The impact of shop floor culture and subculture on lean production practices
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
ISSN: 0144-3577
Article publication date: 6 February 2017
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper to examine the impact of shop floor (SF) culture (organizational culture (OC) perceived by workers) and SF subcultures assessed by the competing values framework (CVF) on the perceived use of lean production (LP) practices.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors analyse questionnaires completed by workers at the single case company undergoing a commonplace lean transformation. The survey items cover both LP items and CVF statements. The propositions are analysed applying cluster analysis and regression.
Findings
At the case company, the multidimensionality of SF culture only partially exists, and the perceived use of LP practices shows little connection to OC. The considerable differences between SF culture and SF subcultures on the one hand and among SF subcultures on the other hand indicate the existence of a special multidimensional SF culture. Altogether, SF culture’s impact on LP is weak.
Practical implications
Managers should rethink the usual lean implementation pathways and understand how values pervade SF culture and how culture types impact the perceived use of LP practices at the SF. Managers could face a trade-off: smoother lean transition by engaging in SF subculture-specific transitions and reinforcing it or by developing a homogenous lean SF culture.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical attempt to understand the impact of SF culture on the perceived use of LP practices by adopting a validated OC measurement tool. Furthermore, the study provides insight into workers’ subcultures.
Keywords
Citation
Losonci, D., Kása, R., Demeter, K., Heidrich, B. and Jenei, I. (2017), "The impact of shop floor culture and subculture on lean production practices", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 37 No. 2, pp. 205-225. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-11-2014-0524
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited