Lean manufacturing has become an integral part of the global automotive industry where manufacturers strive to improve quality, reduce costs while providing customers with more variety. Organisations are implementing the Lean Production System (LPS) as a process improvement methodology to deliver their products faster, better quality and at a lower cost (Laureani & Antony, 2012). This is accomplished through the elimination of waste and continuous improvement (Kaizen). Through the effective implementation of lean principles, an organisation can realise cost competitiveness, process improvement and ultimately gain a competitive advantage. Although the theory of lean manufacturing is based on the implementation of tools, techniques and operational methods, many organisations that have implemented Lean have not reaped its full benefit. Thus, the realisation that lean manufacturing must consist of more than the summation of its operational based principles, tools and techniques. It has to be approached as a philosophy, which encompasses the entire organisation (Womack & Jones, 1996). Lean is a way of thinking and not merely the implementation of thoughts (Bhasin & Burcher, 2006). Laureani & Antony (2012) added that the fundamentals behind Lean are continuous improvement, waste elimination and employee empowerment. Lean introduction is more than the redesign of processes; the most important change must be in the knowledge of the employees (Dombrowski, Mielke & Engel, 2012). The literature clearly states that the successful implementation of a lean production system depends on more than the application of lean tools and techniques. Many authors and researchers hint that another critical factor associated with its implementation is the human aspect of the organisation. Hence, this study will examine the human related Key Success Factors (KSF‟s) required for the successful implementation of a lean system.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nmmu/vital:27909 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Coetzer, Louis |
| Publisher | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Masters, MBA |
| Format | xiii, 100 leaves, pdf |
| Rights | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
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