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Sustainability performances (SPs) are the most crucial performances for an organisation in today's world, and they can be measured by economic, social, and environmental metrics. Previous research has not been clear on the role of total productive maintenance (TPM) in the context of sustainability, which motivates the authors to investigate the relationship between TPM and various SPs of the manufacturing firm. Therefore, current research investigates the relationship between TPM and the overall sustainability of the manufacturing firm from the perspective of resource-based view (RBV) theory.

The current study proposed, tested and validated a conceptual framework using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). A total of 326 responses were received to validate the conceptual framework in smartsPLS 3.0 software.

The research outcomes indicate that TPM considerably impacts a manufacturing firm's economic, environmental and social performance.

This research demonstrates that outstanding shop floor behaviour, such as TPM, can become an important asset to offer competitive advantages in a manufacturing firm. Similarly, TPM might serve as a roadmap for leveraging overall sustainability for manufacturing companies. The study indicates the establishment of a sustainability-oriented training protocol while practising TPM.

No past investigation indicates that a shop floor activity like TPM could be used as an input to offer sustainability in a single index for a manufacturing firm from the perception of RBV theory.

This paper discusses the concept, definition and usage of Key Activity Indicators (KAIs) and their integration within a Performance Measurement and Management system (PMM).

The actual definition and application areas of the KAIs are determined through a systematic literature review. Successively, a thorough definition of Key Activity Indicators is provided, along with a set of criteria for their deployment. Lastly, a case involving a Large Scale Retail Trade (LSRT) company is reported to report an example for guiding KAIs adoption.

This research shows that the scientific background concerning KAIs is still not mature. Moreover, the paper defines the role of KAIs for measuring operational activities and their possible connection with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Although KAIs have been introduced and discussed in the scientific literature; there is no evidence of criteria to deploy these indicators, leaving organizations without any guidance for their operational implementation.

From an academic standpoint, the study provides an overview of the usage of KAIs within the present scientific contributions, showing the advancements of this research field. From an industrial standpoint, the research proposes a set of criteria for the organizational deployment of KAIs.

The study investigates the concept of KAIs that, besides being originally conceived within World Class Manufacturing (WCM), has not received much attention in the scientific literature.

In the highly competitive business landscape, manufacturing firms need to adopt an effective manufacturing strategy to attain a successful world-class manufacturing status. Over the past few decades, the lean manufacturing (LM) approach has gained recognition as one of the foremost strategies for enhancing performance. However, the implementation of LM poses significant challenges due to several barriers. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the primary barriers to lean implementation within the apparel industry.

This paper used an exploratory study approach, using a three-part structured questionnaire to assess the level of agreement on different lean barriers. The measurement of these barriers was conducted using a five-point Likert scale. Empirical data were collected from 177 apparel companies located in Bangladesh.

The findings of the research highlight that the primary obstacles to implementing LI include a lack of understanding of the lean manufacturing system (LMS), the manufacturing process, the company culture and resistance from employees.

This paper could potentially limit the generalizability of this research, as it exclusively examines a single manufacturing sector – the apparel industry.

This paper will help practitioners in finding solutions to resolve discrepancies between current manufacturing practices and the LMS.

This paper fulfills an identified need to examine the extent of lean adoption within the apparel industry of Bangladesh.

This study aims to identify and analyse critical barriers to cloud manufacturing (CM) adoption for achieving sustainability amongst manufacturing micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in an emerging economy.

Initially, through a literature survey and expert inputs, this study identified and finalized 21 critical barriers to CM adoption, which were further analysed by employing a hybrid multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach. In this approach, the best–worst method (BWM) was used to rank the identified barriers. However, to analyse the interrelation amongst these barriers and classify them into the cause-effect group, the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method was employed. Furthermore, the study recommended various strategies that can help overcome high-priority barriers and enhance CM adoption within firms.

The results of the study show that organizational, legal and economic barriers are the high-priority barriers that need to be addressed to enhance CM adoption.

The findings of the study will help managers and decision-makers in manufacturing MSMEs develop effective strategies and policies to enhance CM adoption.

Notably, this investigation is one of the preliminary research activities to explore the sustainability aspect of CM adoption amongst MSMEs in an emerging economy.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between total productive maintenance (TPM) practices and operational performance (OP) in soft drinks manufacturing industry, Ethiopia.

In this study acceptability and implementation of five TPM practices (i.e., dependent factors: autonomous maintenance (AUT); safety, health and environment (SHE); education and training (EDT); focused improvement; and planned maintenance (PLM)) in soft drinks manufacturing industry have been elaborated to ascertain the benefits accrued as a result of successful TPM practices (i.e., independent variables) on OP (i.e., dependent variables). A self-administered survey seven-point Likert scale questionnaire was used for primary data collection. By using simple random sampling technique a total of 100 useable responses resulted in a 66.66 per cent response rate. Descriptive (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (factor analysis, correlation, simple and multiple regression analysis) analysis were performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version-28) to identify the relationship and effect of TPM practices on OP. Five hypotheses were developed and tested.

Results show that four of the TPM practices were positively and significantly correlated with OP. Aggregate TPM shows positive and significant correlation with OP. Four hypotheses results revealed that the AUT; SHE; EDT and PLM practices have positive and significant relationship with OP and significantly improve OP. The results also show that the TPM practices have positive and significant relationship with OP and significantly improve cost effectiveness, product quality, on-time delivery and volume flexibility.

The benefits gained by TPM practices in selected soft drinks manufacturing industry have been highlighted, that could be genuine source of motivation to other companies to go in for TPM program. This research contributes to the literature by examining the contingency of various TPM enabling factors in the context of the Ethiopian soft drinks manufacturing sector, and it, therefore, provides direction to increase the success rate of TPM implementation. Study offers academics and practitioners a better understanding of the relationship and effect of the TPM practices on the OPs. Thus, practitioners will be able to make better and more effective decisions about the implementation of TPM practices for better OP results.

The relationship between the five factors TPM practices and OP has not yet been studied or reported in the case of soft drink manufacturing industry. The questionnaire manner and items developed, factor considered in this study, sampling method, deeply statistical data analysis techniques used, soft drink manufacturing industry, developing country like Ethiopia make this study unique and revealed the gap identification in this area. The study has contributed to the TPM literature with a better understanding of the five TPM practices and their association with a soft drink manufacturing industry OP that will provide valuable knowledge to top-management of manufacturing companies, to refine their current TPM practices and subsequently improve OP.

This paper proposes a new metric, named Operational Space Efficiency (OpSE), intended to diagnose and quantify the inefficient use of floor space for stocking materials in industrial workstations. OpSE presents a formulation analogous to the well-known Overall Equipment Effectiveness and can be obtained as the product of three distinct indicators: Standard Compliance Effectiveness, Standards Selection Effectiveness and Design Space-usage Effectiveness.

This indicator scrutinizes how usefully floor space in workstations is used to temporarily stock materials in the form of raw materials, semi-finished products, parts and components. It is suited for analyzing fixed-position layouts as well as product layouts typical of repetitive manufacturing settings, such as assembly lines in the automotive sector. The proposed indicator leverages an appropriate loss structure that features those factors affecting floor space utilization in workstations with regard to supplying and stocking materials.

An Italian manufacturer in the field of electro-technology was used as an industrial case study for the application of the methodology. The application shows how the three indicators work in practice, the effectiveness of OpSE and the methodology as a whole, in diagnosing floor space usage inefficiencies and in properly addressing improvement actions of the internal logistics in industrial settings.

The paper scrutinizes some important Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) dealing with space usage efficiency and identifies some significant drawbacks. Then it suggests a new, inclusive structure of losses and a KPI that not only measures efficiency but also allows to identify viable countermeasures.

The paper aims to identify, prioritize and rank lean practices in the context of an Indian automotive component manufacturing organization using interpretive ranking process (IRP) and interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approaches.

Lean practices are identified from the literature. Then, two hierarchical models were are developed using two distinct modeling approaches – ISM and IRP with expert opinions from an Indian automotive component manufacturing organization to analyze the contextual relationships among the various lean practices and to prioritize and rank them with respect to performance dimensions.

In the study, the hierarchical structural models are developed using ISM and IRP approaches for an Indian automotive component manufacturing organization. In ISM-based modeling, lean practices can be categorized into five levels. Top priority should be given to the motivators followed by value chain, system/technology and organization centric practices. IRP model shows the dominance relationship among the various lean practices with respect to performance dimensions.

The models are constructed from the organizational standpoint to evaluate their impact to the implementation of lean manufacturing. The study leverages the organizations to prioritize limited resources as per the hierarchy. Managers get the inter-linkages and ranking of various lean practices, which leads to a better perspective for the effective implementation of lean. The structural models also assist management to assign proper roles to employees/departments for effective lean implementation.

There is hardly any structural model of lean practices in the literature for clustering, prioritizing and ranking of lean practices. The study fills this gap and develops the hierarchical models of lean practices through IRP and ISM approaches for an Indian automotive component manufacturing organization. The results from both approaches are compared for illustrating the benefits of one over the other.

Previous research has identified factors that enable lean change to be sustained. What remains unknown is how the interaction effects amongst these factors vary as lean change programmes mature. When are particular factors at their most influential?

Using a data and investigator triangulated qualitative research strategy, this paper tests an a priori model of change sustainability factors. In phase one, the research reveals the influence and significance of the model's change sustainability factors within 13 manufacturers. In phase two, four factors (Leadership, Political, Individual and Managerial) were selected for in-depth case study analyses in three manufacturers.

These point to when in the lean change, certain factors have the most influence on its sustainability. The Leadership factor and political factor are essential at the beginning and remain influential throughout. Employees' individual commitment (Individual factor) is significant in sustaining the change but it is at its most influential in the later stages. The Managerial factor (management approach) is influential in the mature stages of the programme.

Recognising where to put maximum focus during a lean change programme as it matures is crucial for management.

Sustaining lean change has not been studied from the perspective of what factors need to be emphasised at different stages in the programme for successful maturity to occur. Through empirical validation, this study helps address this knowledge gap.

Interesting because – Researchers have found that the majority of lean implementations fail – changes to structures and working practices are made only to see the gains dissipate. Previous research has suggested that multiple factors including leadership, culture and politics influence the change towards a lean organisation. While studies have shown that such factors play a role, what has not been studied is the time, that is, when the factors influence the change process. This study investigated when 11 factors have the most influence on lean implementation. Theoretical value – The study extends the state-of-the-art understanding of implementation of lean in organisations by adding a time element. It is found that in order to have a change that is sustainable, that is, lasting at least 18 months, factors that indicate the importance to the organisation are influential during the entire implementation process. This includes how central the change is to the organisation, the influence of leadership that sets vision and goals, and the implementation methods. Factors that can set things in motion such as the influence of important stakeholders are important at the beginning of the implementation process but then decline in influence over time. While factors that seem to have to do more with how companies operate have less influence at the start but become more influential over time. These include employees' commitment, the managerial style and approach, the organisational policies and structure, and the organisational culture. Practical value – Introducing lean into an organisation and gaining its sustained benefits is often not successful. While factors have previously been identified that influence the success of lean implementation, this study provides additional practical insight. It helps manufacturers be more effective by pinpointing which factors should be focused on during the various stages of the implementation process.

Process orientation is important for improving organizational performance. The process view is considered a key enabler of digital transformation, and thus management control systems (MCS) are expected to incorporate this view. However, the existing body of knowledge is fragmented, as different process approaches are often considered independently following a reductionist view of control practices. This paper aims to provide recommendations for further research as well as guidance for practice by a systematic review of the state of research of MC for process orientation. It is based on both a comprehensive view to MC using an MCS package approach and a comprehensive view of process orientation.

A systematic literature review addressing major types of process orientation approaches was performed by applying the comprehensive MC framework of Malmi and Brown. The results were synthesized and propositions were developed.

All components of the MC framework, as well as MCS packages, are highly relevant for process orientation. Propositions regarding configurations of MC for process orientation show directions for future research. However, comprehensive considerations of packages and of individual components, especially cultural controls, remain scarce in the literature.

To the best of the authors‘ knowledge, this paper is the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive, structured overview of MC for process orientation, applying a nonreductionist view, based on an MCS Package approach, and consolidating the so far fragmented view of different process approaches.

This study aims to improve the market competitiveness of iron and steel manufacturers in developing countries by reducing their production costs.

The research methodology relies on a case study-based approach. The study relies on six steps. The first is the preparation, then the five steps of the six-sigma – define, measure, analyze, improve, control. The qualitative and quantitative data were considered. The qualitative analysis relies on the experts’ judgment of internal status. The quantitative analysis uses the job floor data from three iron and steel manufacturers. After collecting, screening and analyzing the data, the root causes of the different wastes were identified that increase production costs. Consequently, lean manufacturing principles and tools are identified and prioritized using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory method, and then implemented to reduce the different types of waste.

The main wastes are related to inventory, time, quality and workforce. The lean tools were proposed with the implementation plan for the discovered root causes. The performance was monitored during and after the implementation of the lean initiatives in one of the three companies. The obtained results showed an increase in some performance indicators such as throughput (70.6%), revenue from by-products (459%), inventory turnover (54%), operation availability (45%), and plant availability (41%). On the other hand, results showed a decrease of time delay (78%), man-hour/ton (52.4%) and downgraded products (63.3%).

The current case study findings can be utilized by Iron and Steel factories at the developing countries. In addition, the proposed lean implementation methodology can be adopted for any other industries.

The current work introduces an original and practical road map to implement the lean six-sigma body of knowledge in the iron and steel manufacturers.

This work introduces an effective and practical case study-based approach to implementing the lean six-sigma body of knowledge in the iron and steel manufacturers in one of the underdevelopment countries. The consideration of the opinion of the different engineers from different sectors shows significant identification of the major problems in the manufacturing and utility sectors that lead to significant performance improvement after solving them.