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The Diffusion of Lean Operations Practices in MNCs: A Knowledge-Based, Plant Level, Cross-Firm Study

Orchestration of the Global Network Organization

ISBN: 978-1-78350-953-9

Publication date: 13 August 2014

Abstract

Rolling out lean operations practices in MNCs’ plants is a complex knowledge transfer process whose design and implementation, though critical to operations performance, to date has not been investigated by operations management, international business, strategy, and organizational design research. Applying conceptual tools drawn from various theoretical approaches to knowledge management, transfer and diffusion, this exploratory study: (a) classifies and interprets lean roll-out processes in MNCs, framing them in terms of (i) knowledge replication strategies (template vs. principles-based), (ii) decentralization of decision making (degree of plant autonomy), and (iii) type of organizational ambidexterity (structural vs. contextual) underlying the process; (b) develops, through seven case studies of lean roll-outs in MNCs’ plants, three testable propositions about what might enhance the lean roll-out process performance, arguing about the individual and combined effect of the three above mentioned dimensions on lean roll-out effectiveness and efficiency. We posit that an approach characterized by principles-based knowledge replication, larger decentralization, and prevalence of contextual ambidexterity positively impacts on roll-out process performance.

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Acknowledgements

Acknowledgments

The authors thank participants at the International EurOMA-POM 2012 annual meeting, and at the Academy of Management 2013 annual meeting for comments and suggestions at various stages of the research on which this paper is based. The usual disclaimers apply. This research was funded by the Claudio Dematté Research Division – SDA Bocconi School of Management.

Citation

Camuffo, A., Secchi, R. and Paolino, C. (2014), "The Diffusion of Lean Operations Practices in MNCs: A Knowledge-Based, Plant Level, Cross-Firm Study", Orchestration of the Global Network Organization (Advances in International Management, Vol. 27), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 43-74. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1571-502720140000027004

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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