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Towards lean transformation: the analysis of lean implementation frameworks

TickFei Chay (Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Mechanical Engineering Division, Tunku Abdul Rahman University College, Setapak, Kuala Lumpur AND Manufacturing and Materials Department, School of Applied Sciences Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK)
YuChun Xu (Manufacturing and Materials Department, Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK)
Ashutosh Tiwari (Manufacturing and Materials Department, Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK)
FooSoon Chay (Faculty of Applied Sciences and Computing, Tunku Abdul Rahman University College, Johor, Malaysia)

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management

ISSN: 1741-038X

Article publication date: 7 September 2015

4817

Abstract

Purpose

Failure in engaging shop floor employees (including supervisory staff) in lean, lacking of supervisory skills in leading workers and lacking of lean technical knowhow among the shop floor employees are some of the major obstacles in lean transformation. One of the reasons of inefficient lean transformation is the shortages in frameworks or plans in implementing lean. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the shortfalls in the current lean implementation frameworks.

Design/methodology/approach

The frameworks were analysed according to the following criteria: first, “What” is the approach of lean implementation, i.e. top-down or bottom-up; second, “How” to implement lean (description of steps or sequences of lean implementation along the lean journey); third, “Why” – the reason of adoption of the proposed lean tools, techniques or practices (thereafter TTPs) in each phase of lean implementation; and fourth, “Who” are the targeted internal stakeholders to use or apply the lean TTPs that were proposed in the frameworks.

Findings

Most of the current available lean frameworks were prone to top-down approach but not bottom-up. Improvement initiatives from the shop floor employees were often overlooked by researchers. In proposing their frameworks, most of the researchers have neglected the importance of “Why” aspect in the adoption of TTPs or the framework itself without giving the “reason” for each of the elements in lean implementation. Besides the aspects of “What” and “How”, the mentioned “Why” aspect is important in contributing to capability building among the shop floor employees in carrying out improvement, problem-solving or waste elimination activities. The aspect of “Who should carry out which lean TTP” was somewhat not emphasised by most of the lean researchers. In addition, the current frameworks were prone to “one-best-way” approach with lacking of contingency sense, which is one of the common criticisms against Lean Production System.

Originality/value

This paper provides a critical view on the shortfalls of current lean implementation frameworks, and proposes an insight of new criteria for future research in analysing and proposing new lean implementation framework towards lean transformation.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

TickFei Chay submitted this paper as part of MSc research study at School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University, UK. The author would like to express gratitude to Tunku Abdul Rahman University College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for financially supporting the MSc study. TickFei Chay is a lecturer from Mechanical Engineering Division, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Tunku Abdul Rahman University College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Citation

Chay, T., Xu, Y., Tiwari, A. and Chay, F. (2015), "Towards lean transformation: the analysis of lean implementation frameworks", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 26 No. 7, pp. 1031-1052. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-10-2013-0143

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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