Similarities of lean manufacturing approaches implementation in SMEs towards the success: Case study in the automotive component industry

Abstract

Abstract; Nowadays, manufacturing companies are striving for a better system like lean manufacturing (LM). The primary objective of LM is to identify and eliminate wastes. LM can be applied successfully in all industries providing a full understanding of lean ingredients i.e. concept, principles, and practices. There are a lot of practices which are necessary to be implemented in order to gain full benefits of LM. However, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are lack of knowledge in LM and facing difficulties to adopt all of the LM principles. Therefore, it is necessary to the researchers to come out with a simple guideline for LM implementation. The objective of this paper is to explore the journey of LM implementation including preliminary, in process and post of LM. This research was conducted through multi-case study research. There were four SMEs and two large companies. The gathered information shows that the preliminary stage of LM implementation is similar to each other including large companies. The result shows SMEs still have a potential to success in LM. This finding might give an opportunity to SMEs to prepare the basis for LM implementation effectively. As a result, SMEs able compete in the competitive global marketplace and strive for world class performance through implementation of LM.

Challenges and Strategies of Malaysian Automotive: A Literature Review 2016-2018

“…However, many Malaysian companies are still on the journey of lean practices and still need guidance to compete with other long-term established companies in order to minimize wastes while maximizing the overall performances in an organization (Ahmad et al, 2017). It is parallel with Rose et al, (2017) previous study which stated that small and medium enterprises facing difficulties to adopt all of the lean manufacturing principles due to lack of knowledge. Hence, they explored the journey of lean manufacturing implementation as a simple guideline, including preliminary in-process and post of lean manufacturing.…”

Exploring critical success factors for the implementation of lean manufacturing in machinery and equipment SMEs

“…Staff must practise the learned skills on time, to reinforce and enhance their understanding of LM as a part of a knowledge retention strategy. SMEs find themselves overambitious to embrace lean principles all at once (Grigg et al, 2018;Rose et al, 2017). Employees appreciate lean practice more when it is linked to their daily tasks and convincingly make them easier.…”

Interpretive Structural Modeling of Identified Success Factors to Lean Implementation in SMEs

“…Lean Manufacturing focuses on shortening the timeline between customer order and shipment, as well as cutting costs and improving quality, by identifying and eliminating waste in the value stream. (Bakås, Ottar, Govaert, Tim, Van Landeghem, Hendrik, 2011) It is difficult to move from a traditional production system to a Lean production system. This change demands attention of both the processes and the people involved.…”

“…The identified success factors taken under the study are from the base paper by Bakås et. al (2011).…”