Limits of Lean Manufacturing Service Practices
LIMITS OF LEAN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE PRACTICES Written by Hafez Shurrab
ABSTRACT
Lean thinking proved its excellence through its techniques and practices. Many organizations – including first lean introducers and practitioners - couldn‘t get the desired outcomes due to different external and internal concerns. This article addresses some relevant limitations and impediments arise when lean practices and techniques are considered for implementation into manufacturing and service contexts, lean manufacturing and lean service, respectively. Lean thinking was born in manufacturing environment but has been brought to the service sector lately, during last two decades. The objective of this article is to discuss and expose some relevant limitations and barriers of lean management system for both manufacturing and service contexts. Methodology: The methodology applied to better understand lean limitations within different contexts was a systematic review of literature, as described basically by Cusumano, M. (1994); and Brandão L. and Pidd M. (2011). Findings: This article has synthesized and categorized the limitations of lean into different management contexts, in an effort to discuss how significant is to consider the customization of lean practices and techniques to the adopters. In total, four limitations for lean manufacturing (automobiles) and eight barriers for lean service (health care) have been discussed. Research Limitations: Publications have exposed some examples of management contexts that may not generalize the limitations and barriers to the other industries. There may be other special-oriented limitations that either fit the discussed examples solely or could be found exclusively in other management contexts. Future Study: It is highly recommended to consider change management when lean practices and techniques are transformed to other culture and context. Much of researching effort required to design appropriate lean style suits different cases.
ABSTRACT
Lean thinking proved its excellence through its techniques and practices. Many organizations – including first lean introducers and practitioners - couldn‘t get the desired outcomes due to different external and internal concerns. This article addresses some relevant limitations and impediments arise when lean practices and techniques are considered for implementation into manufacturing and service contexts, lean manufacturing and lean service, respectively. Lean thinking was born in manufacturing environment but has been brought to the service sector lately, during last two decades. The objective of this article is to discuss and expose some relevant limitations and barriers of lean management system for both manufacturing and service contexts. Methodology: The methodology applied to better understand lean limitations within different contexts was a systematic review of literature, as described basically by Cusumano, M. (1994); and Brandão L. and Pidd M. (2011). Findings: This article has synthesized and categorized the limitations of lean into different management contexts, in an effort to discuss how significant is to consider the customization of lean practices and techniques to the adopters. In total, four limitations for lean manufacturing (automobiles) and eight barriers for lean service (health care) have been discussed. Research Limitations: Publications have exposed some examples of management contexts that may not generalize the limitations and barriers to the other industries. There may be other special-oriented limitations that either fit the discussed examples solely or could be found exclusively in other management contexts. Future Study: It is highly recommended to consider change management when lean practices and techniques are transformed to other culture and context. Much of researching effort required to design appropriate lean style suits different cases.