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Development of a methodology to assist manufacturing SMEs in the selection of appropriate lean tools

Osama Alaskari (School of Science and Engineering, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK)
Mohammad Munir Ahmad (School of Science and Engineering, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK)
Ruben Pinedo-Cuenca (School of Science and Engineering, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK)

International Journal of Lean Six Sigma

ISSN: 2040-4166

Article publication date: 7 March 2016

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodology that can help small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in the manufacturing sector, to select an appropriate lean tool for the company which will maximum benefits from adopting the tool.

Design/methodology/approach

This study focuses on the selection of an appropriate lean tool for manufacturing SMEs. The methodology contains a quantitative approach that can assist SMEs in identifying the appropriate lean tool. A literature review, collation of experts’ opinions via a questionnaire and a case study (to provide a guideline as to how the developed methodology may work) are presented in this research.

Findings

The findings revealed that the proposed methodology was effective in identifying the appropriate lean tools for companies, according to the key performance indicators in the manufacturing SME sector.

Practical implications

The developed methodology can be used by manufacturing SMEs as a decision support system to enable the representatives of the company to make an informed decision regarding the selection of the most appropriate lean tool (i.e. that will address the most important issue that the company is experiencing). The strength of using this methodology is that appropriate lean tool can be ascertained relatively easily and inexpensively. There is the prospect of this methodology being applicable to most types of SMEs.

Originality/value

This methodology has proven to be useful for recommending the application of lean tools in a company’s attempt to become lean, bridging the gap identified in the literature review.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express their thanks to the Company A (for reasons of confidentiality, the name of the company cannot be disclosed) for their involvement in this study.

Citation

Alaskari, O., Ahmad, M.M. and Pinedo-Cuenca, R. (2016), "Development of a methodology to assist manufacturing SMEs in the selection of appropriate lean tools", International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, Vol. 7 No. 1, pp. 62-84. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLSS-02-2015-0005

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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