship between specific sets of Lean Production (LP) practices and Learning Organisation (LO) dimensions. More specifically, the association between 10 LP operational constructs and seven LO dimensions, based upon previous literature, is empirically examined. A survey-based study was carried out with 135 companies undergoing a LP implementation. The study sample was categorised according to two control variables: type of organisation and company's LP implementation experience. Collected data was analysed through multivariate techniques. Results indicate that LP implementation and LO development are highly correlated. Additionally, findings also show that the extent of relationships varies according to the context, allowing the identification of synergistic associations and conflicting ones. The identification of these relationships provides means to better comprehend how the implementation of specific LP practices corroborates to enhancing LO capabilities within the organisation and vice-versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current literature claims the direct effects of industry 4.0 technologies (I4 T) on lean manufacturing practices (LMP) and sustainable organisational performance (SOP). LMP are also found to have a positive influence on SOP. However, the integrated effect of I4 T and LMP on SOP has not been empirically investigated. To address this gap, this research study investigates the indirect effects of I4 T on SOP with LMP as the mediating variable; furthermore, it aims to confirm or not the direct effects of I4 T on LMP and SOP. The study is based on data collected from 205 managers, working in 115 manufacturing firms. The findings suggest significant direct and indirect effects of I4 T on SOP and confirm the presence of LMP as a strong mediating variable. The results of the study extend the literature on I4 T by identifying I4 T as an enabler of LMP, leading to enhancement of the SOP. Implications and future research directions for academicians, practitioners, and consultants are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a production system framework that synthesises lean production, business excellence, and factory physics. The framework, which draws on a deep state-of-the-art understanding, consists of a performance measurement system supporting the achievement of a target condition based on variability and lead time reduction, as well as approaches of continuous improvement. Based on four types of excellence, a System Excellence value is calculated, indicating the distance from a target condition and thus displaying relevant improvement potential. As a key result, the framework proposed provides a contribution to knowledge, as it combines the aforementioned schools of thought, resulting in a holistic framework for action. The measurement system offers a high level of robustness, as it draws on diverse data sources and reflects on the dynamic behaviour over time. It has been successfully implemented in automotive manufacturing plants worldwide, which may suggest considerable practical relevance. Another key result of this research is that through applying the framework, important bottom-line indicators, such as lead time, failure costs, or productivity, could be improved. As the plants are typical automotive industry high-volume plants, it is proposed that the solutions presented offer a suitable standard for this industry and type of plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper proposes a modified version of the Manufacturing cost deployment (MCD) method to analyse engineer-to-order (ETO) production systems. The novel approach, named Project cost deployment (PCD), introduces two substantial and innovative modifications. To begin with, the concept of manual assembly macro-activity replaces the traditional concept of station. Then, a brand-new structure for classifying and analysing losses is introduced, that is specifically defined to deal with the inefficiencies of the manual assembly tasks. The validity of the approach is proved by a real-world industrial application. The obtained results demonstrate that the PCD method allows the analyst to identify the hidden losses and to quantify the wastes from an economical point of view. In addition, PCD permits to estimate the impacts of potential (lean) improvement activities and projects in terms of both efficiency and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lean manufacturing practices (LMPs) and corporate environmental sustainability are becoming inextricably linked. Throughout the lean and green debate, many organisations have recognised that LMPs have implications for their sustainable development and competitive positioning. Not only LMPs are complex on their own, but when perceived from an environmental sustainability perspective, the decision to implement an LMP can become even more intricate. Although general tools exist, the lack of effective decision-making tools to help in the implementation of LMPs with an environmental sustainability dimension is palpable. Thus, this study tackles the aforementioned decision problem by incorporating environmental and operational performance outcome expectations as these expectations are viewed in light of the ease of implementation of various LMPs. A novel multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model for evaluation of LMPs is developed in this respect. The model integrates a three-parameter interval grey number with rough set theory and the TODIM method. The model is run using empirical data from six manufacturing organisations. The findings facilitate the identification of a 'locus of investments' for a better selection of LMPs. The robustness of the decision support model developed is assessed through sensitivity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefits organisations can gain from outsourcing include cost savings and higher levels of innovation. On the other hand, outsourcing drawbacks include potential operations and performance issues such as capability and capacity problems. Some large organisations are pursuing the practice of outsourcing, more specifically, targeting global outsourcing from developing and low-wage countries. However, the perception of expected cost saving benefits when outsourcing to low-wage countries does not always reflect reality. A number of companies have failed to achieve the expected cost savings in sourcing from low-wage countries due to operational-level capability. The objective of this study is to develop an extended evaluation method that takes into account operational-level influence factors, in addition to the procurement factors, in the context of non-developed supplier markets. Our extended evaluation method of potential suppliers addressed the paradigm of ‘standard industry recipes’, by encompassing operational-level influence factors and integrating supplier value stream analysis into the evaluation and selection process of outsourcing. A survey was distributed to 369 international manufacturers. Operational levels were categorised into seven latent constructs: Customer Service/Sales, Purchasing, Production Planning and Control, Manufacturing Engineering, Shop Floor and Quality Control, Receiving and Shipping. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) confirmed the seven constructs, but measuring items were reduced from 39 to 23 significant observed measuring items, compromising the supplier selection framework. Our proposed framework will help practitioners make better informed decisions in outsourcing from non-developed supplier markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assess the antecedent link between lean and green practices and assess the combined impact of lean and green practices on both environmental and operational performance. A lean and green practices performance model is proposed that incorporates lean and green practices as antecedents to both environmental and operational performance. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse data collected from a sample of 182 manufacturing managers in U.S. plants. We found that lean manufacturing practices are positively associated with environmental performance and operational performance and that green supply chain management practices are positively associated with environmental performance and environmental performance is positively associated with operational performance. No support was found for the idea that green supply chain management practices are positively associated with operational performance. While lean practices were found to directly affect environmental performance, the indirect effect of lean practices on environmental performance through green practices is stronger, indicating complementarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notwithstanding the existence of a broad research base on assembly line balancing (ALB), companies do not use the mathematical approaches developed in the literature to configure assembly lines. This article aims to fill the gap between research and application by presenting and testing in a real industrial context a methodology based on complexity reduction and kaizen events. First, the methodology supports reducing the complexity that affects real-life assembly systems in terms of the variety of, e.g. finished products, materials and parts. Next, the methodology proposes the conduction of kaizen events by using lean manufacturing tools, such as process analysis, time observation, waste identification, workstation standard documents and yamazumi charts. The methodology is successfully applied to a case study that describes its use in the confectionery process for a major chocolatier company along with the results of the application. The main contribution of this paper consists in presenting a method to manage the line balancing activity within everyday industrial realities, helping practitioners to improve and maintain the performance over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Industry 4.0 has emerged as one of the most discussed concepts and has gained significant popularity in both academia and the industrial sector. Both Industry 4.0 and lean manufacturing utilise decentralised control and aim to increase productivity and flexibility. However, there have been few studies investigating the link between these two domains. This article explores this novel area and maps the current literature. This is achieved through a systematic literature review methodology, investigating literature published up to and including August 2017. This article identifies four main research streams concerning the link between Industry 4.0 and lean manufacturing, and a research agenda for future studies is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies has been deemed as a strategy to increase product quality and make manufacturing processes more efficient. However, the way that these technologies are integrated into existing production systems and which processes they can support is still under investigation. Thus, this paper aims to examine the relationship between lean production (LP) practices and the implementation of Industry 4.0 in Brazilian manufacturing companies. To achieve that we use data from a survey carried out with 110 companies of different sizes and sectors, at different stages of LP implementation. Data collected were analysed by means of multivariate analysis. Our findings indicate that LP practices are positively associated with Industry 4.0 technologies and their concurrent implementation leads to larger performance improvements. Further, the contextual variables investigated do matter to this association, although not all aspects matter to the same extent and effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dematerialisation refers to the decline, over time, of material usage in industrial products. The subject of this paper is to identify the relationship between the material and knowledge content of several products. The issue is whether the knowledge content, through time, will be affecting the products, in terms of dematerialisation. Specifically, a study has been conducted on widely used products in order to determine the way they have changed through their life-timeline. Two different indicators have been introduced for the quantification of the trend, in terms of material and knowledge content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the relatively extensive literature on VSM, limited reflection has been reported regarding how managerial proceedings actually put VSM into practice. This research therefore investigates these issues as part of the overall lean philosophy and in correlation with some of its main tools. Five hypotheses and three complementary research questions were formulated and tested using a combination of descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation, 2-Sample proportion, one-way ANOVA, 1-Samplet-tests and Tukey-Pairwise comparison tests. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire responded by 168 manufacturing organisations worldwide. The results establish, among other ‘soft’ aspects; (1) whether organisations that have adopted lean have also employed VSM as an essential tool to identify waste, (2) the position that VSM normally takes in the time frame hierarchy of lean implementation, (3) the complexity of VSM implementation in terms of easiness and time taken for training when compared to other lean tools such as TPM, JIT and Jidoka, and the (4) critical success factors and barriers for the VSM implementation. A conceptual framework to support the implementation and management of VSM is developed through the unification of the results obtained. This study supports the very limited empirical research on the implementation and management of VSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we explore how the key concepts of lean manufacturing, value, value adding and waste are conceived and operationally used by Lean trainers in operational work processes. A comparative case study with a mixed method approach, using an explanatory sequential design, was conducted. This means that a set of quantitative data were collected, which was followed by the collection of qualitative data with the purpose of explaining and understanding the quantitative measures. An interpretivist approach is used as a framework, which implies a perspective on contemporary operations management paradigms, such as lean manufacturing, as a continuous construction of inter-subjective experiences. What becomes evident in the empirical findings is that there are both similarities and differences in the Lean trainers conceptions and use of value adding and waste. The similarities and differences can be explained by variations in two dimensions: (a) the character of the work process, which ranges between mechanical and craftsmanship, and (b) Lean trainers approach to key concepts, which ranges between being rule-based and reflective. By using a research design where the concepts of value adding and waste were used simultaneously, and adopting an interpretivist approach on lean manufacturing, we were able to reveal conditions that in other cases remain hidden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this research is to identify whether companies that have implemented the Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) approach have full knowledge of the QRM principles or have merely applied the elements (principles and tools) that have a close relationship with Lean Manufacturing. Based on a review of the literature regarding the QRM principles, an exploratory survey was conducted for over 20 manufacturing companies from Brazil, Europe and the USA that operate in an Engineer or Make to Order environment system and explicitly have conducted QRM journeys. The results of the present study show that (i) the surveyed companies have difficulty knowing and applying some of the exclusive elements of this approach, even if they started implementing QRM several years ago; (ii) the surveyed companies’ knowledge degree over QRM exclusive elements is apparently higher among US-based companies due to better trained employees and better dissemination and awareness of the QRM exclusive elements; and (iii) a mentality based on productivity, low costs and due date delivery was identified as the main barrier for companies to achieve a higher knowledge degree regarding QRM. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper focuses on performance changes stemming from a series of lean interventions in a medical laboratory. This research is one of the first to link a series of lean interventions and performance over time. In a mixed-method case study, six years of patient-related throughput data, retrieved from a laboratory computer database, are analysed. Three distinct periods with significant differences in throughput time performance can be distinguished. Semi-structured interviews were held to investigate the lean interventions preceding the performance changes. Given the long-term nature of the study, the event history calendar method was applied to enhance the respondents’ recall and reliability. A single lean intervention, among the hundreds that took place, was supposed to cause the main reduction in throughput times. It concentrated on improving process flow through the removal of batching, a source of artificial variability. A later major intervention, the introduction of flow-focused machinery, had mixed effects and initial performance gains were not sustained. The results show that ongoing series of interventions do not always lead to ongoing performance improvements in terms of throughput times but support theories emphasising the importance of variability reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Methods and principles of Lean Production have become the major concepts to create highly efficient processes since the early 1990s. Due to its high effectiveness by reducing complexity and focusing on value-adding tasks, the Lean concept is still successful. Nevertheless, its changeability to produce highly customised products is limited. Industry 4.0 describes the vision of a smart production which can meet these future market requirements. Enablers are innovative information and communication technologies and the integration of all production entities into a common digital network. Lean Automation is the application of Industry 4.0 technologies to Lean Production methods in order to combine benefits from both domains. First proprietary Lean Automation solutions exist, but to enhance changeability in production, a common, unified communication interface is required. This paper presents the ongoing work towards an interface for digitising Lean Production methods using Cyber Physical Systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this paper is on the use of the Manufacturing System Design Decomposition (MSDD) to make effective cost and production system design decisions. A comparative study is conducted to illustrate how and why the total cost is reduced when the functional requirements defined by the MSDD are achieved. The ultimate goal of this research was to advance manufacturing and production system development to being guided by engineering science and design rather than the common practice of duplicating another person’s or entity’s notion of the best physical implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although many firms report large benefits from lean implementation, a lot of scepticism still remains regarding attainable results and the possibility to apply Lean approach outside high-volume manufacturing and stable context. In this work, combining field interviews with literature review, theoretical connections have been developed among Lean manufacturing techniques, operational responsiveness and company growth performances. A conceptual model has been proposed for investigating the network of influences among lean practices (supplier management, human resource management, just-in-time and total quality management practices), operational responsiveness (Product mix variety, Product innovation and Time effectiveness) and company growth performances in Italian companies. Using structural equation modelling, a second-order confirmatory factor analysis has been used to test the hypothesised relationships in the structural models. This study highlights that the operational responsiveness is only partially connected to a Lean strategy of a company. Indeed, the lean practices implementations are negatively influenced by product mix variety and innovation, while positively influenced by time effectiveness variables. Moreover, product mix variety and time effectiveness are the main characteristics of the operational responsiveness that positively influences company growth performances. So time effectiveness could be considered as a mediator between Lean best practices and firm growth. Moreover, no direct relationship has been found between lean bundles and firm’s performances. Lack of resources and mainly poor communication and managers’ commitment and support seem to be the main obstacles of lean implementation and success. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Lean processes allow the elimination of waste and the resulting improvements in productivity. However, implementing and sustaining lean processes are easier in some organisations than in others. There may be societal culture differences, as the successes in initial implementation in Japan have not been followed by global success. As organisations accelerate their lean efforts to gain or maintain competitive advantage, studying societal cultural effects seems timely. Understanding of the societal culture that the firm or subsidiary is operating in would be useful in determining how lean processes should lead the effort. Using the cultural dimensions developed by Hofstede, we examine the interconnection of societal culture and lean processes. For example, a societal emphasis on individualism is positively associated with a high level of lean process adoption, in terms of individual employee involvement, individual creativity and firm efficiency. A societal emphasis on high uncertainty avoidance is positively associated with a high level of lean process adoption, in terms of control and standardisation, efficiency and long-term philosophy. A societal emphasis on high power distance is positively associated with a high level of lean process adoption, in terms of control and standardisation, and efficiency. A long-term orientation in the society will be positively associated with a high level of lean process adoption, in terms of all of the dimensions. A societal emphasis on femininity will be positively associated with a high level of lean process adoption, in terms of employee involvement, creativity and long-term philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The main objective of this paper is to investigate the degree to which lean manufacturing (LM) practices are being implemented within Brazilian small and medium enterprises (SMEs), by defining what LM means, in the view of SMEs in Brazil. In addition, the paper investigates the relationship between LM implementation and performance of such companies. The research method used in this paper comprised of an exploratory survey using the partial least-square method with the structural equation modelling technique (PLS-SEM). The results show that the companies studied used practices in a fragmented manner, without a holistic view of LM, which is considered to be one of the most important parts of this approach. Only the constructs of statistical process control, total productive maintenance and employee involvement are being implemented as an integrated approach for Brazilian SMEs. These companies do not take other important constructs such as customer involvement, continuous flow, pull production, set-up time reduction, supplier development and supplier feedback into consideration as part of LM systems, despite using some practices in a dispersed manner. Concerning performance, the present study shows that even in a fragmented way, the implementation of these LM practices help these companies to achieve improvement in operational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contemporary manufacturing scenario witnesses the adoption of lean remanufacturing concepts in a concerted manner. Lean remanufacturing is a newly evolved manufacturing process concerned with manufacturing and remanufacturing of products to effectively utilise available energy and resources, while reducing wastes in the process and thereby increasing efficiency. The advantages include process streamlining coupled with end-of-life decisions. A structural model needs to be developed to clarify the interrelationships among factors influencing lean remanufacturing practices. In this study, interpretive structural modelling method has been used to develop the structural model depicting interrelationships and most dominant and least dominant factors. Twenty factors are being identified based on expert opinion from 35 Indian automotive component remanufacturing organisations. The identified most dominant factors include a strong top management commitment with proper strategy selection, long-term vision and participation and a strong understanding of the current product and process designs. MICMAC analysis has been conducted to categorise the factors. The inferences based on the study have been derived. The novel aspect of this study is that it presents the development of structural model to identify the most dominant factors influencing the implementation of lean remanufacturing principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the use of visual management, specifically communications boards in a British lock manufacturing company. The research explores the design, implementation and use of communications boards over two years. The purpose of the research was to bring design principles from the graphic design and cognitive psychology into a previously informal process and to develop Visual Management (VM) principles to guide the design of the board. The research findings have acted as a proof of process for the introduction of VM theory into the design of communications boards and provide evidence that the VM principles improved the design of the board. This enabled Team Leaders to better engage in problem-solving and continuous improvement with their teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure manufacturing organisations remain competitive, most of them are turning to total productive maintenance (TPM) and lean manufacturing to ensure seamless operations. Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is the foundation of these two business improvement strategies as it tackles the underlying losses that impede equipment efficiency. This study presents the prevalence of managerial issues related to the implementation and use of OEE in the manufacturing industry. To do this, five hypotheses and four research questions were formulated and tested using a combination of descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation, chi-square, analysis of variance, Tukey’s pairwise comparison,Z-test and correlation tests. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire responded by 139 manufacturing organisations worldwide. The results establish, among other ‘soft’ aspects, the linkage of the OEE implementation with that of TPM and lean manufacturing, and the drivers, most critical factors, barriers and the role of management in its implementation. The study also identifies how manufacturing organisations employ the information provided by OEE and how the data for its computation are collected. This study supports the very limited empirical research on the implementation and use of OEE. Thus, this research provides organisations, and their managers, with a better understanding of different factors that affect the successful deployment and management of this highly used measure in industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its beginning, lean manufacturing has built a worldwide reputation based on results related to production improvement and cost reduction in several companies. This management philosophy focuses on customer value creation through the elimination of production wastes. Lean methods and techniques have spread their scope from the automotive industry to a wide range of industries and services. This article presents a case study that describes the use of the lean tool value stream mapping in the production process of automotive parts for a major automotive company. At the beginning of the project, relevant data from the process were collected and analysed. Subsequently, the initial process was mapped, the related wastes were identified, and then future processes were mapped and financial results were estimated. The proposals were presented onkaizenmeetings, the action plan was discussed and the decision regarding which option to choose was taken. Consequently, the Cycle Time and the level of the workforce were reduced, the process was improved and savings were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a solution for a class of the stochastic economic lot sizing scheduling problem that is typical of the replenishment pull system proposed by the lean manufacturing approach. In this class, lots of any product are produced in fixed intervals called pitch. The proposed solution uses flexible production sequences and reorder points that are compatible with the concepts of supermarket and level production. It adopts the queuing discipline obtained from a fluid model that approximates the stochastic process of arrival and production orders. Given the queuing discipline, an iterative algorithm returns a near-optimal solution for the system. The proposed approach allows us possible to differentiate inventory cost and service levels by product, and the stock required is lower than that required by the discipline ‘first stock out, first out’. The algorithm is fast and stable, allowing its frequent use in real-world instances. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The search for superior production performance has been used by companies to overcome competition in the current global economic scenario. Efficient manufacturing connected to environmental initiatives provides a company with favourable conditions for maintaining uniform and continuous improvement in its competitive performance, while providing operational versatility to respond quickly to volatile markets. As production is one of the most expensive areas for a company, many organisations have sought a new management model for their production system that provides substantial productivity gains, cost saving opportunities and higher customer satisfaction. This study proposes a model of production management and an implementation method integrating the principles of lean manufacturing and sustainability, supported by cultural transformation at the company. Its objective was to achieve productivity gains and improvements on customer satisfaction, as well as develop the ability to provide quick responses to market changes in a globalised economy. The implementation of the proposed model should be gradual, initially addressing fundamental principles, and should operate simultaneously with, and in the same environment as, workforce development and organisational transformation initiatives, to create sustainable improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that Lean Manufacturing (LM) implementation has been widely discussed in the literature, a reduced number of works focus on medium-sized enterprises (MEs). Such gap becomes more evident when searching for works exploring the dimensions of learning organisation (DLO) that surround LM implementation in MEs. This paper aims at assessing DLO maturity and the importance of human resources management (HRM) practices in MEs that are starting LM implementation. We verify the applicability of a method for assessing maturity levels of DLO and HRM practices in seven different MEs. The method was originally conceived for large enterprises well advanced in the lean implementation process; it combines concepts of HRM and organisational learning with lean implementation roadmaps. Adapting the method for application in MEs allows such companies to anticipate and minimise organisational learning problems by conducting appropriate HRM practices, leading to a more effective LM implementation. We conclude that the method is a suitable diagnostic tool for MEs, indicating which phases of the lean roadmap are better prepared to be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this paper is to perform the analysis of literature review of lean production (LP). The analysis involved studying 546 research articles published from 1988 to 2011 in selected 24 operations research journals. The articles are classified by: time distribution of articles, research methodology, research stream, authorship patterns, sector-wise focus, popular elements in lean literature, focus of the articles on lean waste, and implementation status and performance measurement of various existing frameworks/models. Then, the suggestions for the future scope of research possibilities and development are identified. The study provides a taxonomical and integrated review of articles, puts up perspective into the conceptualisation and various critical parameters for research. The findings include: increase in empirical approach research articles, need of applying lean principles in the field of product development and enterprise level areas, need of more interregional research collaborations, need of lean elements as group instead of individual element, need of avoiding seven lean wastes instead of specific waste and lack of testing and validation of the proposed frameworks/models by researchers. The study results shall help researchers, academicians and professionals to focus on the growth, pertinence and research developments in the LP system field. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper addresses the Special Issue call for Australian examples of innovative management systems that enable the production of successful products by drawing on a single case study: medical device manufacturer Cochlear. Through qualitative case study methodology, we examine the human resource management practices that complemented the implementation of lean manufacturing principles. We argue that in their implementation, Cochlear’s management team enriched the traditional understanding of lean and its focus on waste reduction, low cost and quality assurance by adopting people management practices as an integrated component of the overall management capability which allowed their people to grow and develop. The combination of lean and HR practices transformed Cochlear to a high-performance work system and positively impacted production processes and output. By examining a medical device manufacturer, an under-researched sector, our paper expands existing literature on lean manufacturing and provides implications for practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The main purpose of this study is to examine whether the application of current information technology (IT) and different principles of lean manufacturing (LM) are interdependent and complimentary or they are mutually exclusive. This study draws on the so-called IT-enabled organisational capabilities perspective to study the relationships between IT, LM and business performance improvement. Using a questionnaire-based survey, the data come from 231 leading Iranian and Malaysian auto-part manufacturers. The findings suggest that LM and IT are mutually interdependent and value of IT investments can be effectively transformed into business performance improvement for auto-part manufacturers through the higher levels of lean manufacturing system (LMS) implementation. Advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) competency is a valuable intermediate capability which links IT investments into LMS implementation. It was found that IT investment is one of the minimum requirements of LMS implementation for surveyed business, and the value of IT investment is truly transformed to LMS implementation when IT investments offer competent administrative AMTs to effectively manage all production processes. Findings also recommend that managers should avoid isolating the performance metrics only on areas such as net financial measures, while assessing the business value of IT and LM. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Lean principles have long been recognised as a competitive advantage. Although there are several measures for various aspects of lean production in the literature, there is no comprehensive measure for overall lean implementation in business firms. An appropriate measurement tool is needed to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the lean implementation throughout the entire organisation. Based on lean research, a comprehensive tool called the leanness assessment tool (LAT) is developed, using both quantitative (directly measurable and objective) and qualitative (perceptions of individuals) approaches to assess lean implementation. The LAT measures leanness using eight quantitative performance dimensions: time effectiveness, quality, process, cost, human resources, delivery, customer and inventory. The LAT also uses five qualitative performance dimensions: quality, process, customer, human resources and delivery, with 51 evaluation items. The fuzzy method allows managers to identify improvement needs in lean implementation, and the use of radar charts allows an immediate, comprehensive view of strong areas and those needing improvement. Practical uses of the LAT are discussed in the conclusion, along with possible limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A deep understanding of supply chain management (SCM) is key to a company’s ability to achieve and maintain competitive advantage. In order to leverage the full potential for shaping competitive performance that is presented by contemporary supply chain (SC) configurations, the congruence between SC strategy, business strategy and market requirements has to be firmly established. This paper presents the findings of a survey of 170 companies that was undertaken to examine the alignment of product and SC characteristics of companies operating in food SCs in the UK and Malaysia. The study provides an empirical, comparative analysis of Fisher’s (1997) two-dimensional, product-SC array within a single sector. The results indicate that functional food products are generally supported by SCs that possess lean characteristics uniformly across their tiers and place emphasis on price and quality. This conforms to Fisher’s (1997) theory. However, innovative food products are not uniformly supported by agile SCs. In general, innovative products were found to be supported by short, hybrid SCs where manufacturers have an efficient (analogous to functional) focus while downstream partners have an agile focus. In addition, the functional-lean relationship was commonly found in Malaysia with relatively few product-SC mismatches. A far greater proportion of product-SC mismatches were found in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There is a growing need for operations management models that contribute to the continuous improvement of company processes, among them we highlight lean manufacturing, Six Sigma and, more recently, Lean Six Sigma (LSS). This article aims (1) to identify and analyse the differences and complementarities in the production decision areas for each one of the three models; (2) to identify the competitive priorities that lead to the best performance as a result of policies followed in the decision areas as a result of the adopted model. First, a theoretical conceptual model was developed based on a review of the literature, followed by a exploratory research questions applied to manufacturing companies that use the lean, Six Sigma or LSS manufacturing models in southern Brazil. The main results show that there are differences in the models in relation to the importance of the decision areas and the performance achieved in the competitive priorities. Individually, lean manufacturing, Six Sigma and LSS have varying degrees of importance in the Facilities, Vertical Integration and Production Planning and Control decision areas. The performance dimensions with the best performance are speed, quality, reliability and cost. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Nowadays, value stream mapping (VSM) is recognised as the main tool for implementing lean manufacturing. Unfortunately, it always leads to pure pull systems and discourages the adoption of hybrid push/pull ones, although their superiority has been proven in several industrial settings. Due to these issues, this paper presents an enhancement of the standard VSM, which supports the user in designing the future state map of a synchro-MRP system. This new tool includes new mapping icons, simple mathematical formulas and operating guidelines that make it possible to assess the benefits of a synchro-MRP system, with respect to the usual kanban or CONWIP ones. In order to demonstrate the quality and the practical utility of the proposed approach, an industrial application of relevance is finally presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research takes a first step toward a more complete understanding of the effects of lean production on both operational and worker health and safety performance. Previous operations management literature considered only the operational performance implications of lean while previous safety literature considered only the worker health and safety implications of lean. This research considers both perspectives by providing empirical evidence on the impact of lean on operational and health and safety performance. Results from 10 case studies show that the adoption of lean practices and or an overall lean philosophy has a positive impact on operational and health and safety performance. However, there are some nuances in the role of individual practices associated with lean. The plants with the worst operational and health and safety performance in the sample were those that adopted just-in-time practices without human resource and prevention practices. The results show how both the social and technical components of lean are required for lean to have positive operational and health and safety impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This explorative study investigates the phenomenon of the company-specific production system (XPS). It has been a strong and recent trend across many manufacturing industries to develop and deploy such a corporate improvement programme. Five propositions regarding the uniqueness of XPSs are derived from universalistic versus contingent perspectives on improvement programmes. The main XPS principles of 30 renowned multinationals are analysed for similarities and differences. In conclusion, XPSs largely represent variants of the same in content. They represent an own-best-way approach to the one-best-way paradigm. Even though a tight relationship to the Toyota Production System (TPS) and lean production is established, the findings raise a red flag that XPSs might suffer under a too rigid, path-dependent development process from what has become an overly technical understanding of the TPS. This study also questions whether modern manufacturers have sufficiently integrated other essential elements of modern operations such as the use of ERP, automation and real-time response technologies in their XPSs. These findings have direct implications for practitioners and provide interesting opportunities for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In lean manufacturing, milk run (MR) systems represent route-based, cyclic material handling systems that are used widely to enable frequent and consistent deliveries of containerised parts on an as-needed basis from a central storage area (the ‘supermarket’) to multiple line-side deposit points on the factory floor. In the first part of this two-part paper, a basic, single-tugger MR system is described, and stability conditions as well as the probability of exceeding either the physical capacity of the tugger or the prescribed cycle time are derived. Given the stability conditions, and the distribution of the number of containers requested per MR, in the second part of the paper, the number of Kanban required in the MR system is examined, and analytical approximations are derived both for the number of Kanban required and for predicting workstation starvation. The latter is a key concern when designing a MR system that will support workstations in a manufacturing plant. The performance of the analytic approximation is evaluated by simulating various MR systems. Our results suggest that, in a stable MR system, the number of Kanban and the physical capacity of the tugger have a bigger impact on workstation starvation than the prescribed cycle time. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In lean manufacturing, milk run (MR) systems represent route-based, cyclic material-handling systems that are used widely to enable frequent and consistent deliveries of containerised parts on an as-needed basis from a central storage area (the ‘supermarket’) to multiple line-side deposit points on the factory floor. MR systems generally result in short lead times, low variability, and low line-side inventory levels. In the first part of this two-part paper, a basic, single-tugger MR system is described. Stability conditions are derived with respect to the ‘physical capacity’ of the tugger, and the ‘time utilisation’ of the driver/material handler, both of which are key criteria since the number of containers that can be delivered during each MR is limited, and each MR targets a prescribed cycle time to ensure timely and consistent deliveries. We also derive the distribution of the number of containers requested per MR, which allows the model to estimate the probability of exceeding the physical capacity of the tugger or the prescribed cycle time, under the assumption that sufficient kanban are available for each part type delivered by the MR system. The results of the study facilitate the design and analysis of MR systems used in industry. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Since the development of the original value stream mapping (VSM) by Taichi Ohno at Toyota, a number of authors have suggested several additional VSM tools to understand and improve the value stream through waste reduction. A single best VSM tool, though effective in dealing with a certain waste type, becomes redundant as other wastes take centre stage and/or organisational priorities change. To overcome this, a decision framework based on a novel formulation of the integrated analytical hierarchy process (AHP) – pre-emptive goal programming (PGP) has been proposed. This framework not only guarantees accurate selection of an ideal VSM tool, based on the current organisation's priorities, but also aids the decision maker to arrive at the optimum implementation sequence of a chosen set of VSM tools to identify and reduce all wastes present in the system, thereby maximising organisational performance in the shortest timeframe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lean production arose as a step towards a new era in production systems. It is a working philosophy designed to produce better products using fewer resources to obtain greater benefits. It has been applied to a wide variety of sectors different from the original automotive industry, in which it was developed. However, its application to continuous manufacturing processes of continuous products has been less, especially to the wine-production sector. The wine sector differs greatly from the automobile sector in various fundamental aspects, but it also has common fundamental aspects in its production and logistics systems. An important part of this work has consisted in studying the wineries of the Rioja region. This article analyses the applicability of lean production in the La Rioja wine sector and the results that may be obtained from its application, using value stream mapping as the main tool to identify opportunities for improvement. This piece of research shows that most of the production problems in the wine sector can be tackled using a lean production system, making certain adjustments according to the type of production. It shows the main properties of wine production from the lean viewpoint, and it improves the production and logistics systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research study is to analyse lean manufacturing practices in different industries and to identify the critical factors for its success implementation. Despite the fact that lean manufacturing has been frequently promoted as a means of improving business competitiveness, little empirical evidence exists in the literature validating its positive link with organisational performance. Lean manufacturing practices not only help in reducing the number of defects but also reduces the cost of production. For this purpose, empirical data is collected to measure the lean manufacturing practices prevailing in different industries located in Tamil Nadu, India. A Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique is used to build the measurement and structural models. Later, statistical estimates are used to validate the model that has been built. The data analysis helps to determine whether to accept or reject the hypothesis that has been stated based on the structural model. The result shows how lean manufacturing practices are correlated and help in improving the organisational performance among the industries being surveyed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

One of the ultimate targets of lean manufacturing paradigm is to balance production and produce at takt time in production cells. This paper investigates the performance of a lean cell that implements the previous lean goals under uncertainty. The investigation is based on a system dynamics approach to model a dynamic lean cell. Backlog is used as a performance metric that reflects the cell's responsiveness. The cell performance is compared under certain and uncertain external (demand) and internal (machine availability) conditions. Results showed that although lean cell is expected to be responsive to external demand with minimum waste, however, this was not the case under the considered uncertain conditions. The paper proposes an approach to mitigate this problem through employing dynamic capacity policy. Furthermore, the paper explores the effect of the delay associated with the proposed capacity policies and how they affect the lean cell performance. Finally, various recommendations are presented to better manage the dynamics of lean manufacturing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), a key performance indicator typically adopted to support Lean Manufacturing and Total Productive Maintenance. Unfortunately, being a deterministic metric, the OEE only provides a static representation of a process, but fails to capture the real variability of manufacturing performances. To take into account the stochastic nature of the OEE, an approximated procedure based on the application of the Central Limit Theorem is presented: the OEE is considered as a stochastic random variable and its probability density function (pdf) is generated through the aggregation of the pdf of the basic causes of waste. Notwithstanding its approximated nature, the procedure can be applied in most practical cases, since the accuracy is assured provided that the average OEE is lower than 90% and the variability of the losses is high. The validity of the approach has also been confirmed by an industrial application included in this article. The results obtained demonstrate that the stochastic OEE can help in battling variation, for it allows one to identify the hidden losses that account for most of the variability and to estimate the impacts of potential corrective actions in terms of both efficiency and efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]