A framework for effective implementation of lean production in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
Abstract: The present paper
aims at developing an effective framework including all the components
necessary for implementing lean production properly in Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises.
Design/methodology/approach: The paper begins with the review of the main
existing framework of lean implementation in order to highlight shortcomings in
the literature through a lack of suitable framework for small companies. To
overcome this literature gap, data of successful initiatives of lean
implementation were collected based on a multiple case study approach. These
initiatives has been juxtaposed in order to develop a new, practical and
effective framework that includes all the components (process, tools, success
factors) that are necessary to implement lean in Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises.
Findings: The proposed framework presents many significant contributions:
First, it provides an overcoming for the limitations of the existing frameworks
by proposing for consultants, researchers and organizations an effective
framework for lean implementation in SMEs that allows SMEs to benefit from
competitive advantages gained by lean. Second,
it brings together a set of the more essential and critical elements of lean
implementation commonly used by SMEs and derived from the practical experiences
of them in lean implementation. Finally, it highlights the successful
experiences of small companies in implementing lean programs and then proves
that lean can give a relevant results even for SMEs.
Research limitations/implications: The proposed framework presents a
number of limitations and still evokes extension for further researches: Although
it was derived from practical experiences of SMEs, the proposed framework is
not supported by practical implementation. On the other hand and even though
the elements in the proposed framework from the practical experiences of four
SMEs, the identified elements need to be generalized and enriching by
conducting a survey to identify more elements that are also commonly used in
SMEs.
Practical implications: Implementing rigorously the proposed framework
will help small companies’ managers to improve considerably their
organization’s performance and benefits from lean strategies outcomes.
Researches and practitioners in small businesses now possess an integral
framework for successfully implementing lean strategies.
Originality/value: To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the
first work that proposes an effective lean implementation framework believed to
be easy to understund, practical and suitable for small companies. In short,
this study is a real quantum leap to resolve the problematic unanswered of lean
implementation in SMEs.
Author: Amine Belhadi, Fatima
Ezzahra Touriki, Said El fezazi
Journal Code: jptindustrigg160035