A business process change framework for examining lean manufacturing: a case study
| Published date | 01 July 2003 |
| Pages | 339-346 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/02635570310477398 |
| Date | 01 July 2003 |
| Author | Jaideep Motwani |
| Subject Matter | Economics,Information & knowledge management,Management science & operations |
A business process change framework for examining
lean manufacturing: a case study
Jaideep Motwani
Department of Management, Seidman School of Business,
Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Introduction
Lean manufacturing (LM), developed by
Taiichi Ohno at Toyota Motor Company in
the 1950s, was the result of the:
Toyota innovation to take the minds and
hands philosophy of the craftsmen era,
merging it with the work standardization and
assembly line of the Fordist system, and
adding the glue of teamwork for good
measure (Edwards, 1996).
LM is an enhancement of mass production.
Getting the product right the first time,
continuous improvement efforts, quality in
products and processes, flexible production,
and minimizing waste of any kind are the
enhancements that produce LM.
LM involves changing and improving
processes. Thus, the knowledge of variation
is critical to the knowledge of leanness.
Common causes of variation are those
inherent in the system itself and are
traditionally not a focus for improvement
action. Special causes of variation are those
that are assignable and can be acted upon by
management. According to Deming (1986),
94 per cent of manufacturing errors or
problems belong to the system and only the
remaining 6 per cent are special. LM involves
the attack upon the system, i.e.
re-engineering the whole process, so that the
common causes are much reduced. The
system then becomes more stable with far
fewer variations on account of common
causes (Deming, 1986).
LM is a viable method for making products
because it is an effective tool for producing
the ultimate goal, profit. To achieve this
purpose, the primary goal of LM is cost
reduction, or improvement of productivity.
Costs are defined very broadly to include not
only manufacturing costs, but also sales,
administrative and even capital costs.
Several research studies have shown that
lean manufacturing produces higher levels of
quality and productivity and better customer
responsiveness (Krafcik, 1998; Nicholas,
1998). Lean thinking can be applied to any
industry from agriculture to aerospace and
any process from repetitive manufacturing to
customized assembly. Examples of the
application of lean principles are becoming
more and more apparent. By implementing
lean practices, TRW Automotive Electronics
Group has reduced lost man days by
81 percent, slashed the time to move raw
material by 61 percent, increased production
inventory turns by 28 percent and decreased
capital expenditures by 70 percent. At
John Deere, a high performance product
focus and continuous flow with productivity
incentives has resulted in a just-in-time
material delivery system and pull system of
production. At Lockheed Martin Missile and
Space Corporation, they are infusing lean
practices into all their satellite production
efforts resulting in significantly reduced
costs and program cycle times cut by
50 per cent.
In this study, by means of a case study, we
discuss a successful lean manufacturing
(LM) implementation experience at a
medium-size automotive manufacturing
company located in the Midwest region of the
USA. Specifically, we examine the factors
that facilitated and inhibited the success of
LM at the case study company.
Review of literature
The literature section comprises of two parts.
First, we define and discuss the concept, the
components and the process of LM. Then we
propose a theoretical framework for
examining LM implementation at our case
study company.
The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at
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The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0263-5577.htm
[ 339 ]
Industrial Management &
Data Systems
103/5 [2003] 339-346
#MCB UP Limited
[ISSN 0263-5577]
[DOI 10.1108/02635570310477398]
Keywords
Case studies, Change,
Lean production
Abstract
By means of a case study,
discusses the most important
elements of lean manufacturing
(LM), the strategies used by the
company for implementing LM,
and the significant benefits that
were accrued in manufacturing
operations. Explains the critical
factors involved in the
implementation of LM utilizing a
business process change
framework. The data for this study
were obtained through interviews,
questionnaire survey and archival
sources.
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