The health care industry in the United States is increasingly pressured to improve safety and quality performance and increase revenue. In response, many health care institutions are moving to redesign their processes and practices in an effort to decrease costs and provide safer, higher quality, and more efficient care. The purpose of this paper is to document the Lean implementation strategy and progress in implementation at a large teaching health care organization undergoing Lean transformation in order to understand enterprise transformation strategies and the impact of leadership involvement on culture development and Lean implementation. Through direct observations and involvement and transformation activities, the methodology for Lean transformation and progress in implementation were documented and analyzed. The organization employed an outside consultant to assist with transformation activities, and underwent a three-pronged approach to implementation, which included model area development, team member problem solving training, and management-led problem solving activities. It was found that leadership involvement was lacking, especially at the highest levels, and the organization struggled to build the culture necessary to support transformation and develop an operational model area, though successes were realized in efforts to train employees in Toyota’s 8-Step Problem Solving method and in management-led problem solving activities.

Detta är en magisteruppsats i arbetsvetenskap utförd under vårterminen 2014. Studiens syfte har varit att undersöka arbetsmotivationen bland anställda i en tillverkningsfabrik som implementerat principer och verktyg från lean production. Utgångspunkten har varit att undersöka om element i lean production, så som teamorganisering och delaktighet, har en positiv inverkan på inre motivation. I studien operationaliserades inre motivation som arbetstillfredsställelse och engagemang.      Studien utgår från en kvalitativ ansats med ett hermeneutiskt perspektiv. Datamaterialet har insamlats från sammanlagt 12 respondenter, samtliga från samma fabrik i Svealand. De teoretiska utgångspunkterna beträffande arbetsmotivation grundas i stor utsträckning på teorier av Abraham Maslow (1943), Frederick Herzberg (1987; 2002) samt Richard Hackman och Greg Oldham (1974; 1976).      Studiens resultat pekar på att anställda drivs av både inre och yttre motivatorer i sitt arbete. Resultatet indikerar att element så som 5S och arbetsrotation har en positiv inverkan på arbetstillfredsställelsen men att inga delar i lean leder till engagemang. Snarare beror engagemanget på andra faktorer än lean production. / This is a master’s (1) thesis in working life science carried out during the spring term of 2014. The purpuse of the study was to examine work motivation among employees in a manufacturing plant that uses lean production principles and tools. The approach has been to investigate whether elements of lean production, such as teams and participation, has a positive impact on intrinsic motivation, which was operationalized as job satisfaction and engagement.      The study was based on a qualitative approach with a hermeneutik perspective. Data has been obtained form a total of 12 respondents, all from the same factory in Svealand. The theoretical base regarding work motivation is largely based on the work of Abraham Maslow (1943), Frederick Herzberg (1987; 1993) and also Richard Hackman and Greg Oldham (1974; 1976).      The results indicate that employees are driven by both intrinsic and extrinsic motivatators in their work. The results suggest that elements such as 5S and job rotation have a positive impact on job satisfaction but that no elements of lean production lead to engagement. Engagement is rather the cause of factors other than lean production.

Doct. thesis Univ. of Kent, Canterbury, 2001. / Includes filmography. Includes bibliographical references.

ABSTRACT The increasingly competitive nature of the manufacturing industry has forced manufacturers to examine alternatives to traditional management philosophies. Although lean's success had been proven it was not uncommon for companies that opt to implement lean concepts to meet with mixed results and sometimes even outright failure. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between organizational characteristics and issues associated with lean implementation. The study identified the following organizational characteristics (a) organizational leadership, (b) organizational culture, and (c) organizational change and examined the role each played in lean implementation efforts. The study also looked at sixteen individual (d) intrinsic organizational characteristics to determine the extent to which each impacted lean implementation efforts. The study utilized both qualitative and quantitative research tools. The qualitative component utilized both document analysis and interviews. The interviews were conducted with area business leaders who were members of the Department of Technology's Industrial Advisory Committee at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The quantitative component utilized a separate on-line survey that was developed and administered to members of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association. Results indicated highly capable leadership was the number one indicator of success for organizations that made the transition to lean. Other key factors included communication channels with an effective feedback system, the development of collaborative relationships between management and employees, being well versed in the practice of change management, and understanding how to effect change of cultural mores within an organization. The implications of understanding how the organizational characteristics discussed in the study affected lean implementation empowered organizations to effect change more successfully. The goal of implementing lean successfully required much more than a step by step process of implementing the lean tools in a particular order. It required a broad understanding of the things which cannot be seen; things such as, what constitutes highly capable leadership, knowing how to change the mores of organizational culture, and understanding how to overcome the barriers to successful change management. Understanding these complex relationships provided the basis upon which to advance lean implementation theory where it had been only marginally successful.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:52:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 6686.pdf: 4583739 bytes, checksum: 183880120f982e776763b7d678fea6e3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-24 / Studies show that healthcare sector in Brazil is a highlighted sector in the current scenario of the country, mainly due to dissatisfaction of the population with respect to the services provided. This sector is under continuous pressure to improve services and patient safety and reduce costs, waiting times, and errors. In view of this scenario, it is evident the importance of research that present strategies and tools to assist the healthcare sector to improve its performance in Brazil, Lean is one of these strategies. To assess the state of the art on the subject, it was performed a review, classification and analysis of the literature, aiming to update the literature reviews of Mazzocato et al. (2010) and Souza (2009), and thus present the current developments in the subject area. To better understand the Lean Healthcare implementation process, and the benefits gained from such implementation, a case study was conducted in two Brazilian hospitals. It was studied two sectors of Hospital-Case A: Sterile Services Department and Pharmacy; and three sectors of Hospital-Case B: Chemotherapy, Operating Room and Radiotherapy. The analysis of the cases and the literature reviewed shows that it is important to use Lean tools in a logical and structured manner; the barriers and critical factors to the success of Lean implementation are associated with human factor and cultural changes; and the results obtained indicate that the work is targeted to reduce the lead time (patient and information), increased capacity and improved financial performance. / Estudos mostram que o setor de saúde no Brasil é um setor em destaque no cenário atual do país, devido principalmente à insatisfação da população com relação aos serviços prestados. Este setor encontra-se sob contínua pressão para melhorar os serviços e a segurança do paciente, bem como reduzir custos, tempos de espera, e erros. Frente ao cenário apresentado, fica evidente a importância de pesquisas que apresentem estratégias e ferramentas para auxiliar a área de saúde a melhorar seu desempenho no Brasil, sendo o uso de Lean Healthcare uma dessas estratégias. Para avaliar o estado da arte sobre o assunto, foi realizada uma revisão, classificação e análise da literatura, atualizando as revisões de Mazzocato et al. (2010) e Souza (2009), e assim, pode-se apresentar a evolução atual do assunto na área. Para melhor entender o processo de implementação de Lean Healthcare, e os benefícios obtidos com tal implementação, foram estudados os casos de dois hospitais brasileiros, sendo estudados dois setores do Hospital-Caso A: Central de Material Esterilizado e Farmácia; e três setores do Hospital-Caso B: Quimioterapia, Centro Cirúrgico e Radioterapia. A análise dos casos e da literatura revisada mostra que é importante usar as ferramentas Lean de forma lógica e estruturada; que as barreiras e os fatores críticos para o sucesso da implementação Lean estão associados com fator humano e mudança cultural; e que os resultados obtidos apontam que os trabalhos estão direcionados para redução de lead time (paciente e informação), aumento da capacidade e melhoria do desempenho financeiro.

Sammanfattning Bakgrund Lean är ett arbetssätt och en arbetsfilosofi som härstammar från Henry Fords produktionssystem som först förädlats i Japan och sedan vid MIT i USA för att sedan spridas över världen under 1990-talet. Lean består av ett antal olika verktyg och metoder. Det är däremot viktigt att förstå att vissa av de verktyg och metoder som används inom Lean har funnits långt innan Lean-uttrycket skapades. Med detta i bakhuvudet så förstår man att det inte är ett nytt förbättringskoncept utan bygger på många olika verktyg som är förenade. Svårigheten att tillämpa Lean ligger dock inte i att använda sig av de olika verktygen och metoderna. Utmaningen för den organisation som vill arbeta enligt Lean är att ta till sig den kulturförändring som måste ske, den största och vanligaste barriären till en Lean-implementation är organisationskulturen. Utifrån den bakgrunden är det först intressant att försöka identifiera faktorer som Lean-användarna anser är viktiga vid ett införande av Lean. När faktorerna är identifierade är det även viktigt att förstå varför dessa faktorer anses viktigt för att kunna lösa problemet och inte ersätta problemet med ett annat. Syfte och forskningsfrågor Studiens syfte är att utifrån en empirisk undersökning identifiera och med hjälp av en teoretisk referensram även förklara några av de faktorer som påverkar införandet av Lean. Vår förhoppning är att genom denna studie bidra till ett underlättat införandet av Lean. Våra Forskningsfrågor är: Vilka framgångsfaktorer kan identifieras i Lean-införandeprocessen? Varför är dessa framgångsfaktorer viktiga i Lean-införandeprocessen? Genomförande De empiriska studierna utgörs av en kvalitativ undersökning på ett fallföretag som genomgår en organisationsförändring mot att tillämpa Lean. Intervjuerna har genomförts på operativ och ledningsnivå på fallföretaget. Resultaten har sedan jämförts med ett teoretiskt ramverk med avsikt att skapa djupare förståelse för de olika identifierade faktorerna. Resultat och slutsats Litteraturstudien ger en förståelse för vad en organisationsförändring och Lean-implementation innebär. Då organisationskulturen är en central del i ett Lean-införande behandlas även organisationskultur i ett separat kapitel så som litteratur rörande hur människor påverkar varandra. Vid intervjuerna förklarade respondenterna vad de ansåg att Lean bestod av och hade för påverkan på arbetssituationen och företaget. Intervjuerna sammanställdes sedan i rubriker som motsvarade samtalets ämne. I slutsatsen presenteras ett antal faktorer som förklaras djupare i analysen. För att använda sig av de faktorer som identifierats är det bra att även förstå vad dessa beror på för att kunna applicera dessa på den situation som avses. Alla implementeringar är unika och därför är det viktigt att förstå vad varje faktor har för orsak. Nyckelord: Lean, implementering, framgångsfaktorer, organisationskultur, förändring. / Abstract Background Lean is a method and a philosophy that originates from Henry Ford’s production system and was first improved in Japan and then further at MIT in the USA and later spread across the world during the 1990s. Lean consists of a set of different tools and methods. However, it is important to understand that some of the tools and methods is older than Lean itself. With this in mind it is clear that Lean is not a new concept but is based upon many different tools and methods that are linked together. The difficulty of applying Lean is however not to use the tools and methods. The challenge for the organisation that wants to work according to Lean is to embrace the cultural change that needs to happen, the big-gest and most common barrier to a Lean-implementation is the organizational culture. Based on this background it is interesting to try to identify factors that Lean-users consider to be important. Once the factors are identified it is also important to understand why these factors are important in order to solve the problem and not to replace them with another problem. Objective The purpose of this study is to identify and with help from a theoretical framework explain some of the factors which affect the implementation of Lean. Our hope is that this study will contribute to a simplified implementation of Lean. Our research questions are: What success factors can be identified in a Lean-implementation-process? Why are these key-success-factors in a Lean-implementation-process? Realization The empirical study consists of a qualitative study of a case company that has started to implement Lean. The interviews have been conducted in the operational and managerial level in the company. The summarized results have then been compared against a theoretical framework in an effort to create a deeper understanding of the phenomena at hand. Results and conclusions The literature framework provides an understanding of what an organization change and Lean implementation means. Because the organizational culture is a central part of a Lean-implementation the study explains organizational culture in a separate chapter as like literature on how people interact. In the interviews, respondents explained what they considered to be Lean and the influence Lean has on their work situation and the company. The interviews were then summarized corresponding to the topics of the discussions. The conclusion presents a number of factors that is explained more deeply in the analysis. In order to use the factors that are identified, you need to understand the underlying causes. Every implementation is unique and therefore it is important to understand each factors cause. Keywords: Lean, implementation, success factors, organisational culture, change.

This Master's Thesis focuses on the analysis of the production process of fireplace insert -- chosen product of the company FLAMEN. The goal of this thesis is to analyze the production process of fireplace insert and give recommendations for improvement using Lean Tools. The company FLAMEN is new on the market and has no experience with Lean Manufacturing principles or techniques. The thesis focuses on initial implementation of Lean Manufacturing philosophy into the company. The theoretical basis of Lean Manufacturing, Process mapping and particular Lean Tools are described in the thesis. Further the production process of fireplace insert is analyzed and possible improvements are suggested. These suggestions should lead to initial implementation of Lean Production philosophy in the company FLAMEN.

The aim of this thesis is the implementation of lean manufacturing principles according to the lean methodology in selected company to minimize waste and effectiveness of production. The theoretical part is focused on defining the terms lean manufacturing, waste and lean methods that serve as the foundation for the practical part. The practical part is divided into several parts. First step is to do a SWOT analysis of production in a particular company. Using the lean tools, we find the root cause of the problem and propose solutions to effectiveness the manufacturing process. Part of the proposals will also benefit the proposed solutions. It is necessary to note that according to the lean methodology, not every proposal must automatically have a financial impact.

The diploma thesis applies to Lean management and it´s application in administrative processes. The goal of diploma thesis is proposal to increase the value added activities and to reduce waste at the same time in the area of administration. The methods of Lean management as 7+1 waste, Kaizen, Lean office, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma are applied in administrative processes in Shared service centre. These methods are evaluated by performance and productivity of processes.

Considered to be one of the most influential paradigms in manufacturing, Lean has developed and expanded beyond the shop floor and manufacturing environment of the auto industry. Lean is considered to be applicable throughout organizations and other industries besides manufacturing. Interest in both research and implementation of the Lean concept, heavily influenced by Toyota Motor Company, is said to continue to increase despite the fact that the concept is said to be both ambiguous and difficult to implement. Two main traditions of Lean are said to exist: “toolboxLean” and “Lean thinking.” The particular translation of the concept that is accepted will influence management’s approach in implementing a Lean way of working. The Toyota Motor Company, where Lean originates, is described as a learning organization. Therefore, a management approach and leader behavior supporting organizational learning would be required to successfully implement an enterprise system inspired by both the Toyota Production System and Lean. This thesis approaches the Lean concept through an organizational learning perspective, thereby highlighting the importance of knowledge of organizational learning in a Lean development effort. Difficulties regarding Lean implementations have been shown to often occur due to the overlooked but crucial differences in approach in management. There is, however a stated gap in the literature on Lean production regarding management. The purpose of this thesis is to explore senior management’s ability to implement and sustain a Lean-based enterprise system. Three studies are included in the thesis. The first study focuses on how the view on Lean among managers implementing Lean affects its implementation. The study was performed as a case study and conducted at a larger, international manufacturing company. The study covered management levels from shop floor manager to the president of the company. Findings show that all management levels had a similar view of Lean and that this influenced the implementation. The first study further showed that the view on Lean may develop and change during an implementation, revealing unforeseen managerial and organizational challenges and obstacles.The second study focused on how management of Lean is described in the existing literature. The results revealed a dualistic complementarity between leadership and management, which can be seen as reflected in the two foundational Toyota principles of continuous improvement and respect for people. This duality can also be found in descriptions of prerequisites for organizational learning where the ability to combine transactional and transformational leadership is considered a success factor. The third study focused on implications for senior management and aimed to research senior managers’ ability to support a Lean implementation process. The study is based on interviews with eight senior managers. The study revealed four main managerial obstacles to Lean implementation. Lack of initial competence evaluation and ensuing competence development for senior management was found to be a central obstacle to Lean implementation. Main conclusions in the thesis are that initial understanding of the aims of a Lean implementation, and the ensuing implications for the organization is central in order to be able to support the development. Additionally, initial senior management competence development is indicated to be vital in order to ensure the ability to understand the organizational and managerial implications brought on by a Lean implementation. Leading with action is indicated as providing an opportunity for senior management competence development. / <p>QC 20141218</p>