Proposing a Lean Manufacturing Framework Adapted to Very Small Businesses: Multiple Case Studies

Abstract

Given the importance of the Very Small Business category and the need to successfully implement Lean Manufacturing in these companies, the objective of this paper is to propose a lean framework adapted to implement Lean Manufacturing in Moroccan Manufacturing Very Small Businesses. To achieve this objective, this paper spreads out a synthesis of multiple case studies in five Manufacturing Very Small Businesses operating in different sectors. The analysis of this case study leads to the development of a Lean implementation framework suitable for the specific characteristics of Moroccan Manufacturing Very Small Businesses. Thus, this paper's contribution is the elaboration of an implementation Lean Manufacturing approach, including steps, tools, methods, barriers to overcome, and critical success factors. The characteristics of this approach are that it comes from the real and successful experience of lean implementation in Moroccan Very Small Businesses, which ensures its success in the Moroccan context.

Keywords

• critical success factors
• framework
• lean tools
• lean manufacturing
• very small businesses