Determinants and barriers to Lean implementation in food processing SMEs- a multiple case analysis

Dora, Manoj, Kumar, Maneesh ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2469-1382 and Gellynck, Xavier 2016. Determinants and barriers to Lean implementation in food processing SMEs- a multiple case analysis. Production Planning & Control 27 (1) , pp. 1-23. 10.1080/09537287.2015.1050477

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Abstract

This study explored contextual or determining factors and their impacts on lean manufacturing in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in food-processing industries. In order to get an in-depth insight into the real situation at the work floor, this study adopted a multiple-case-study research approach. The inherent characteristics of food industries, such as mandatory quality assurance requirements, low shelf life of food products, and the extremely volatile demand and supply presented barriers to lean manufacturing adoption. In addition, the challenges of ‘change’ in an SME environment are distinct from those faced by large organizations. The small size of the plant, the traditional setup, and inflexible layout make it difficult to implement lean manufacturing in food-processing SMEs. The knowledge of contextual factors influencing lean manufacturing adoption in food processing SMEs will be a contribution to current knowledge. Many studies have explored lean constructs and tools, while far fewer have explored the crucial element of actually implementing these. The study will also help practitioners to anticipate potential obstacles and take proper measures to deal with them during lean implementation.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Business (Including Economics)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Date of Acceptance:	18 April 2015
Last Modified:	01 Nov 2022 09:51
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/89427

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