The Influence of Contextual Factors on the Implementation of Lean Practices: An Analysis of Furniture Industries

Abstract

Notwithstanding the research attention given to the implementation of lean practices, particularly in the developed countries, its adoption in the furniture industry in emerging economies is not promising and confined to a handful of studies only. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of contextual factors related to company size and ownership on the implementation of lean practices. In doing so, a methodological approach was implemented after a thorough review of the literature on the topic. A comparative review on the definitions of contextual factors disclosed varying descriptions as expressed by different researchers. The analyses showed that contextual factors do not have any impact on the implementation of lean practices. The findings revealed that the contextual factors are unsuitable as mediators since there is no evidence of their effects on lean practice implementation. This study is the first attempt at examining the influence of contextual factors on the implementation of lean practices in Malaysian furniture industries. The theoretical and practical contributions of this study offer a valuable insight into the potential lean implementation in the context.

Keywords

• lean implementation
• contextual factors
• firm size
• firm age
• corporate culture
• furniture.