The impact of organizational culture on the success of Lean Manufacturing: a social and bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Recent studies demonstrate the importance of creating and sustaining an appropriate organizational culture for successful implementation of Lean Manufacturing. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the scientific production related to Lean culture in the last ten years, and to identify "if" and "how" organizational culture affects the implementation of Lean Manufacturing, using techniques such as bibliometry and sociometry. The results demonstrate that the adoption of Lean Manufacturing should go through a process of cultural change, where respect for people, emphasis on the process of continuous improvement, development of leadership, teamwork and orientation to learning become priorities. The main managerial contribution of this research lies in the fact that although many managers see lean as a set of tools to bring immediate results, the literature demonstrates that sustainable lean results occur when it is adopted as a managerial philosophy, combining the application of the tools with a culture where people participate and are motivated to continually improve their processes.

Keywords

• Organizational Culture
• Lean Manufacturing
• Bibliometrics
• Sociometry.