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This study draws on the systems perspective to study the individual and combined interaction effect of lean management (LM) and sustainability management (SM) on the organization's triple bottom line (TBL) performance.

The study employs structural equation modeling to test the proposed hypotheses using data from the sixth version of the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (IMSS VI).

The study finds that LM is positively related to all dimensions of the TBL performance. In contrast, SM is positively related to social and environmental performance and negatively related to economic performance. Finally, by finding that the interaction between LM and (SM) is positive for social and environmental performance, this study not only confirms that LM is an enabler for sustainability, but it also supports that the two paradigms are mutually compatible and reinforcing.

The findings imply that practitioners pursuing both LM and SM should leverage their mutual positive effects and balance the unintended effects of implementing isolated bundles by implementing them together as a complete socio-technical system. Their combined impact on the TBL performance will outweigh the sum of their individual effects in the case of isolated implementations.

In contrast with the extant literature, this study proposes that LM and SM make parts of one system as opposed to one correlated with the other or having a positive causal effect on the other. Taking an integrated systems approach, the study empirically verifies the “mutual compatibility” of the lean and sustainability paradigms argument, with regard to their effect on the TBL performance.

Modern manufacturing systems require tools and techniques that take cognizance of the social (concerning people and relations) as well as the technical environment. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the social and technical aspects of lean manufacturing practices and their effects on business performance outcomes.

The hypothesized relationships for this study are tested with data collected from 148 Indian manufacturing firms by using SPSS and AMOS statistical software.

The analysis of the study was conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM) technique, which indicated that both “soft” and “hard” lean practices are positively related to business performance parameters. The findings also demonstrated that “hard” lean practices fully mediate the relationship between “soft” lean practices and business performance parameters.

There are some limitations of this study. Although a cross-sectional survey has been applied, the research does not permit us to account for the lag between implementation and performance. It also brings the opinion of a limited number of Indian experts about lean manufacturing systems; hence, the sample size could be increased and the nationality of the respondent could be expanded for future research.

The paper would be of interest to Lean practitioners, and the results of this study can be used in organizations to put a focus on social-cultural changes while applying lean technical tools when it comes to practices as well as importance.

This paper extends theoretical contribution in production and operations management literature, highlighting how social and technical practices have to interact to enable a successful lean manufacturing implementation.

The purpose of the current study is to address a debatable issue in the extant literature regarding lean management (LM), innovation and operational performance (OP) relationships in the manufacturing SMEs. It conceptualizes LM in terms of social and technical aspects and investigates their effects on process innovation, management innovation and OP. The mediating roles of process and management innovations on social/technical-OP relationships are also explored.

The study analyzes survey data gathered from 268 manufacturing SMEs belonging to different industry types in Jordan. Validity and reliability tests of the first and second order constructs were performed. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the study hypotheses.

Both social and technical LM were found to positively affect OP. Social LM positively affected both process and management innovations. However, the effect of technical LM on both types of innovation was not significant. In addition, process and management innovations positively mediated social LM-OP relationship. Nonetheless, neither type of innovation showed mediating effects on technical LM-OP relationship.

This study is one of the first to highlight the proposed relationships, in general, and in the context of SMEs in a developing country context, in particular. It offers important implications for the managers of SMEs to benefit from LM implementation and avoid its failure, enhance innovation efforts by focusing on social LM practices and subsequently achieve higher levels of OP.

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize a model for sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) that integrates the antecedents, practices and performance measures of sustainability. It also examines if lean management (LM) and supply management (SM) are antecedents of SSCM.

A systematic review of literature was undertaken across multiple streams, including operations management, SCM, sustainability, business ethics and performance management. Articles relevant to SSCM published over a span of 31 years (1988–2018) were searched using keywords and specific selection criteria.

From the literature, three dependent constructs – motivators of sustainability, LM and SM – and three independent constructs – environmental practices in SCM, social practices in SCM and SSCM performance – are identified and defined. Linkages between these constructs are hypothesized to develop a theoretical framework called the “integrated lean/supply management with sustainability motivators, practices and performance model.”

Built on the principles-practices-outcomes framework proposed earlier, this model is comprehensive in its coverage of sustainability antecedents, practices and performance. Further, it covers the SCM triad – the supplier, the focal firm and the customers – as well as the roles they play in sustainability performance.

By identifying LM and SM as additional antecedents of SSCM, this study suggests that sustainability may be realized through LM and SM principles. Further, the proposed model presents a novel integration of literature from diverse domains.

Lean has shifted over the years from a set of tools to implement to a human-centric approach concerning both hard and soft factors. However, there is a limited research on these soft factors and how they influence companies performance and social outcomes on the one hand and how they enable the hard factors on the other hand. Taking this as a valuable opportunity, the purpose of this paper is to present the key motivating factors and key gaps in the literature as an agenda for future research.

A systematic methodology to identifying the literature on social outcomes and factors in Lean is presented. Web of Science, EBSCO, Emerald, Science Direct, Google Scholar and the top journals were searched, and 158 papers were identified.

The systematic review helped the authors to identify the evolution, current trends, research gaps and an agenda for future research for exploring social outcomes in Lean and the factors mediating them. These factors are grouped and presented.

The implications of this work include understanding for managers and professionals how both soft and hard factors in Lean are related and that for a sustainable implementation, the whole system must be observed. This work could serve as a valuable resource that depending on the execution of Lean, either positive outcomes will emerge or even negative outcomes, referred to as “The Dark Side”.

This paper presents an extended survey on the factors in Lean mediating both companies’ performance and social outcomes. The authors also believe that this is possibly the most comprehensive systematic literature review on the topic and will set the foundation for various research avenues based on the key findings of this study.

This study aims to investigate the intervening role of lean management (LM) in the direct relationships between green market orientation, green value-based innovation, green reputation and enterprise social performance.

Data for the study is carefully garnered from 217 managers in Ghanaian small- and medium-sized enterprises. The methodological technique used to validate all hypothesized relationships is partial least squares structural equation modelling.

The empirical results of the study suggest that although green market orientation has a positive impact on green value-based innovation, the effect is not significant. However, the results confirm that green market orientation has a significant positive impact on green reputation and enterprise social performance. The results further suggest that LM has a significant positive impact on green value-based innovation, green reputation and enterprise social performance. The mediation analysis provides empirical evidence to suggest that LM fully mediates the relationship between green market orientation and green value-based innovation. Lastly, the results of the mediation analysis suggest that LM plays a complementary partial mediation role between green market orientation, green reputation and enterprise social performance.

Despite the flourishing research on green market orientation in marketing management and environmental literature, no study has been carried out to explore the intervening role of LM in the relationships between green market orientation, green value-based innovation, green reputation and enterprise social performance. Thus, considering LM as a missing link between green market orientation, green value-based innovation, green reputation and enterprise social performance is a noteworthy research gap which this study fills.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how Lean and Six Sigma’s distinctive practices relate to potential absorptive capacity (PACAP) and realized absorptive capacity (RACAP). The paper seeks to understand which of the practices in Lean Six Sigma are needed to manage absorptive capacity systematically.

Partial least square based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the theoretical model drawing on a sample of 125 manufacturing organizations in Malaysia. In addition to examining direct effects, the study also examines indirect effects using bootstrapping method to identify possible mediation effects proposed in the model.

The results explain that Lean’s social practices (LSP), Six Sigma’s roles structure (RS) and structured improvement procedure (SIP) positively influence potential absorptive capacity (PACAP). Meanwhile LSP, RS and focus on metrics (FOM) positively influence realized absorptive capacity (RACAP). SIP was found to influence RACAP through PACAP. The analysis reveals the combination of Lean Six Sigma practices that are required in managing PACAP and RACAP differentially.

The study is only confined to manufacturing industries in Peninsular Malaysia. Data collected were cross-sectional in nature. The application of Lean Six Sigma and how it influences absorptive capacity may get sturdier across time, and this may change the effect toward sustainability of firm’s competitive advantage. A longitudinal study may be useful in that context. The study also makes specific recommendations for future research.

The results of this study can be used by Lean Six Sigma practitioners to prioritize the implementation of Lean Six Sigma practices to develop absorptive capacity of the organization through PACAP and RACAP, which needs to be managed differentially as they exert differential outcomes. This would enable organizations to tactfully navigate and balance between PACAP and RACAP in accordance to business strategies and market conditions.

Absorptive capacity in Lean and Six Sigma context has largely been studied as a unidimensional construct or used as a grounding theoretical support. Therefore, understanding the multidimensionality through PACAP and RACAP provide insights on how to enhance and maneuver absorptive capacity through Lean Six Sigma systematically. The findings may pave the way for future research in enhancing the current knowledge threshold in Lean Six Sigma.

Increasingly, a firm’s innovation capability has become one of the key frontiers of competitive advantage. The Lean philosophy has a well-proven reputation for its focus on process efficiency and effectiveness, and therefore, is often applied in various areas of innovation. Such wide and ever-increasing applicability also has resulted in an incoherent corpus of literature on Lean innovation. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize an integrative view on Lean innovation management.

Based on a systematic literature review, the key Lean principles and practices useful in the context of innovation management are identified and synthesized into an all-inclusive framework. By means of three illustrative cases (i.e. public hospital, electronics company and avionics manufacturer), this paper elaborates on how the proposed framework can be applied.

A total of 88 publications are analyzed, leading to 34 Lean principles and practices relevant to innovation management, which are further integrated into a comprehensive model, dubbed the “Leanovation” framework.

This study is the first attempt to advance the understanding of various interrelated and interdependent components of Lean innovation management in a holistic way.

The purpose of this paper is to research the practice of ethics in Swedish health care organizations using Lean Management.

A qualitative study was conducted.

Findings indicate that ethics is not a consideration when hospitals are implementing Lean Management.

Organizations generally have diverse value systems when building their codes of professional ethics for examining ethical principles, whereas Lean Management has established base principles with different codes of professional ethics differing from the intrinsic values humans create according to moral philosophy. It could be said that Lean Management relies on minimalistic ethic. While hospitals implement Lean Management, there are still many barriers to resolve to achieve useful implementation. Managing change while emphasizing ethical values could be a success factor for those organizations and their customers.

Studying ethical values in Lean Management implementation.

The purpose of this paper is to explain why most senior managers have great difficulty comprehending and correctly practising the Lean management system, thereby handicapping their ability to lead enterprise‐wide Lean transformations; to describe the depth and richness of relationships between the Lean management system and music; to help improve practitioners’ understanding of Lean management and how to learn it; and to help senior managers recognize the need to personally apply Lean principles and practices daily to become capable Lean leaders.

The paper uses a qualitative examination of various characteristics of the Lean management system and music, based in part on the authors’ experience implementing Lean in manufacturing and service businesses, and also in learning to play music over a nine‐year period.

The Lean management system and music share numerous similarities, including the difficulty most people encounter learning each discipline. The paper highlights the importance of daily practice by senior managers to learn and understand Lean management in order to capably lead enterprise‐wide Lean transformations, and to recognize and correct problems in Lean thinking and practice among themselves and others.

Elucidation of the deep similarities between Lean and music does not answer the fundamental question of how to increase the number of senior managers who are interested in becoming capable Lean leaders.

The paper provides an answer to the question of why it is so difficult for senior managers, and others, to correctly understand and practise the Lean management system. It clarifies the deep level of personal understanding, leadership involvement, and daily routines required to have greater success with Lean management.

Management practitioners who improve their understanding of Lean leadership will avoid common errors that undermine leadership credibility and morale among followers, and which impair the achievement of successful Lean transformations.

The paper presents a novel approach to understanding the Lean management system by using music as the framework. It shows how effective Lean leadership is more the result of daily practice than it is of the personal attributes normally associated with capable leadership. The deep similarities between Lean management and music have not been previously described in the literature.