Learning from lean management – going beyond input‐output thinking

The aim of the research is to address why facility management (FM) processes do not support customer value creation.

An in‐depth analysis of the value creation process in the industry was analysed with 15 interviews and a workshop based around a case process. The study considers the current value creation processes against the theory of lean management.

The lack of literature shows that the overall value creation process has been neglected. The case findings indicate that the FM process does not support comprehensive customer value creation. The FM process has been structured based on agreements, not on value creation. A lot of effort has aimed to improve the value adding FM process, but not to minimise the unavoidable non‐value adding, i.e. waste activities, from the process.

The study is conducted in a globally operating organisation in Finland and, due to similarities, the results could also be applied in other countries to bring new insight and direction to value creation.

The methods and practices of lean management can be used by FM organisations to gain better understanding of their own value creation processes.

This paper offers an eye‐opener for researchers and FM companies on the possibilities that lean management may offer.