Culture and Lean Manufacturing: Towards a Holistic Framework

Abstract

Lean manufacturing is management approach that developed with a strong focus on the reducing waste. The awareness that lean manufacturing requires a holistic approach especially since culture is often considered a key element in lean manufacturing practice. Currently too much attention is focused wrongly on the technical aspects and tools and techniques rather than the ability to create a right culture to support the lean transformation. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of existing research on culture in lean manufacturing. Review of the literature provides evidence that culture is still widely researched in lean manufacturing. A framework on the role of culture in lean manufacturing is also provided in this paper.