Barriers to effective implementation of lean management principles - empirical exemplification in the industry of agricultural machinery

• Main Authors: Przemysław Niewiadomski, Natalia Pawlak, Andrei Tsimayeu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Poznań School of Logistics 2018-12-01
• Series: LogForum
• Subjects: lean management; manufacturing unit; barriers to implementation of lean management rules
• Online Access: http://www.logforum.net/vol14/issue4/no10/14_4_10_18.pdf

Background: The constitutive aim of this paper is to explore the barriers to effective implementation of the principles of lean management among manufacturers of parts, subassemblies and ready-made agricultural machinery. The realization of the formulated goal requires –first of all – an attempt to create a catalogue of determinants implying the leanness of a manufacturing unit. Consequently, the conceptual study of the method will be preceded by extensive analysis and systematization of the current achievements, including: on the theoretical level, the analysis of the literature being in direct relation to the subject of research; it will find its expression in the set of barriers determined in source literature on the subject that compresses the leanness of the generation unit and – on the design level – their catalogue based on the point of view of experts invited to this research. On the empirical level, it is assumed that the hierarchy of importance will be recognized for each of the determinants listed in the catalogue, and it will be determined which one constitutes the largest barrier from the point of view of enterprises invited to research (self-assessment). Methods: The interdisciplinary nature of management sciences creates problems in the selection of research methods with which one intends to describe a given problem. In empirical research, methods and research tools verified in other research are often used (directly or with some modifications). The authors of this paper also use verified methods and tools; however, the method and tools used by them will be selected in accordance with the adopted methodological concept. On the theoretical level – using the method of reconstruction and interpretation of the source literature – the authors, referring to the key principles of lean management, have selected key barriers to their effective implementation. Reconstruction and interpretation of the source literature was supported by practical experience of the authors, participant observation and creative discussion with deliberately chosen experts. The preparatory study conditioned the conduct of the proper research; the intention of the authors was to develop a form – a catalogue of barriers implying lean production, which is a tool enabling reconnaissance in the surveyed enterprises. The research will be both diagnostic and verifying in nature. It will relate to relationships between variables describing the barriers to effective implementation of lean management principles, and requirements implying leanness, identifying the reality under investigation. Results: As a result of the research, it was found that the factors that significantly determine the effective implementation of lean management principles are possession of a permanent and competent managerial and executive staff. The entrepreneurs subjected to the research indicate the absence of permanent, qualified employees who are replaced by "random" employees, which does not serve continuous improvement (gap – 1.01). In view of the foregoing, they do identify lean management with reduction in the level employment in the company. Conclusion: This publication was created as a result of reflection, research and authors’ practical experience in managing the enterprises operating in the sector of agricultural machinery. It is an ambitious attempt to depict knowledge on implementation of the principles of lean management in a manufacturing company. Thanks to this, it can play the role of a scientific aid, and at the same time be a source of knowledge necessary in managerial activity. The authors hope that the presented publication will provide a new knowledge, the consideration of which may form the basis of for actions that will need to be addressed in the near future and can begin a discussion on the necessity of overcoming the limits regarding the implementation of lean management.