Synergistic effect of lean practices on lead time reduction: mediating role of manufacturing flexibility

Abstract

PurposeThis study scrutinized the synergistic effects of lean manufacturing (LM) on lead time reduction (LR) while investigating the mediating role of manufacturing flexibility (MF) in that relationship within the context of batch and mass customization manufacturers.Design/methodology/approachThis cross-sectional survey involved 160 large batch and mass customization manufacturers in Indonesia. Data were analyzed by using the PLS path modeling approach and multigroup analysis.FindingsThe positive synergistic direct effects of LM on LR and MF were revealed in both process types. In mass customization, MF mediates the effect of LM on LR. However, such a mediating effect was not found in the batch process due to the insignificant effect of MF on LR.Practical implicationsThe findings offered theoretical and practical insights supporting the manufacturers to grasp potential benefits through the holistic LM implementation as well as the suitable strategies to improve MF and reduce lead time by considering the types of the production process.Originality/valueThis study bridged the gaps regarding the comparison of LM implementation and its influence on MF and LR in mass customization and batch production.

The impact of leanness on supply chain sustainability: examining the role of sustainability control systems

“…result of implementing green management practices in SMEs (Sajan et al, 2017;Nawanir et al, 2020). In line with Rao and Holt (2005), the findings confirm that environmental management and employee involvement have a positive relationship with economic supply chain performance.…”

“…Within this context, SMEs seem to be more focused on implementing diagnostic control systems with the aim of maximizing economic supply chain sustainability. Findings also imply that SMEs are likely to focus on short term benefits instead of investing in social and environmental systems that will generate yields in the long term (e.g., Sajan et al, 2017;Nawanir et al, 2020).…”

“…More specifically, rather than waiting for external forces to influence their internal sustainability practices, proactive organisations are likely to develop supply chain sustainability strategies independently (e.g., Hussain et al, 2018;Bastas and Liyanage, 2019). Compared with traditional mass production, lean production aims for higher quality manufacturing through the elimination of waste materials and reduction of inputs (Nawanir et al, 2020a(Nawanir et al, , 2020b. In turn, proactive organizations are more likely to invest in sustainability with the purpose of minimizing expenses in the long term, despite the financial cost and investment required (Lauren and Vittal, 2008).…”

A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making approach to assess the enablers of manufacturing flexibility under fuzzy environment

“…Building on previous manufacturing flexibility literature (Jain et al , 2013; Mishra, 2020; Nawanir et al , 2020) and analysis of various case studies (Oke, 2005; Mishra, 2018), a conceptual framework for the assessment of manufacturing flexibility was developed (Figure 1). The conceptual framework brings together collective logic of various theoretical and empirical studies done in the area of manufacturing flexibility (Swink et al , 2007; Chang, 2012; Chaudhuri et al , 2018; Sáenz et al , 2018).…”

“…Majority of the earlier studies reported the role of different forms of AMTs in manufacturing flexibility development (Zhang et al , 2006; Yadav and Jayswal, 2017), whereas recent studies have shifted their focus on organisational and firm-specific factors that help in developing manufacturing flexibility (Lau et al , 1999; Zhang et al , 2006; Rogers et al , 2011; Urtasun-Alonso et al ., 2014; Pérez-Pérez et al , 2018; Mishra, 2020a). For developing and employing flexibility, recent studies have examined the relationships of manufacturing flexibility with various manufacturing process improvement practices (Raed, 2018; Nawanir et al , 2020), interdepartmental integration (Khalaf and El Mokadem, 2019) and external integration practices. For example, Chaudhuri et al (2018) suggested that internal risk management practices and supply chain risk management directly influence manufacturing flexibility, whereas supply chain risk management moderates the external integration practices and manufacturing flexibility relationships.…”