This paper explores the relationships between lean manufacturing (LM), the promotion of green practices, employee involvement, pressure to take actions against environmental issues, the adoption of an ISO 14001-based environmental management system (EMS) and environmental performance in order to understand how LM can help improve environmental performance through environmental practices and the development of a lean culture. The effects of pressure to “go green”, employee involvement and the adoption of an EMS based on the International Organization for Standardization’s standard ISO 14001 are discussed. Data were collected from 220 Chinese manufacturing firms and analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) regression. The results suggest that the implementation of LM has a positive effect on the promotion of green practices and consequent achievement of high environmental performance; employee involvement is a moderator that affects the relationship between green practices and environmental performance; pressure to “go green” is a mediator in the relationship between LM and green practices; however, the adoption of ISO 14001 does not act as a moderator on the relationship between LM and green practices, but synergies emerge if ISO 14001 is integrated with LM. The study shows the importance of human attitudes and fosters managers to develop the necessary mechanisms to ensure and enhance employee involvement and lean culture. Although these determinants of environmental sustainability have been studied separately until now, this paper analyzes them simultaneously, investigating the relationship between different strategies and shedding some light on successful actions that promote sustainable manufacturing, and on the role of LM in sustainability. The findings can help manufacturers to take the initiative to improve environmental performance and assist governments in implementing industrial policies.
El llamado lean manufacturing (también “producción ajustada”, en España) ha sido durante años el modelo de éxito que ha llevado muchas empresas a la excelencia operacional. Sin embargo, los cambios en el mercado que requieren producción personalizada en masa barata parecen estar fuera del alcance de la metodología lean, más pensada para una producción más estable. La Industria 4.0 nace como un sistema prometedor para hacer frente a futuros desafíos en entornos productivos por medio de la automatización y el intercambio de datos gracias a los sistemas ciber-físicos y al Internet de las Cosas. La relación entre lean e industria 4.0 atrae a muchos investigadores en gestión y el número de publicaciones y referencias no para de aumentar con rapidez. No obstante, la falta de aplicaciones reales lleva a trabajos teóricos sobre posibles resultados en multitud de aspectos.El objetivo de este artículo es explorar y evaluar, por medio de una revisión sistemática que llega a setiembre de 2019, el trabajo previo sobre la relación entre lean manufacturing e industria 4.0, para poder entender si ambos enfoques se pueden integrar y si entre los elementos de ambas corrientes existen sinergias. Además, se realiza un estudio bibliométrico.Aunque distintos escenarios son posibles, muchos se refieren a una mejora de las herramientas lean gracias a la información en tiempo real. La mayoría muestra una evolución, no una revolución. El lean ofrece procesos estables que pueden ser automatizados y digitalizados con éxito. De otro modo las nuevas tecnologías no podrán aprovechar los procesos mal gestionados. El papel del personal se ha estudiado poco en los trabajos revisados.
Abstract-This paper reports on the contribution of students to a research project. Its distinct characteristics are the relation between teaching and research, the early involvement of undergraduate students in research and the aim of raising students' environmental awareness. A group of students taking a compulsory course on Operations Management were asked to survey companies on the existence of synergic relations between lean manufacturing and environmental performance, which is the research topic of a Ph.D. candidate. The research began with the design of a structured questionnaire. The students interviewed operations managers in manufacturing companies. Since this subject is part of a blended learning program in engineering, many students already work in companies and interviewing their managers allowed them to gain a different view of the firm's activities. The results of the experience show the total involvement of the students. They learnt about lean manufacturing practices and about environmental issues. The study showed the relation between "lean" and "green" topics.
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