The paper aims to build a political understanding of private waste management. Although the politics of waste is a matter of increasing interest across the social sciences…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to build a political understanding of private waste management. Although the politics of waste is a matter of increasing interest across the social sciences, private sector choices about waste prevention and recycling – and their impacts on society – receive little attention in waste scholarship.
Design/methodology/approach
Leveraging assemblage thinking and the actor-network theory, this paper provides an empirical analysis of waste prevention and recycling practices in the marketplace of Anderlecht, in Brussels. This particular case is of interest because it concerns the largest and most popular city marketplace and a resource for the most socioeconomically precarious among Brussels’ population.
Findings
Over the past decade, under the banner of sustainability, the private company that managed the site developed multiple initiatives to prevent litter and control the costs of waste management by introducing new regulations and engaging with both the private and non-profit sectors.
Originality/value
Yet, the impact of these initiatives remains unknown with regard to the community served by the market and its vendors in particular. This paper presents the results of a series of fieldwork activities and interviews with key informants and actors in waste management conducted over more than a year since November 2016.
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Andrea Roberto Beraldin, Pamela Danese and Pietro Romano
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how just-in-time (JIT)-related job demands, problem-solving job demands and soft lean practices (SLPs) jointly influence employee…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how just-in-time (JIT)-related job demands, problem-solving job demands and soft lean practices (SLPs) jointly influence employee well-being in terms of work engagement and exhaustion.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the job demands-resources model, lean-related job characteristics were classified as resources or demands, and a set of hypotheses was developed to test their effect on work engagement and exhaustion, including the potential interaction between job resources and demands. The hypotheses were tested using moderated hierarchical regression and structural equation modelling, based on data from 138 workers.
Findings
SLPs act as job resources in a lean company, increasing work engagement and reducing exhaustion. Conversely, JIT-related job demands act as a hindrance, reducing work engagement and increasing exhaustion. However, SLPs can reduce the effect of JIT-related job demands on exhaustion, and JIT-related job demands may enhance the positive effects of SLPs on work engagement.
Research limitations/implications
The study provides no conclusive evidence on the hypothesized role of problem-solving as a challenge job demand.
Practical implications
The results can guide practitioners’ understanding of how to implement lean without harm to employee well-being.
Originality/value
By employing a well-grounded psychological model to test the link between lean and well-being, the study finds quantitative support for: the buffering effect of SLPs on exhaustion caused by JIT-related job demands, and for the role of JIT as a hindrance. These novel findings have no precedent in previous survey-based research. In addition, it reveals the importance of studying SLPs at an individual level, as what matters is the extent to which workers perceive SLPs as useful and supportive.
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Andreas Kakouris, Vasilis Athanasiadis and Eleni Sfakianaki
Acknowledging the importance of both lean thinking (LT) and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) for successful business performance and organisational success, the present study investigates the…
Abstract
Purpose
Acknowledging the importance of both lean thinking (LT) and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) for successful business performance and organisational success, the present study investigates the critical success factors (CSFs) for the concurrent implementation of both approaches, a field not yet significantly explored.
Design/methodology/approach
The study conducts two systematic literature reviews (SLRs), one on LT and the other one on I4.0 to map out the CSFs for the effective implementation of each approach. These CSFs are subsequently prioritised with the use of a Delphi Study. Finally, from the set of the common CSFs recognised through the two approaches, a more condensed list is put forward as the first step towards achieving a successful synergy between LT and I4.0.
Findings
The study’s findings suggest the most important CSFs and determine their definition in the context of a concurrent implementation of LT and I4.0. This can provide managers and practitioners with the awareness of crucial factors, enabling them to take the necessary steps for planning and implementing both approaches.
Practical implications
A concise set of CSFs for the concurrent implementation of both LT and I4.0 has been identified, which can be viewed as a starting point for providing top executives and managers with useful insights into enhanced business efficiency and performance. This study furthermore contributes to the overall body of knowledge on LT and I4.0.
Originality/value
The scholarly literature that explores a common set of CSFs for the concurrent implementation of LT and I4.0 is limited. This gap significantly enhances the importance of the present research, contributing to a better understanding amongst both academics and practitioners of the key supporting factors for the integration of the two approaches.
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Adeel Akmal, Nataliya Podgorodnichenko, Richard Greatbanks, Jeff Foote, Tim Stokes and Robin Gauld
The various quality improvement (QI) frameworks and maturity models described in the health services literature consider some aspects of QI while excluding others. This paper aims…
Abstract
Purpose
The various quality improvement (QI) frameworks and maturity models described in the health services literature consider some aspects of QI while excluding others. This paper aims to present a concerted attempt to create a quality improvement maturity model (QIMM) derived from holistic principles underlying the successful implementation of system-wide QI programmes.
Design/methodology/approach
A hybrid methodology involving a systematic review (Phase 1) of over 270 empirical research articles and books developed the basis for the proposed QIMM. It was followed by expert interviews to refine the core constructs and ground the proposed QIMM in contemporary QI practice (Phase 2). The experts included academics in two academic conferences and 59 QI managers from the New Zealand health-care system. In-depth interviews were conducted with QI managers to ascertain their views on the QIMM and its applicability in their respective health organisations (HOs).
Findings
The QIMM consists of four dimensions of organisational maturity, namely, strategic, process, supply chain and philosophical maturity. These dimensions progress through six stages, namely, identification, ad-hoc, formal, process-driven, optimised enterprise and finally a way of life. The application of the QIMM by the QI managers revealed that the scope of QI and the breadth of the principles adopted by the QI managers and their HOs in New Zealand is limited.
Practical implications
The importance of QI in health systems cannot be overstated. The proposed QIMM can help HOs diagnose their current state and provide a guide to action achieving a desirable state of quality improvement maturity. This QIMM avoids reliance on any single QI methodology. HOs – using the QIMM – should retain full control over the process of selecting any QI methodology or may even cherry-pick principles to suit their needs as long as they understand and appreciate the true nature and scope of quality overstated. The proposed QIMM can help HOs diagnose their current state and provide a guide to action achieving a desirable state of quality improvement maturity. This QIMM avoids reliance on any single QI methodology. HOs – using the QIMM – should retain full control over the process of selecting any QI methodology or may even cherry-pick principles to suit their needs as long as they understand and appreciate the true nature and scope of quality.
Originality/value
This paper contributes new knowledge by presenting a maturity model with an integrated set of quality principles for HOs and their extended supply networks.
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Andreas Kakouris, Eleni Sfakianaki and Matilda Kapaj
This paper aims to identify the readiness factors (RFs) required for the deployment of lean initiatives within the context of higher education (HE), a field not yet significantly…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the readiness factors (RFs) required for the deployment of lean initiatives within the context of higher education (HE), a field not yet significantly explored.
Design/methodology/approach
This research employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to thoroughly identify and consolidate all relevant scholarly literature concerning lean practices and readiness in the context of HE. Subsequently, a three-phase Delphi study was conducted to evaluate and enhance the findings of the SLR.
Findings
The results indicate the following seven RFs for use in HE: leadership/top management, changing environment and organisational culture, lean initiatives linked with the strategic agenda of the educational institute, employee empowerment and engagement, student value, supplier relations and continuous improvement.
Practical implications
By identifying such factors, the present study acknowledges the strategic nature of lean and recognises that its full strategic benefits can only be realised when properly implemented at a macro-level.
Originality/value
The authors believe that this is the first attempt to provide a consolidated list of RFs in the context of HE validated by a group of experts. This study expands the knowledge of lean in HE contexts, benefiting both researchers and professionals. For researchers, it provides a valuable foundation for further study of the implementation of lean programs. For professionals and practitioners, it offers insights for better preparation that are crucial for the sustainability of lean initiatives leading to overall improved performance.
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Ambra Galeazzo and Andrea Furlan
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether there are different configurations of lean bundles leading to successful (bad) financial performance and to explore how the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether there are different configurations of lean bundles leading to successful (bad) financial performance and to explore how the complementarities and substitutions between lean bundles shape these configurations.
Design/methodology/approach
A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was performed on 19 manufacturing firms. Data on financial performance (return-on-asset and growth rate) were retrieved from the AIDA database and data on the lean bundles of just-in-time, total quality management, total preventive maintenance and human resource management were collected via surveys conducted in all the plants belonging to the sampled firms.
Findings
None of the lean bundles is able to explain alone the firm’s successful financial performance. Lean bundles always have to be complemented by other lean bundles. There are different, equifinal configurations of lean bundles leading to successful (bad) financial performance. Configurations characterized by low implementation of lean bundles are related to bad financial performance.
Practical implications
By finding different configurations of lean bundles associated with successful and bad financial performance, this study informs operations managers on the most effective investments concerning the implementation of lean manufacturing.
Originality/value
This study extends literature on complementarities in lean manufacturing literature. It also bridges together apparently contradictory research on the relationship between lean manufacturing and financial performance. Finally, the study demonstrates that lean bundles have different roles in reaching successful and bad financial performance.
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Adeel Akmal, Nataliya Podgorodnichenko, Richard Greatbanks and Jing A. Zhang
Extant research documents the importance of lean thinking for organizations, however, as prior research has largely focused on hard lean practices, but little is known about the…
Abstract
Purpose
Extant research documents the importance of lean thinking for organizations, however, as prior research has largely focused on hard lean practices, but little is known about the effects or the significance of soft lean practices. This research attempts to address this issue by examining how soft lean practices enhance organizational lean readiness, and in turn increase the success of lean implementation.
Design/methodology/approach
This research adopts a single case study design in a small-medium enterprise livestock feed manufacturing organization, and investigates the period from late 2011 through the end of 2019 covering two attempts at lean implementation – an initial failed attempt followed by a successful introduction of lean within the case organization. The research analyzes interviews with 29 managers and employees from all organizational levels and departments within the case organization. Secondary data including organizational documents and performance measures and metrics were also incorporated into the research design.
Findings
Drawing on agency theory, the authors advance a principal-agent interaction perspective to conceptualize organizational lean readiness – specifically, the authors consider the “state or condition” of four agency factors (goal conflict, information asymmetry, risk aversion and length of relationship), and explore if these four agency factors can be utilized as proxies for organizational readiness for lean implementation. The authors identify the formation of a shared vision and identity within the organization as an effective mechanism through which soft lean practices enhance organizational lean readiness. Finally, the analysis offers an understanding of how the long-term success of lean implementation is improved by the introduction of soft lean practices as a prerequisite to create organizational readiness for the implementation of hard lean practices.
Originality/value
The study is unique in the sense that it empirically links agency theory and the role of soft lean practices in developing organizational lean readiness in a small-medium enterprise context by defining the ideal state of four agency factors as proxies for organizational readiness.
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The purpose of this paper is to elaborate an empirical model of how small, family-owned companies can overcome the barriers that have been shown in different disciplines to hinder…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to elaborate an empirical model of how small, family-owned companies can overcome the barriers that have been shown in different disciplines to hinder the implementation of lean production in this category of enterprises.
Design/methodology/approach
A multiple case study involving five carefully selected small manufacturing firms operating in Northern Italy was conducted through interviews with key managers and visits inside plants. This data was integrated by a specific seminar and by interviews with unions and training specialists.
Findings
The resulting empirical model highlights the significance of social relations among small entrepreneurs in overcoming any lack of commitment towards lean changes, the role of consultants and practical training in breaking the barrier of resource constraints and the channelling and control of employee involvement to encourage their participation in lean activities. Unions, when present, also play a role in preventing situations of excessive work intensity. Important variants within this common model also emerged among small firms on the grounds of their structure (e.g. size), product market conditions and managerial choices.
Practical implications
Knowledge on how to overcome the barriers to lean production implementation can help social actors both inside and outside of differently characterised small firms which are implementing, or intending to implement, the lean approach.
Originality/value
There is no existing literature on the subject of successful application of lean methods in small enterprises. The uniqueness of this paper’s contribution is reinforced by its broad analytical perspective on the lean system, stemming from an interdisciplinary analysis of different bodies of literature, including management, operations, human resources and employment relations in line with the definition of the lean system.
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Sven Januszek, Torbjørn H. Netland and Andrea Furlan
Do managers at different hierarchical levels in a firm perceive the effectiveness of a lean program differently, and does it matter for their commitment to it and the resulting…
Abstract
Purpose
Do managers at different hierarchical levels in a firm perceive the effectiveness of a lean program differently, and does it matter for their commitment to it and the resulting lean implementation? This study answers these questions by analyzing the perceptions and behaviors of top and middle managers in a manufacturer deploying a global lean program.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors hypothesize that managers at different levels perceive lean programs differently, which, in turn, should affect their commitment to lean and the resulting implementation. To test these relationships empirically, the authors collect survey data from a global manufacturer in the process industry and analyze them using hierarchical linear regression and structural equation modeling.
Findings
The findings show that middle managers perceive lean programs as more effective than top managers do. They further show that higher commitment from the top and middle managers to the lean program is positively related to building the organizational infrastructure needed for lean implementation.
Research limitations/implications
This research is conducted in one global company. Although the research setting implicitly controls for many possible confounding variables, such as the product and process complexity or organizational culture, future research can explore and test the findings in other organizational contexts.
Originality/value
This study is the first to empirically study the relations between perceptions of and commitment to lean programs across different hierarchical levels and what it means for program implementation. The paper contributes new plausible explanations for why many lean programs slow down.