Purpose-The purpose of this research is to investigate the role of management support in a lean implementation. The impact the lean implementation made on communication within the organization is also examined. Design/methodology/approach-Qualitative methods were used to study the relationships between management support, organizational communications, and a lean manufacturing implementation. A case study was conducted in an electronics manufacturing company in the northwestern USA. Data were collected over a three-month time period. The data were coded using an evolving coding scheme and analysis was performed on the resulting data set. Findings-Evidence was found to support the supposition that management support does play a role in driving a lean manufacturing implementation. Management support impacted the lean manufacturing implementation both negatively and positively. The research also found moderate support for improved communication in the organization attributable to the lean implementation. Research limitations/implications-The organization studied was in the early stages of implementing lean manufacturing practices and principles. Future research should include multiple organizations with a longer history of lean manufacturing. Practical implications-The research findings identified management support and communications as important variables in a lean manufacturing implementation. Furthermore, there is evidence that these variables are critical in not only the implementation of lean manufacturing practices and principles, but also in the ongoing planning and deployment efforts of organizational leaders. Originality/value-This research provided empirical evidence for the role of management support and communication in an organization's lean implementation. The findings highlight the importance of studying organizational phenomenon within real-world settings. As a result of the methodology used, both positive and negative implications were identified. The research design has enabled the uncovering of a complex set of relationships that existed between two sociocultural variables and an organization's effort to improve performance through the implementation of lean practices.

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; however, despite their popularity and apparent potential for creating improvement, there is a lack of systematic research on Kaizen events. The majority of current Kaizen event publications are focused on anecdotal results from companies that have implemented Kaizen events (Sheridan, 1997; Cuscela, 1998) and untested design recommendations from individuals and organizations that facilitate Kaizen events (e.g., Laraia et al., 1999; Vitalo, Butz, and Vitalo, 2003). There is no systematic, empirical evidence on what sort of Kaizen event designs may be most effective for achieving and sustaining improvements in business performance or human resource outcomes. A particular weakness of the current published accounts is the lack of attention to less successful events-only strongly successful Kaizen events receive much coverage in the accounts. This is despite the fact that Laraia et al. (1999) suggest that most companies will have difficulty sustaining even half of the results from a given event. In addition, the organizational learning literature suggests that understanding less successful tool applications is a key component of organizational learning (Sitkin, 1992; Lounamaa and March, 1989; Cole, 1992). This paper describes results from an ongoing research program focused on identifying determinants of Kaizen event effectiveness, both in terms of initial event outcomes and the sustainability of outcomes. In particular, the paper presents a case study of a less successful Kaizen event studied in the current research to demonstrate how the event contributed to organizational learning, and to highlight how the methods and measures used in the current research allowed triangulation of multiple data types and sources. The implications of the case study event for the current body of knowledge on Kaizen events are also examined, and, finally, directions for future research are described. Current Research Program Based on the lack of previous research on Kaizen events, in 2002, Oregon State University and Virginia Tech began a joint research effort aimed at understanding Kaizen events. This effort is aimed at measuring the outcomes of Kaizen events (both technical performance and human resource outcomes), and identifying what design and context factors relate to the effectiveness of Kaizen events, both in terms of generating positive initial results and sustaining event outcomes over time. The goal of the research is to sample multiple Kaizen events in multiple organizations, in order to better understand how these events (and associated outcomes) vary both within and across organizations and industry types. A total of six organizations participated in the first phase of this research program, which

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the application of an assessment methodology to empirically measure and evaluate the impact of kaizen events on organizational performance, including human resource outcomes.Design/methodology/approachA field study of two kaizen events held within a single organization utilizing both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interviews and organizational documents) data was conducted. Sustainability of outcomes was also studied.FindingsThis study empirically illustrates that, even within a single organization, kaizen events may have varied success. Management support was found to be related to human resource outcomes. Positive attitudes at the conclusion of a successful event, however, did not automatically translate to sustained improvements. Additionally, the kaizen event team with a more limited scope was better able to meet targeted business objectives.Originality/valueThe methodology described can assess the impact of kaizen events on business performance and human resource outcomes; the latter has largely been ignored in the kaizen events scholarly literature. This study demonstrates that initial success in business outcomes and human resource outcomes are not necessarily correlated and that success may vary over time. Leaders need to pay close attention to follow‐up mechanisms to ensure sustainability.

Purpose – The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between organizational structure and lean implementation success and to explore the impact of a lean implementation on the development of employee problem-solving skills. Organizations that implement lean manufacturing strategies experience widely differing results, with unexpected outcomes for some organizations. Design/methodology/approach – This study was conducted using qualitative research methodologies. Specifically, a case study was performed at an electronics manufacturer in the northwestern USA over a three-month time period. The researchers collected data from a variety of sources at the manufacturing site. Findings – Two significant findings emerged. First, the lack of dedicated personnel for the lean implementation inhibited the widespread adoption of lean practices. Second, evidence supported the role of the lean implementation in positively affecting employee problem-solving skills. Research limitations/implications – This paper is relevant to most manufacturing organizations; however, lean implementations are likely as unique as the organizations themselves. Given that the study used a single-site case study, utilizing qualitative methods, additional research is needed to confirm the findings for a larger range of manufacturing organizations. The results do indicate, however, that an organization with fewer resources to dedicate to the lean effort may find the transformation process slow and may experience fewer performance benefits. Likewise, further empirical study would help strengthen the findings regarding the relationship between the lean implementation and noticeable improvement in employee problem-solving skills. Originality/value – The literature stream for lean manufacturing provides examples of how lean implementations have not only noticeably affected tangible metrics related to profits and expenses but have also helped positively influence factors such as employee safety, morale and empowerment. For some organizations, considering the effect of these intangible factors before committing to a new manufacturing approach may prove useful. This study focused on exploring, in a much deeper way, through qualitative methods, how organizational structure can impact a lean implementation and how it ultimately acts as a catalyst for the increased development of employee problem-solving skills.