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Despite differing strategies towards environmental sustainability in developed and developing nations, the manufacturing sector in these regional domains faces substantial environmental issues. The purpose of this study is to examine the green-lean-six sigma (GLSS) enablers and outcomes for enhancing environmental sustainability of manufacturing firms in both, a developed and developing country context by using an environment-centric natural resource-based view (NRBV).

First, a framework of GLSS enablers and outcomes aligned with the NRBV strategic capabilities is proposed through a systematic literature review. Second, this framework is used to empirically investigate the GLSS enablers and outcomes of manufacturing firms through in-depth interviews with lean six sigma and environmental consultants from New Zealand (NZ) and Pakistan (PK) (developed and developing nations).

Analysis from both regional domains highlights the use of GLSS enablers and outcomes under different NRBV capabilities of pollution prevention, product stewardship and sustainable development. A comparison reveals that NZ firms practice GLSS to comply with environmental regulatory requirements, avoid penalties and maintain their clean-green image. Conversely, Pakistani firms execute GLSS to reduce energy use, satisfy international customers and create a green image.

This paper provides new insights on GLSS for environmental sustainability which can assist industrial experts and academia for future strategies and research.

This is one of the early comparative studies that has used the NRBV to investigate GLSS enablers and outcomes in manufacturing firms for enhancing environmental performance comparing developed and developing nations

The purpose of this study is to examine the critical failure factors (CFFs) linked to various types of process improvement (PI) projects such as Kaizen, Lean, Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma and Agile. Proposing a mitigation framework accordingly is also an aim of this study.

This research undertakes a systematic literature review of 49 papers that were relevant to the scope of the study and that were published in four prominent databases, including Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science and EBSCO.

Further analysis identifies 39 factors that contribute to the failure of PI projects. Among these factors, significant emphasis is placed on issues such as “resistance to cultural change,” “insufficient support from top management,” “inadequate training and education,” “poor communication” and “lack of resources,” as primary causes of PI project failures. To address and overcome the PI project failures, the authors propose a framework for failure mitigation based on change management models. The authors present future research directions that aim to enhance both the theoretical understanding and practical aspects of PI project failures.

Through this study, researchers and project managers can benefit from well-structured guidelines and invaluable insights that will help them identify and address potential failures, leading to successful implementation and sustainable improvements within organizations.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first study of its kind to examine the CFFs of five PI methodologies and introduces a novel approach derived from change management theory as a solution to minimize the risk associated with PI failure.

The purpose of this paper is to test and develop a method for generation and selection of six sigma projects. This is done by testing the use of the generation and selection method for six sigma projects (GSM_SSP) in a Brazilian manufacturing industry with the participation of managers, aiming to gather the user’s perspective and improvement opportunities for the approach itself.

The work adopts the action research (AR) approach once the researchers were busily involved in the training, implementation and use of the GSM_SSP. The intervention was performed in on a series of 15 workshops, with a group of managers, during six months.

The application of the eight steps of the GSM_SSP approach assisted the company’s management team to generate nine project candidates and also to select three six sigma projects. This study also finds and discusses barriers and lessons learned used to improve the GSM_SSP.

This study presents an example of how six sigma project generation and selection has been applied to a manufacturing industry by adapting AR to the process using the eight steps of GSM_SSP, demonstrating how the management team was involved. This study should be replicated in different companies because AR is limited in its generalization.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study represents the first use of AR methodology in six sigma project selection. This study contributes a method that can generate and select six sigma projects. In doing so, the research offers a simple approach that can be used by managers. In addition, the steps of the approach before selection were explored.

The imperative to conserve resources and minimize operational expenses has spurred a notable increase in the adoption of lean manufacturing within the context of the circular economy across diverse industries in recent years. However, a notable gap exists in the research landscape, particularly concerning the implementation of lean practices within the pharmaceutical industry to enhance circular economy performance. Addressing this void, this study endeavors to identify and prioritize the pivotal drivers influencing lean manufacturing within the pharmaceutical sector.

The outcome of this rigorous examination highlights that “Continuous Monitoring Process for Sustainable Lean Implementation,” “Management Involvement for Sustainable Implementation” and “Training and Education” emerge as the most consequential drivers. These factors are deemed crucial for augmenting circular economy performance, underscoring the significance of management engagement, training initiatives and a continuous monitoring process in fostering a closed-loop practice within the pharmaceutical industry.

The findings contribute valuable insights for decision-makers aiming to adopt lean practices within a circular economy framework. Specifically, by streamlining the process of developing a robust action plan tailored to the unique needs of the pharmaceutical sector, our study provides actionable guidance for enhancing overall sustainability in the manufacturing processes.

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

The aim of this paper is to explore the implementation of an integrated lean and ISO 14001 approach in meat industry for environmental performance and examine a proposed conceptual framework by capturing insights from lean and ISO 14001 experts in New Zealand (NZ).

Semi-structured interviews have been conducted with a group of consultants (lean and ISO 14001) to evaluate the suitability of an integrated lean and ISO 14001 approach in the meat industry for environmental performance. A conceptual framework from literature has guided this study leading to its further development based on the empirical evidence collected.

Findings have illustrated a synergistic positive impact of lean and ISO 14001 implementation as an integrated approach for sustaining environmental performance in the meat industry. A joint implementation program provides more clarity in aligning ISO 14001 operational procedures with lean tools and techniques for an enhanced environmental performance outcome.

The application of an integrated lean and ISO 14001 framework is proposed in this paper, which can help industry practitioners and academia in developing a joint implementation strategy and conducting future research.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to assess the effective implementation of lean and ISO 14001 as an integrated approach in the NZ meat industry.

The purpose of this study is to explore and model the strategies to overcome the barriers of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation in Indian small manufacturing enterprises (SMEs).

In this research, 31 strategies of LSS implementation in SMEs have been identified through detailed literature review and out of them, 13 are finalized using statistical tools like CIMTC and Importance-Index analysis. Moreover, the consistency of finalized strategies was examined through reliability test using SPSS software version 22. The finalized strategies are modelled through interpretive structural modelling (ISM) and classified them using MICMAC based on their driving and dependency power.

The key findings of this techno-managerial study are identification and modelling of 13 strategies to overcome adoption challenges of LSS in context of Indian SMEs. The usage of ISM-MICMAC approach provides the guidance to industrialist consider the mutual interaction of strategies during planning and scheduling for LSS projects.

Due to human involvement and judgements, there may be chance of biasness and subjectivity during construction of self-interaction matrix. Also, the number of identified strategies to overcomes barriers of LSS adoption may vary by altering nature, scope and region of research.

Literature is full of studies regarding LSS barriers and its rankings. Also, few studies explored the solutions of LSS barriers and prioritized them. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, our study is very rare to witness which expose the strategies to overcome the barriers and frame the mutual interaction are per the driving and dependence power of strategies. The application of ISM-MICMAC approach suggests a roadmap for implementing LSS approach efficiently through considering developed ISM model of strategies in context of SMEs.

The apparel industry of Bangladesh is rethinking lean manufacturing (LM) deployment because of the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to COVID-19, LM implementation in the apparel industry has become more difficult. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore the barriers to implementing LM practices in the apparel industry of Bangladesh in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.

For evaluating the barriers, an integrated framework that combines the Delphi method and fuzzy total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) has been designed. The application of fuzzy TISM has resulted in a structured hierarchical relationship model of the barriers with driving and driven power.

The findings reveal that “lack of synchronization of lean planning with strategic planning”, “lack of proper understanding of lean concept” and “low priority from the top management” are the three top most important barriers of LM implementation in apparel industry.

These findings will help the apparel industry to formulate strategy for implementing the LM practices successfully. The proposed model is expected to contribute to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) such as Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12); Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8); Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9) via resilient strategies.

This study is one of few initial efforts to investigate LM implementation barriers during the COVID-19 epidemic in a real-world setting.

The purposes of this paper are (1) to identify and rank the various enablers for an integrated sustainable-green-lean-six sigma-agile manufacturing system (ISGLSAMS), and (2) to study their correlations and their impact on organizational performance.

Three tiers methodology is used to analyze the enablers for the successful adoption of ISGLSAMS. First, a total of 32 ISGLSAMS enablers are identified through a comprehensive literature review. Then, data are collected with a structured questionnaire from 108 Indian manufacturing industries. Then, an analytic approach is used to analyze (1) the relevance and significance of enablers and (2) their correlations (1) with each other, and (2) with the organizational performance outcomes, to strengthen the understanding of ISGLSAMS.

The findings suggest that top management commitment, sustainable reconfigurable manufacturing system, organization resources for 6 Rs, customers' and stakeholders' involvement, corporate social responsibility (CSR), customers and stakeholders-focused strategic alliances, dynamic manufacturing strategies, use of information and communication technology, concurrent engineering, standardized tasks for continuous improvement, virtual network of supply chain partners, real-time monitoring and control, training and education, employees' involvement and empowerment enablers are the higher level enablers for the adoption of ISGLSAMS. Findings also suggest that there is a scope for research in the incorporation of lot size reduction, Keiretsu-Kraljic supply chain relationship strategy, external collaborations with the stakeholders other than supply chain members, matrix flatter organization structure, employees' career development, justified employees' wages, government support for research fund and subsidies and vendor-managed inventory practices for ISGLSAMS. Top management commitment, sustainable reconfigurable manufacturing system, organization resources for 6 Rs, corporate social responsibility (CSR), dynamic manufacturing strategies, use of information and communication technology, concurrent engineering, virtual network of supply chain partners, real-time monitoring and control, training and education, employees' involvement and empowerment have a significant effect on (1) sustainable product design, (2) sustainable production system, (3) improvement in the sale, (4) improvement in market responsiveness, (5) improvement in the competitive position and (6) improvement in the global market image.

Through this study of ISGLSAMS enablers and their interdependence, and their impact on ISGLSAMS performance outcomes government, organizations, stakeholders, policymakers and supply chain partners may plan the policy, roadmap and strategies for the successful adoption of (1) ISGLSAMS in the organizational value chain, and (2) Industrial ecology and industrial symbiosis in India. The study also contributes to the industrial managers, and value chain partners a better understanding of ISGLSAMS.

This study is the first attempt to understand (1) the ISGLSAMS enablers and their correlations, and (2) the effect of ISGLSAMS enablers on ISGLSAMS performance outcomes to get the competitive and sustainability advantage. The study contributes to the practitioners, policymakers, organizations, government, researchers and academicians a better understanding of ISGLSAMS enablers and its performance outcomes.

This study aims to improve a construction company's overall project delivery by utilising lean six sigma (LSS) methods combined with building information modelling (BIM) to design, modularise and manufacture various building elements in a controlled factory environment off-site.

A case study in a construction company utilised lean six sigma (LSS) methodology and BIM to identify non-value add waste in the construction process and improve sustainability.

An Irish-based construction company manufacturing modular pipe racks for the pharmaceutical industry utilised LSS to optimise and standardise their off-site manufacturing (OSM) partners process and leverage BIM to design skids which could be manufactured offsite and transported easily with minimal on-site installation and rework required. Productivity was improved, waste was reduced, less energy was consumed, defects were reduced and the project schedule for completion was reduced.

The case study was carried out on one construction company and one construction product type. Further case studies would ensure more generalisability. However, the implementation was tested on a modular construction company, and the methods used indicate that the generic framework could be applied and customized to any offsite company.

This is one of the few studies on implementing offsite manufacturing (OSM) utilising LSS and BIM in an Irish construction company. The detailed quantitative benefits and cost savings calculations presented as well as the use of the LSM methods and BIM in designing an OSM process can be leveraged by other construction organisations to understand the benefits of OSM. This study can help demonstrate how LSS and BIM can aid the construction industry to be more environmentally friendly.

This paper explores Lean Six Sigma principles and the DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) methodology to propose a new Lean Six Sigma 4.0 (LSS 4.0) framework for employee occupational exams and address the real-world issue of high-variability exams that may arise.

This study uses mixed methods, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection. A detailed case study assesses the impact of LSS interventions on the exam management process and tests the applicability of the proposed LSS 4.0 framework for employee occupational exams.

The results reveal that changing the health service supplier in the explored organization caused a substantial raise in occupational exams, leading to increased costs. By using syntactic interoperability, lean, six sigma and DMAIC approaches, improvements were identified, addressing process deviations and information requirements. Implementing corrective actions improved the exam process, reducing the number of exams and associated expenses.

It is important to acknowledge certain limitations, such as the specific context of the case study and the exclusion of certain exam categories.

The practical implications of this research are substantial, providing organizations with valuable managerial insights into improving efficiency, reducing costs and ensuring regulatory compliance while managing occupational exams.

This study fills a research gap by applying LSS 4.0 to occupational exam management, offering a practical framework for organizations. It contributes to the existing knowledge base by addressing a relatively novel context and providing a detailed roadmap for process optimization.