Search results

The objective of this study is to investigate the barriers hindering the integration of lean manufacturing (LM) practices within the furniture industry of Bangladesh. The traditional operational paradigms in this sector have posed substantial challenges to the effective implementation of LM. In this study, the barriers of implementing LM in the furniture business are examined, aiming to provide a systematic understanding of the barriers that must be addressed for a successful transition.

The research reveals that “Fragmented Industry Structure,” “Resistance to Lean Practices” and “Inadequate Plant Layout and Maintenance”, emerged as the foremost barriers to LM implementation in the furniture industry. Additionally, “Insufficient Expert Management,” “Limited Technical Resources” and “Lack of Capital Investment” play significant roles.

The outcomes of this study provide valuable insights into the furniture industry, enabling the development of strategies for effective LM implementation. One notable challenge in lean implementation is the tendency to revert to established practices when confronted with barriers. Therefore, this transition necessitates informed guidance and leadership. In addition to addressing these internal challenges, the scope of lean implementation should be broadened.

This study represents one of the initial efforts to systematically identify and assess the barriers to LM implementation within the furniture industry of Bangladesh, contributing to the emerging body of knowledge in this area.

The purpose of this paper is to review and analyze assumptions and the appropriateness of the most dominant strategic decision-making theories within the Islamic cultural context as an attempt to develop an Islamic decision-making framework.

This paper adopted the integrative literature review approach as a research method (Torraco, 2005). This method allows the researcher to evaluate and syndicate the relevant literature to, critically, review and expand on the theoretical foundation of the topic and, hence, develop new theoretical perspectives and views.

Based on the critical review of the decision-making theories from an Islamic perspective, Islamic culture confirms the behavioural decision theory as the most appropriate approach to make strategic decisions in organizations. In addition, the study reveals that mutual consultation and consultative decision-making (Shura), based on knowledge and Islamic ethics, is the principal Islamic approach to strategic decision-making.

The developed Islamic decision-making framework will, significantly, assist management practitioners, managers and policy makers in both private and governmental organizations to improve their decision-making skills through adopting the Shura approach in decision-making.

The paper expands the boundaries of knowledge in managerial decision-making through developing an Islamic decision-making framework. This theoretical framework brings new insights and open new opportunities of thinking on Islamic decision-making among business scholars and represents fundamental grounds for future research in cross-cultural management in the area of managerial decision-making from an Islamic perspective, which is rare among scholars of management.

Success and business reputation depend upon the quality of products where product quality depends upon the capability of a process, yield value and sigma score, etc. Poor quality of ceiling fan and mass rejection from quality check resulted in an alarming amount of cost for rework. As a result, the fulfillment of the production target was getting difficult day by day. The main purpose of this research is to identify the crucial causes for humming noise of ceiling fans and control it to a tolerable level so that maximum quality can be achieved.

The poor quality of ceiling fans was determined from the Pareto analysis of the define, measure, analyze, improve and control model which was humming noise during running and further actions were undertaken regarding the reduction of the humming noise. Project charter was formed before initiating the measure phase to study the suppliers, inputs, processes, outputs and customers diagram with process parameters and existing noise data were collected from random samples to determine the rolled throughput yield (94.95% existing) and existing sigma score which value of 3.14 and also the poor value (1.05) of process potential index implied that the process condition was below standard (<1.33) and need to be improved badly. Then root causes analysis and relationship diagram was prepared to identify the possible causes and with the design of experiments and correlation analysis, it was clear that the air gap between the stator and rotor was the main culprit behind the humming noise.

The minimum value of air gap was determined from boxplot analysis which was 0.2 mm–0.225 mm and the corresponding mean, the minimum and maximum value of sound level in dB (37.5–40.3 dB) for 0.225 mm air gap with the watt consumption (83 w) from the hypothesis test for the corresponding air gap. Finally, the updated sigma score and process capability analysis were performed with control charts to show the comparison after applying the DMAIC-six sigma methodology. The final sigma score was 5.1 which indicates a significant improvement of the process with the capability of saving US$23,438/year caused by the poor quality of ceiling fans.

Only quantitative values of the causes behind the humming noise were possible to identify. Other trivial many causes elimination might improve the sigma score closer to 6.00. The final sigma score that was achieved from this research was sustainable.

A structural approach with proper data analysis and application of various tools to detect the actual cause behind the humming noise of ceiling fans with numerical value has not been found in any literature. This research study can be a valuable asset for ceiling fan mass producers.