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Lean and Six Sigma are the two most powerful methodologies for process improvement. They have been widely employed in manufacturing and healthcare industries to achieve substantial cost savings and quality improvement. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implementation of Lean and Six Sigma for improving logistics operations.

A survey was conducted among 410 companies registered under the Singapore Logistics Association and returned 32 usable responses. χ²-tests were used to identify factors affecting the implementation of Lean and Six Sigma.

It was found that 37.5 per cent of respondents had implemented Lean and the majority of them had implemented Six Sigma together. All implementing companies reported varying degrees of cost savings and productivity improvements. Large logistics companies are more likely to implement Lean and Six Sigma. Companies with a higher service standard are more likely to implement Six Sigma.

The survey was limited to Singapore. Future studies should explore a broader geographical coverage and improve the response rate.

Lean and Six Sigma are applicable for improving logistics operations. Senior management must be committed to support an implementation. Effective training and communications are required for overcoming resistance to change and helping employees to understand improvement methodologies and initiatives.

This research is the very first survey study of Lean and Six Sigma in the logistics industry. It reveals similarities and differences in comparison with the implementation of these methodologies in the manufacturing industry. The findings offer valuable insights for improving logistics operations.

A port plays a crucial role in total logistics chain by conducting its function as a gateway for inbound (import) and outbound (export) cargo operations. The port has traditionally been regarded as a connecting place where handles ships on one side and cargoes on the other side. These interactive functions to be carried out by the port imply that a port organization should be established, maintained and altered in a way that generates a value-adding activity to the whole logistics chain. This paper aims to suggest an alternative direction for a port organization in context of changing global logistics environment so as to be better prepared for the ever-changing business horizon. Such an attempt will provide global logistics and port management with a strategic insight into innovative and responsive port organizational strategies.

With support from the dynamic capabilities theory, this paper examines the role of Cloud Computing technology use in logistics (Cloud-Supported Logistics) and its effect on business results in Lean manufacturing management (Lean Production implementation) and Supply Chain Integration contexts.

Using the survey method, a random sample of 260 companies in intermediate positions in their supply chains was gathered from a population of 1,717 Spanish companies and used to test five hypotheses. The data were collected by telephone survey using a computerised system with a response rate of 15.6% (260 valid questionnaires). Structural equation modelling was used to test the five proposed hypotheses.

The findings indicate that Cloud-Supported Logistics use plays an important role in achieving better business results in Lean Production environments. Lean Production has been found to have both a direct effect and an even more powerful indirect effect on performance through the Cloud-Supported Logistics and Supply Chain Integration that these technologies produce. Supply Chain Integration is also found to have a mediating effect in the Cloud-Supported Logistics–performance relationship.

This study is valuable for academics and practitioners as it provides evidence of the relevant role played by Cloud-Supported Logistics in Lean Production implementation contexts. Cloud-Supported Logistics and Lean Production are strategically and operationally linked and their joint use results in Supply Chain Integration and better business performance.

Urban logistics presents a series of challenges, as the interests of the different stakeholders are not always aligned. The aim of this research is to explore the potential of applying Lean principles to reduce waste in urban logistics.

As a structure for “going to gemba,” the authors implemented the shadowing technique to better understand the perspective of companies distributing products in the city of Montevideo, Uruguay. Then, meetings were conducted to validate the observations by the people shadowed.

The results show that most of shipper's time is dedicated to waiting (59%), which is followed by driving (22%), and only a small section of time was dedicated to unloading and verification activities (19%). Although collaborative solutions are needed along with the different stakeholders, this research highlights how deploying Lean thinking can improve significantly urban logistics achieving up to 25% improvement in the number of stores served per shift.

From an academic point of view, this study emphasizes the importance of continue applying and evaluating the Lean practices into transportation contexts. From a company's perspective, the authors have presented a list of propositions that can be implemented for carriers in order to reduce waste and/or improve the efficiency of the urban transportation process.

Based on the literature review carried out, the subject study of Lean and its application to urban logistics remains mostly unexplored in the scientific literature.

The main thrust of this paper empirically examines the connection between lean production and various aspects of the logistics system. This paper performs a comparison analysis to find whether significant performance/practice differences exist between lean suppliers and non‐lean suppliers. The research findings indicate that, even given the same organizational constraints and resources, lean suppliers gain significant competitive advantages over non‐lean suppliers in production systems, distribution systems, information communications, containerization, transportation systems, customer‐supplier relationships, and on‐time staging/delivery performance.

Recent literature recognizes the role of warehouses in enhancing the overall logistics performance. Thus, lean thinking has recently found its way in supporting warehouse and distribution centre operations. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships among warehouse waste reduction practices, warehouse operational performance, distribution performance and business performance.

A two-stage study was conducted. First, a Delphi technique was adopted to develop a relevant questionnaire. Second, this questionnaire was used to measure the degree of waste reduction in the different warehouse activities and to test the developed research hypotheses. The authors test the hypotheses with a sample of Middle Eastern warehouse operators.

There exists a positive relationship between warehouse waste reduction level and both warehouse operational performance and distribution performance. There was no direct relationship between warehouse waste reduction level and business performance. However, results revealed that the relationship between warehouse waste reduction level and business performance was mediated by warehouse operational performance and distribution performance.

The developed instrument provides a guide for logistics managers as to understand how to reduce waste in each warehousing activity. The results also inform logistics managers of how distribution performance can be improved through lean warehousing. The resulting performance improvements in the distribution operations will ultimately be reflected in the logistics performance of downstream retailers.

The study develops an original instrument for measuring waste reduction in warehouses, and provides insights into the evolving lean warehousing research area. This is the first scholarly work to uncover the relationships among warehouse waste reduction practices, warehouse operational performance, distribution performance and business performance.

This study aims to apply a Lean Six Sigma framework to support continuous improvement in the maritime industry (shipbuilding, logistics services and shipping companies) during COVID-19 pandemics. By applying the concepts of Lean Six Sigma and supply chain resilience, the most suitable continuous improvement method for the maritime industry is developed to maintain a resilient supply chain during COVID-19.

A specific shipbuilding, logistics services and shipping company in Indonesia is chosen as the research object. The Lean Six Sigma framework reveals the wastes through the supply chain resilience concept, and implements internal business processes to maintain optimal system performance.

The paper identifies important implementation aspects in applying Lean Six Sigma to shipbuilding, logistics services and shipping. The DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve and control) approach is applied to achieve supply chain resilience. Resilient measures are generated for the case companies to maximize performance during the pandemics.

This paper provides a new insight for integrating Lean Six Sigma and resilience strategies in the maritime industry during COVID-19 disruptions. The authors provide some insights to sustain the performance of the maritime industries under study.

This study is part of the first research in the maritime industry that focuses on continuous improvement during COVID-19 using Lean Six Sigma and supply chain resilience.

This paper aims to present a lean management approach to reduce waste generated by overproduction within a global supply chain setting. Statistics register a considerable increase in inventories which has increased waste because of the overproduction/oversupply throughout the global supply chain, and there has been insufficient research targeting on it.

This study develops a conceptual approach based on the practices of Toyota Production System (TPS). The analysis is performed on four segments of a business: “R&D”, “Production”, “Logistics” and “Service/retailers”. The proposed approach adopts the pull-based lean management system by two modules, “Intra-lean management” and “Inter-lean management”.

A case study is conducted to demonstrate how the proposed approach can be used in a real situation. The ideas and benefits of the proposed approach are also discussed.

The proposed solution can be applied in manufacturing and service industries, as well as in industries where production and R&D are interconnected.

The paper provides a conceptual approach that explains how intra- and inter-lean management can be effectively integrated to achieve a smooth flow in the business. This paper innovates in developing a pull-based driven flow relationship among the four segments of a business, as a response to the lack of integration among them and the increase of inventory in the hands of businesses.

The key to any successful organization must be its communication network. Bold statement, but is it true? It is, of course, a sweeping generalization and one with which anyone would have difficulty in picking an argument. One way to determine what is, and what is not, vital to your organization is by eliminating it from the equation and asking yourself where you would be without it. Do away with your communication system, apart from the most basic, and see what you are left with? If the answer is not a great deal, then you can, it is hoped, appreciate the importance of what you have, and realize the attention it deserves. Taking things for granted is an all too common phenomenon.

The purpose of this study is to propose the implementation of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) framework in supply chain by providing an actual case study of how to reduce the logistics cost.

In this paper, it is shown how LSS approach, basic tools and Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control methodology can significantly improve a company by enhancing the supply chain and reducing the logistics expenditures.

Root causes to the main problem of this study were analyzed to identify appropriate solutions. After the implementation of solutions, the company’s product quality and internal communication were improved. Correspondingly, the percentage of customer orders that have to be transported by road instead of maritime reduced to 5% from 13% and the percentage of the road transportation cost paid unnecessarily by the company decreased to 1% from 5%.

This case study provides a roadmap and step-by-step implementation of LSS framework for especially companies in plastics industry.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first example of a LSS case study conducted in Turkey to improve the supply chain of a company by targeting primarily a reduction on logistics costs.