Search

The purpose of this paper is to propose a performance measurement framework to evaluate Lean Supply Chain Management (LSCM) performance. A literature review was performed to identify the main goals and performance indicators in LSCM. A questionnaire was designed that included the identified goals and measures. Next, based on data collected from international academics and practitioners with expertise in LSCM, a two-stage Delphi study using Fuzzy Delphi and Fuzzy DEMATEL methods was carried out to refine the most relevant goals and metrics and their interrelationships and establish benchmark values that are useful for managers to evaluate the performance achieved through the deployment of lean principles, practices, and techniques throughout the supply chain. Finally, an integrated performance measurement framework based on the balanced scorecard approach is proposed with a discussion of the academic and practical implications of the proposed framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the joint adoption of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) practices in manufacturing firms. For that, we surveyed 335 practitioners from firms currently implementing TPM and I4.0, located in sixteen countries. The collected dataset was analyzed using sets of partial correlation analyses, obtained when controlling the effect of three contextual variables, all assessed at the firm level: (i) socio-economic context, (ii) technological intensity, and (iii) size. Pairs of TPM practices and I4.0 technologies with significant positive correlations in all partial correlation sets indicate positive trends in the adoption of elements in the pairs, regardless of context, and may be viewed as indicators of TPM practices and I4.0 technologies more prone to be integrated. Our results identified 67 pairs of I4.0 technologies and TPM practices meeting the significance criterion. Four TPM practices (fostering operator ownership, standardization of AM checks, setting 3M—machine/man/material—conditions, and constant search for the next generation of technology) and two I4.0 technologies (Internet-of-Things, and big data) appeared in 26 of the 67 pairs. The study unveiled trends in the integration of I4.0 and TPM, pointing to pairs whose joint adoption is predominant and indicating pathways to the digitalization of maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to propose a novel classification of the interrelationships between Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies and circular economy (CE) principles that highlights the most conclusive findings and extant gaps in the relevant research. A systematic literature review has been developed to locate, select and evaluate relevant contributions made to CE interrelationships with I4.0 technologies. Studies have been analysed and classified according to the specific I4.0 technology and CE principle addressed (10Rs). The articles have been clustered into three main groups: (i) useful application of materials, (ii) extending the lifespan of products and their parts and (iii) smarter product use and manufacture. A mind map of the investigated articles has been used to establish the interrelationships between individual technologies and each CE principle at the supply chain level. Based on this classification, a focus group interview (FGI) was held with experts to dig deeper into the interrelationships between I4.0 technologies and CE principles. The FGI results have identified how each as yet unexplored I4.0 technology could be linked to each CE principle. A Fuzzy Delphi (FD) study was also applied to identify the most relevant I4.0 technologies for improving CE principles and closing gaps in the literature regarding the 10R CE principles. In addition, guidelines have been established to assist with practical applications and generate a research agenda on the interrelationships between I4.0 technologies and CE principles at the supply chain level. Implications for theory include the extension of view from the research gaps between I4.0 technologies and the 10Rs identified in the literature; also, an FGI and FD were performed based on the detected research gaps to identify future lines of research for academics and offer useful guidance to directors and managers on I4.0 technology interrelationships for improving at least one of the 10R CE principles. The contribution to practice aims to enable managers to easily identify which technology from the I4.0 domain should be used to advance any given CE principle. Lastly, we provide useful guidance on the application of as‐yet‐unused technologies to improve CE principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how the research into Lean Supply Chain Management (LSCM) has evolved over the period 1996–2018 with the identification of the main issues explored and future trends. A performance bibliometric analysis has been conducted through a study of published documents, citations, journal impact factor, h-index, most cited papers and authors, and data on the geographic distribution of publications. More relevantly, a science mapping analysis has been performed with SciMAT bibliometric analysis software using co-word networks in a longitudinal overview. The large number of studies of LSCM published has enabled a conceptual evolution map to be constructed of the way that this research has developed. The results have enabled us to identify four thematic areas in the LSCM field: Methods, Key factors, Internal efficiency, and Performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the current state of research and the key aspects and implications of the relationships between Information and Digital Technologies (IDT) of Industry 4.0 and Lean Supply Chain Management (LSCM), with the identification of the lines of research developed and an analysis of the main findings. A Systematic Literature Review methodology has been used for the identification, selection, and evaluation of the published research. A set of 78 papers deduced from the most relevant scientific databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, and ABI/Inform, from 1996 to December 2019, has been analyzed and synthesized. The analysis and evaluation of these papers has enabled a new classification of the literature to be offered that identifies four lines of research based on the Life Cycle of Technology: obsolete IDT in LSCM; mature IDT in LSCM; emerging IDT in LSCM; and an Information Systems and IDT general approach in LSCM. The paper goes on to discuss the gaps found in the literature and proposes new opportunities and challenges for future research. A series of implications are presented intended to be useful from not only an academic point-of-view but also from a management focus, including recommendations for industrial managers and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloud Computing are innovative technologies that are being applied in the main business functions in the supply chain. This study aims to reveal the determinant factors (drivers and a relevant outcome) of the level of use or assimilation of Cloud Computing in the supply chain. In order to test three hypotheses we conducted an empirical study in 484 companies from sectors in an intermediate position in the supply chain. The data gathering method consisted of a telephone survey using a computerised system (CATI). We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to test the hypotheses. The empirical study reveals that Advanced Manufacturing Technologies pursuing the internal efficiency of the supply chain (Intra-organisational IT) and IT for capabilities in e-business/e-commerce seeking external connection of the supply chain with other companies (Inter-organisational IT) are drivers of Cloud Computing assimilation. Furthermore, supply chain integration is one of the major consequences of Cloud Computing assimilation in the supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En este trabajo se evalúa el estado actual de la investigación sobre Lean Production y Gestión de la Cadena de Suministro en la industria aeronáutica con dos objetivos básicos: 1) identificar el conjunto de líneas de investigación desarrolladas, aportando un criterio de clasificación de la literatura, 2) discutir sobre la evidencia empírica, intentando proporcionar orientaciones para la investigación futura. Para el logro de estos objetivos se ha empleado una metodología de investigación consistente en la identificación y revisión de la literatura. El análisis sistemático posterior de ésta ha sido de naturaleza cualitativa. Este análisis ha permitido identificar tres líneas de investigación en torno a Lean Production y otras tres relacionadas con la Gestión de la Cadena de Suministro. Por último, se identifican nuevas oportunidades y retos a los que se enfrenta la investigación en un futuro.

Lean Supply Chain Management is an emerging research field in Operations Management that is attracting growing attention from researchers and practitioners. This paper aims to present a comprehensive analysis of the Lean Supply Chain Management literature to understand the influence, basic research characteristics, interrelationships, and productivity of the research in this field. The present study uses BibExcel and VOSviewer software to conduct thorough bibliometric and network analyses of 715 papers published in the Web of Science database over the period 1996-2020. The use of bibliometric methods has enabled the identification of current and emerging research clusters to detect some key research topics, interrelations, and collaboration patterns. Moreover, this analysis has enabled to draw numerous conclusions and propose a roadmap for future research in the field. This paper, therefore, provides some new insights not previously evaluated in other reviews of Lean Supply Chain Management that can help researchers to understand the evolution of research trends through a proposed classification of the literature on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on competitive pressure plays an important part in understanding a firm’s behaviour in its changing environment. This paper provides an empirical contribution to the knowledge of the relationship between competitive pressure and internal information integration in this area by focusing on manufacturer internal information integration. The findings show that the degree of manufacturer internal information can be explained by the competitive strength of the largest firm in the industry. From a management perspective, the results indicate the need to regard the competitive landscape as an additional lever of manufacturer internal information sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Empirical evidence shows that profitability does not always rise when lean management (LM) is implemented. This paper reviews the literature that has empirically analysed how LM impacts financial performance in order to identify the most used assessment model and the direction and significance of the findings. We have found that the most comprehensive models, those considering financial and operational indicators and contextual factors, find a positive and significant impact of LM on financial performance. These findings can benefit managers requiring an assessment of LM and the building of an evaluation system and can serve as a guideline for monitoring LM implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, we hypothesize that producer cooperatives are more efficient than private firms, even when the impact of the political and economic environment is controlled for, and irrespective of the orientation with which efficiency is assessed; that is, whether firms target the reduction of inputs or the expansion of outputs. The empirical application focuses on a longitudinal population of olive oil manufacturing firms operating in the south of Spain from 1944 to 1998. The analyses clearly show that producer cooperatives are more efficient than private firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely argued that to be competitive, a company not only needs to focus on internal aspects but on the entire supply chain. Lean supply chain management has become a means of enhancing competitiveness by improving efficiency and increasing flexibility at all stages of the supply chain. This research develops and validates a lean supply chain management measurement instrument. A two-phase approach is used for scale development and refinement. In the first phase, a literature review is conducted to identify definitions of lean supply chain management and agile supply chain management and their corresponding measurement items. In the second phase, the lean supply chain management measurement instrument is validated using survey data based on scales developed in the first phase by 59 scholars with experience in lean management and/or supply chain management. The results provide a structured and comprehensive measure of lean supply chain management indicating that there are two differentiated dimensions in the measurement instrument: one related to the operational aspects of lean supply chain strategy implementation and the second related to lean supply chain planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study makes a contribution to the current literature by analysing how an internal strategic decision, process innovation, interacts with some features of the external environment to explain environmental sustainability engagement by companies. Drawing on economic and institutional rationales, three hypotheses are proposed to examine the relationship between process innovation and environmental sustainability engagement, considering the role played by the competitive and institutional context in which the firm operates. The hypotheses are tested using a sample of 239 companies in high-tech sectors operating in Spanish science and technology parks. Using a non-parametric test, the results show that companies that perform process innovation are more engaged in environmental sustainability. Based on hierarchical regression models, further results show that performing process innovation more than competitors is related to higher environmental sustainability engagement. However, when time is considered in the model as an explanatory factor, the effect exerted by the institutional environment fades away. Furthermore, the results show that as companies accumulate years operating in a science and technology park, the relationship between process innovation and environmental sustainability engagement even becomes negative. These findings suggest that there is a strong link between process innovation and sustainability engagement. Companies tend to satisfy both economic restrictions posed by their competitive environment and institutional pressures exerted by their stakeholders, albeit in a manner that is not evenly distributed over time. Similarly, firms devote more attention to institutional pressures at the beginning and to economic requirements in later stages of their evolution within science and technology parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been significant growth in research on intermodal transport in freight distribution since the 1990s. Differentiating itself from previously published literature reviews, this paper evaluates the current state of this research using Systematic Literature Review methodology. The complementary aims are: (a) to identify the research lines developed and to propose a criterion for classifying the literature, and (b) to discuss the empirical evidence that identifies existing interrelationships. The analysis has enabled three main lines of research to be identified. The first research line, basic principles of intermodal transport, groups together works related to the definition of intermodal transport and the results obtained using this transportation system. The second, improvements to the way that intermodal transport systems work, frames elements and variables that impact intermodal transport systems’ logistics efficiency, such as quality of service, information and communication systems, and freight planning and linkages among system operators to provide an adequate service. Finally, the third line, intermodal transport system modelling, identifies the main variables used to optimise these transport systems, the different focuses and approaches used in modelling, and the advantages and disadvantages of each focus. These research lines take in more specific sublines that incorporate articles that develop related research questions. Lastly, the discussion of the content of each of these research sublines enables us to identify gaps in the literature and comment on directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responsiveness is one of the key performance factors that firms need to face up to the challenges posed by today’s markets. Many manufacturing firms are investing in advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) with a view to improving competitiveness. However, empirical evidence shows that investments in AMT alone do not lead to improvements in performance. In this study, a model that links AMT implementation and responsiveness through internal integration and external integration is proposed. A sample of 441 Spanish industrial companies was used to test the model through structural equation modelling. The findings highlight that internal integration needs to be supplemented with external integration in order to ensure that the implementation of AMT will result in improved responsiveness. Supply chain managers should focus on integration within the supply chain – firstly internal and later external – to obtain returns on investments in AMT in the form of improved flexibility and more reliable and faster deliveries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of two technologies, cloud computing and Web 2.0, on a firm’s operational performance, examining the relationship between these two technologies and operational performance, and the mediating role played by supply chain integration. Design/methodology/approach – A random sample of 394 companies taken from the DUNS 50,000 database in Spain is used to test the paper’s hypotheses. The data were gathered by telephone survey using the CATI computerized system to manage interviewees’ answers, obtaining a 19.36 percent response rate. Factorial analyses and structural equation modeling were used to test the hypotheses. Findings – The results suggest that cloud computing requires the mediating support of supply chain integration. However, there is no concluding evidence that Web 2.0 has a positive effect on either supply chain integration or operational performance. A positive, significant relationship was found between supply chain integration and operational performance in all the models used. Research limitations/implications – Further research and longitudinal analyses should be carried out in a range of industrial and geographical settings to confirm the findings of this study. Further analyses could also extend the scope and generalizability of results by analyzing the assimilation of supply chain integration-related inter-organizational information systems, such as the effect of ERP systems on performance. Another future direction for research is a study of the impact of the joint assimilation of internal and external integration practices on operational performance. Practical implications – Managers should be aware of the key role that trust plays in the information-sharing process in conjunction with supply chain management. Trust and information-sharing are two inextricably linked elements that enable greater supply chain integration to translate into better operational performance. This paper can also make managers more aware of the powerful tools that exist in the cloud computing universe and those that come under the umbrella of Web 2.0. Companies can use the findings of this paper to create new applications to facilitate supply chain integration. Some examples are also given of how cloud applications can be applied to better integrate the supply chain and, ultimately, to improve overall operational performance. Originality/value – This is one of the first attempts to disentangle the effects exerted by cloud computing on company performance through the mediating role of a higher supply chain integration. The value of this study relies in that academics and practitioners may have a supporting evidence on the role played by a new, disruptive technology such us cloud computing in, internal, operationally linked structures such as supply chain integration and how this combination transforms into better operational outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to try to identify the key explanatory factors that might play a role in lean production (LP) adoption. Qualitative methodology has been used to achieve this goal, specifically a case study research in the aerospace sector. The results show that there are series of factors that have trigged the adoption of LP and others that affect the success of the adoption decision, such as a deep-rooted culture of total quality, the role of top management, a lean organisational structure, the lean leader role and institutional support. We have also identified two control factors in the adoption process, unionisation and people's initial scepticism and resistance. The analysis conducted has been used to develop a LP adoption model that includes the factors that were detected and their respective interrelationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to identify the success factors linked to human resources management during the lean production (LP) adoption process. A model of these factors and their interrelationships is also to be built to understand the sequence that leads to the cultural change required in lean production adoption. Design/methodology/approach – A case study is carried out in selected same-industry companies that are on the same level in the supply chain and have recently completed LP adoption. Twelve first-tier production plants in the aeronautics industry were selected. Data were gathered from interviews with plant managers and the people in charge of LP in the plant. Data were analyzed using open and coaxial coding and triangulation both within cases and across cases. Findings – The results highlight a number of success factors that depend on the phase of the LP adoption process. In the phase prior to adoption, the success factors are the incorporation of external change agents and the management averting inertia, whereas in the other phases of the adoption process five main factors were found: training, communication, rewards, job design and work organization. Research limitations/implications – The findings stress the importance of human resources being managed appropriately during LP adoption for LP to be accepted and adapted. There are a number of key aspects related to human resource management that should be taken into account during each of the phases that occur during the LP adoption process. Further developments include measuring the intensity of the relationships identified and combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies simultaneously to overcome problems with the limited generalization of the results. Practical implications – Practitioners in charge of LP adoption must be mindful of the key human resource management-related aspects before and during the LP adoption process and the guidelines to be followed in each of these aspects for the outcomes of LP to be achieved and maintained. Originality/value – This paper contributes to research in the area of the role that people play in LP with a new line of research centered on the role of human resource management during the LP adoption process. Unlike prior research, this study analyzes the changes that take place in human resource management from the time the company makes the decision to adopt LP until it is implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the impact of the level of cooperation in the supply chain on lean production (LP) adoption. The effect of the level of cooperation with both suppliers and customers with regards to the intensity of LP adoption is examined, as is the joint effect of cooperation and information integration with customers. Design/methodology/approach – Analysis is carried out on a sample of 84 manufacturing plants that are first tier suppliers to original equipment manufacturers in the Spanish automotive industry. Data were gathered from plant CEOs via a combination of regular mail, e-mail and internet-based survey methods. Data are analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical regression. Findings – The results show that while greater levels of cooperation with suppliers do not impact on the intensity of LP adoption, greater levels of cooperation with customers do have a significant effect. Also, the greater the cooperation with customers and the more information integrated with them, the higher the intensity of LP adoption. Research limitations/implications – The findings stress the importance of having a holistic vision of the supply chain to explain the degree of LP adoption. Further developments include simultaneously studying the role of both information and physical flows along the supply chain in LP adoption, and analyzing the time lag that occurs between a company increasing cooperation with suppliers and customers, and progress being made in the intensity of LP adoption. Practical implications – Practitioners must be mindful that a greater level of cooperation with customers creates a favourable environment for increasing the intensity of adoption of LP. Originality/value – This paper contributes to research on the explanatory factors of LP adoption by adding new factors to explain it, including the level of cooperation between supply chain agents and the interaction of information integration and cooperation with customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of research on lean production (LP) since the concept was developed at the end of the 1980s with the aim of developing a model that permits an extended and comprehensive understanding of LP. Design/methodology/approach – A literature survey of peer reviewed journal articles and paradigmatic books with managerial impact is employed as the research methodology. Findings – The findings derived from the evaluation of the publications analysed have led to the creation of an extended model of LP. Specifically, two new groups of factors to be taken into account in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of LP are presented. Apart from internal aspects at the shop floor level and value chain elements, the model provided includes work organisation and the impact that the geographical context has on LP. In addition, the critical assessment of publications has allowed a number of specific aspects to be identified for which there is no empirical evidence. Originality/value – This paper puts forward a new classification of literature identifying key aspects that should be included for LP development and management. It might represent new opportunities for rigorous and relevant research that would contribute to more transparent knowledge of LP being gained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]