Lean

I. Methodology to select appropriate lean tools - Chaurasia et al. (2015) proposed a systematic methodology for selecting the most appropriate lean tools for automotive industries. The method is based on multi criteria decision making methods and artificial intelligence.

Limitations - This work includes a methodology for selecting the most appropriate lean tools but could also have included agile and green tools to provide for a methodology that addresses a wider range of issues including unpredictability and environmental sustainability concerns. Also, this methodology is focused on the automotive industry which does not represent the same characteristics as the fast moving consumer goods industry and it challenges, therefore it may not be successfully applied in FMCG.

II. Approach for selecting lean strategies for manufacturing organisations - Amin and Karim (2013) developed a systematic methodology to make optimal decisions for

within a manufacturer’s time constraints. The authors developed a mathematical model for evaluating the perceived value of lean strategies to reduce manufacturing waste. A step-by-step methodology is provided for selecting appropriate lean strategies to improve manufacturing performance.

Limitations - This work similar in a way to Chaurasia et al. (2015) presented in I above in providing for a methodology for selecting appropriate lean strategies but for addressing the issue of reducing lean wastes within the manufacturer’s time constraints. But as products progress through their life cycle stages, the methodology may not be sufficient in dealing with of the characteristics associated with PLC such as high costs in the introduction stage, decreasing market share in the maturity stage and so on.

III. VIKOR method for lean tool selection - Group decision making involving multiple criteria is the most popular method for ranking a set of alternatives (Anvari et al., 2013), however it may be difficult to select from a set of alternatives in the absence of a set of criteria or from a set of criteria that are related to various alternatives.

Recognizing that lean tools selection is one of the main challenges faced by manufacturing managers, Anvari et al. (2013) developed a model to help practitioners improve their ability to resolve problems when the possible solutions have their own individual criteria. The study used lead time, cost, defects and value as criteria to investigate grades of importance of criterion based on paired comparison analysis.

This is a modified VIKOR method to address the lean tool selection problems in manufacturing systems.

Limitations - This work shares the same limitations as Chaurasia et al. (2015)’s systematic methodology for selecting lean practices presented in I above.

IV. Methodology to assist SME’s with lean tool selection - Alaskari et al. (2016) points out that not all implementations of lean have delivered favourable outcomes due to a lack of understanding of lean performance and its measurement. This lack of understanding of the wide choice of lean tools according to Alaskari et al. (2016) often lead to confusion for those with limited knowledge of efficacy of lean tools. The authors therefore believe that there is the need for the development a methodology to assist companies in the adoption of the most appropriate lean tools for their specific aim and objective, thus reducing the difficulty in identifying the strategy that best addresses the company’s waste.

(I.V.) of factors affecting KPIs, and the strength of the relationship (relative strength) between these factors and lean tools using a selection matrix. In other words, given a collection of lean tools, the methodology uses a numerical approach to select the appropriate lean tool that leads to maximum benefits. The lean tools selected by Alaskari et al. (2016) based on a variety of benefits that can be gained from each tool were 5S, Kanban, Poka-Yoke and SMED (Single-minute Exchange Dies) considered against performance measures quality, flexibility, time delivery and cost.

Limitations - This work shares the same limitations with Amin and Karim (2013).

V. Anand and Kodali (2010) proposed a framework to identify the list of lean manufacturing elements comprehensively and thereby help the practitioners to clearly understand what lean manufacturing is and what constitutes it.

Limitations - This framework does not offer a direction for selecting green and agile practices, i.e addressing customer requirements, demand uncertainty and issues prompted by the different PLC stages.

VI. Lean production implementation in product life cycle - Yang (2014) discussed the design and implementation of lean production system. The author identified value stream design as an essential technique for designing a fully integrated lean production system. The main input of the value stream design at the growth stage of the product life cycle is to identify the necessary customer/market requirements. The author believes that the chance of a successful and financially viable introduction of a lean production system quickly declines after the growth stage of the product life cycle. Therefore, a full application of the lean production system at later life cycle stages should be avoided and adopting certain lean practices such as pull system, Kanban, preventive maintenance and so on should also be avoided as they will not work under a standalone condition.

Limitations - Yang (2014)’s approach is focused on making a success out of lean implementation in production systems by addressing the timing of the implementation. Though it presents some direction for implementation in PLC stages, it fails to mention what customer requirements would be best addressed by this framework. And given possibility of unpredictability of demand in the market environment, this work does not address the need for agility nor does it address environmental concerns. Also, Yang (2014)’s work has not incorporated any feature to address environmental concerns.

VII. Framework for new product development - Hines et al. (2006) developed a model intended to serve as a guide for applied research within the field of new product

framework for undertaking lean product lifecycle management (PLM). The outcome of this effort is a six-step theoretical framework that can be used as a point of reference for academics discussing the development of systemic approaches to lean PLM. The framework begins with the development and understanding of customer needs followed by value stream mapping (VSM) in the second step for the current state of a process.

Limitations - Hines et al. (2006) believe that this work “can be used for both high innovation and low innovation environments”; however, Fisher (1997) discouraged lean application to innovative products. This work does not consider situations of unpredictability in the market environment regarding customer requirements and demand, of which some elements of agility may be required. Lean PLM as proposed by Hines et al. (2006) has not incorporated environmentally sound management.

VIII. Lean production system - Dombrowski et al. (2016) described the modelling of individual methods of lean production systems (LPS) by using System Dynamics as the selection of the methods contained in LPS can be individually adapted to the respective requirements and conditions of the corresponding enterprise.

Limitations - This work is adaptable to individual enterprises regarding lean production systems but is lacking in efforts to deal with environmental concerns and responding to customer demands with agility. This work is also deficient in the incorporation of the PLC.