A framework for risk assessment on lean production implementation

Abstract

The organizational and technical complexity of implementing the lean principles and practices can become an extensively time consuming journey with few benefits. We argue that risk assessment can aid on the understanding and management of the major difficulties on the Lean production implementation (LPI). Thus, this paper proposes a framework for risk assessment on the LPI process. The literature review permitted to adapt the risk assessment steps to the characteristics of the LPI and develop data collection and analysis procedures for each step. The Sociotechnical systems (STS) theory was brought in to improve the understanding of the context’s characteristics on the proposed framework because it has a major influence on the LPI. The framework was has five steps: (a) defining the unit of analysis; (b) describing the context; (c) risk identification; (d) risk analysis; and (e) risk relationships modeling.

Keywords

• Produção Enxuta. Análise de Riscos. Avaliação de riscos.