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Lean thinking is a mindset that provides the operational philosophy to many organizations. The origins of lean thinking are rooted in a series of principles developed within the Japanese automaker Toyota. The primary goals of lean systems are to identify and improve areas that create value through optimization of the resources, elimination of unnecessary waste, and lead to the satisfaction of customers and employees. Over the last 30 years, the principles of lean thinking have spread from Japan and applied to different working environments far distant from the original manufacturing process where they originated (Huxley, 2015). However, the application of the guidelines of lean thinking has led to unsatisfactory outcomes in some cases, and these negative scores have highlighted the importance of context and the human factor.
The implementation of lean systems is the trend that has increasingly spread from manufacturing to services organizations. However, low or negative results showed that many companies were struggling to apply lean principles (Netland, 2014). Consequently, criticism of lean thinking has identified two main areas that should be carefully considered to improve the rate of positive outcomes in lean systems. Some authors insist on the importance of the context, stressing the need for identifying the barriers that limit a practical implementation of the lean philosophy (Marodin & Aurin, 2014). Other scholars point out how the mindset of a group of workers can affect the application of lean principles, and how the lean implementation should conform to the social and cultural fabric of the company (Oudhuis & Olsson, 2015). Therefore, lean thinking should be contextualized, taking into consideration the specific ambiance and human factors.
Lean philosophy originated in a manufacturing context in Japan, soon spreading beyond the national borders to find applications in various working environments. Lean thinking has proved successful in many circumstances, and several organizations follow its guidelines to improve quality, increase production flexibility, and boost the satisfaction of customers and workers. However, some poor outcomes suggest that the working and cultural environment should be carefully weighed when implementing the lean philosophy for a company.
References
Huxley, C., (2015). Three decades of lean production: Practice, ideology, and resistance.International Journal of Sociology, 45(2), 133-151. Web.
Marodin, G. A., & Aurin, T. A. (2014). Managing barriers to lean production implementation: Context matters.International Journal of Production Research, 53(13), 3947-3962. Web.
Netland, T. H. (2014). Critical success factors for implementing lean production: The effect of contingencies.International Journal of Production Research, 54(8), 2433-2448. Web.
Oudhuis, M., & Olsson, A. (2015). Cultural clashes and reactions when implementing lean production in a Japanese-owned Swedish company.International Journal of Production Research, 36(2), 259-282. Web.
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