Diffusing Lean from manufacturing operations to the wider organisation: lessons learnt from the experiences of middle management within a UK medical manufacturer

Reynders, Philipp 2022. Diffusing Lean from manufacturing operations to the wider organisation: lessons learnt from the experiences of middle management within a UK medical manufacturer. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

To date, previous research has insufficiently covered the scenario in which lean is internally diffused from manufacturing operations to the wider organisation. At the same time, no distinction is usually made upon the different hierarchical levels when researching lean, although it is widely accepted that the middle management layer is central to its implementation and sustainability. Taking into consideration that middle managers have a 360° perspective within an organisation as they constitute the intermediary between the strategic and the operational level, more attention should be paid to their experiences to learn how lean can be successfully diffused from manufacturing operations to the wider organisation and how it can be sustained. Against this background, a longitudinal in-depth single-case study within a UK medical manufacturer was adopted. Initially, 49 face-to-face interviews across all hierarchies were conducted to understand how the diffusion of lean from manufacturing operations to the wider organisation had evolved to date. Mainly with middle managers, a second wave of 16 face-toface interviews was conducted to consider their experiences during this process. Several group interviews, observations, and documentary evidence supplemented the empirical dataset. This case study presents how lean can be diffused from manufacturing operations to the wider organisation, while the results suggest that this is no easy undertaking. In essence, varying local conditions and needs complicate managing its implementation. At the same time, large lean maturity gaps between manufacturing operations and the wider organisation add to the complexity and make mismanagement more likely. Lessons learnt from middle management experiences teach how diffusing lean from manufacturing operations to the wider organisation should have been managed to avoid stalling. A series of managerial implications are derived from these insights, providing senior managers with a better understanding of what to pay attention to.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Business (Including Economics)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	operational excellence, continuous improvement, lean implementation, lean diffusion, lean maturity, lean sustainability, soft lean practices, middle management, socio-technical systems theory, longitudinal UK case study
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	27 June 2022
Last Modified:	06 Jul 2023 02:03
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/150476

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