Design and implementation of a lean manufacturing system for production efficiency

Thesis Abstract

Increased global competition and evolving customer demands necessitate persistent improvements in manufacturing productivity, compelling organizations to adopt efficient production systems such as lean manufacturing. Despite its proven benefits, many manufacturing firms encounter significant challenges in designing and systematically implementing lean principles to optimize their production processes effectively. This study aims to develop a comprehensive framework for the design and implementation of a lean manufacturing system tailored to enhance production efficiency within medium-sized manufacturing enterprises. The specific objectives include identifying critical components of lean systems relevant to the context, analyzing barriers to implementation, and evaluating the impact of lean practices on key performance indicators such as cycle time, waste reduction, and work-in-process inventory. Employing a sequential mixed-methods research design, the study integrates qualitative and quantitative approaches to ensure a holistic understanding. The qualitative phase adopts a phenomenological approach to explore managerial and operational staff perspectives through semi-structured interviews with 25 participants across five manufacturing organizations. The quantitative phase involves a survey distributed to 150 employees, proportionally sampled through stratified random sampling, to quantify perceptions and outcomes related to lean implementation. Data collection instruments comprise validated interview guides and structured questionnaires, with reliability assured through Cronbach’s alpha coefficients exceeding 0.85. The quantitative data are analyzed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis to identify underlying constructs, and multiple regression analysis to assess relationships between lean practice adoption and productivity measures. The qualitative data are subjected to thematic analysis, enabling the identification of recurrent themes related to implementation barriers, enablers, and contextual factors influencing lean practices. Expected findings include a delineation of critical lean components—such as value stream mapping, 5S, continuous flow, and pull systems—that significantly influence production efficiency. The analysis anticipates revealing barriers like resistance to change, inadequate training, and resource constraints, along with facilitators like management commitment and workforce empowerment. Quantitative results are projected to demonstrate statistically significant correlations between lean practices and reductions in cycle time (average of 15%), waste (up to 20%), and work-in-progress inventory (by approximately 25%). These findings will be contextualized within existing theoretical frameworks, notably Womack and Jones’s Lean Thinking and the Theory of Constraints, to underpin the conceptual model of lean system success. This research makes an original contribution by synthesizing practical guidelines for designing context-specific lean manufacturing systems and empirically validating their impact on efficiency metrics in a developing economy setting. It advances theoretical understanding by integrating lean principles with organizational change models, thereby offering a nuanced perspective on lean transformation processes. The main conclusion emphasizes that tailored lean system design, underpinned by effective change management strategies, markedly enhances production performance. Recommendations include establishing continuous training programs, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and adopting strategic change management to mitigate resistance. The study further suggests avenues for future research, such as longitudinal assessments of lean sustainability and exploration of digital lean technologies, to deepen insights into emerging lean practices. Overall, this research provides actionable knowledge for manufacturing practitioners and contributes to the scholarly discourse on lean system implementation in diverse industrial contexts.