Achieving success with Lean

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Sisson ◽  
Ahmad Elshennawy
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Lean Transformation ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Broad Variety ◽  
Research Propositions

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to identify key interrelated components of successful, sustained lean transformation. When implemented successfully, lean not only allows for cost reduction while improving quality but it can also position a company to achieve tremendous growth. However, although many companies are attempting to implement lean, only an estimated 2-3 per cent are achieving the desired level of success. Design/methodology/approach – A thorough literature review was conducted and the findings indicated six key constructs that can act as enablers or inhibitors to implementing and sustaining lean. A theoretical framework was developed that integrates these constructs and develops research propositions for each. A multiple-case study analysis was used to test the framework on four companies that have achieved successful lean transformations to validate the model. Findings – Sixteen propositions were supported in all four of the case studies and one proposition was supported in three of the four case studies. Originality/value – This research proposed and tested a model lean transformation on cases drawn from the very small number of companies in the USA that have achieved successful, sustained lean improvement. The case studies represented a broad variety of manufacturing industries, increasing the likelihood of the research being able to be broadly generalized and applied. The model provides a set of related tangible actions that organizations planning to undertake a lean transformation can focus on to help insure successful implementation and sustainment.

Asset recovery in corruption cases

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Leasure
Keyword(s):  
Vice President ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Asset Recovery ◽  
The Us ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Republic

Purpose – Asset recovery proceedings increasingly target corrupt foreign officials who acquire lavish assets as a result of capital gained through criminal acts. One extremely difficult issue arising in asset recovery proceedings is whether the capital used to acquire the assets can be traced to a criminal act. The purpose of this paper is to critique US tracing procedure through comparative analysis. Design/methodology/approach – A prominent series of cases brought by the USA and France against assets owned by Teodoro “Teodorín” Nguema Obiang, second Vice President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, produced mixed results on the tracing element. This paper utilizes a qualitative comparative case analysis to examine the US and French cases. Findings – The US results reflect serious weaknesses in the US law as compared to more effective French asset recovery procedure. Originality/value – Though this paper is certainly a comparative case study analysis, nearly identical facts and two different jurisdictions reaching separate conclusions bring us in the legal community as close as we can realistically come to quasi-experimental research. Comparative research in this area is severely lacking and sorely needed. The mechanisms identified in the French system clearly show flaws that are present in the US system.

Warehouse configuration in omni-channel retailing: a multiple case study

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 509-533
Author(s):  
Joakim Hans Kembro ◽  
Andreas Norrman
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Conceptual Models ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Multiple Case Study ◽  
Consumer Electronics ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Automation Systems ◽  
Multiple Case

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore warehouse configuration in omni-channel retailing. Design/methodology/approach A multiple case study is conducted with six large omni-channel retailers from three different sectors. Findings The study shows an increase in the number, variation and frequency of flows passing through omni-channel warehouses. Along with an increased variety of stock keeping units (including singles vs multipacks), there is an increase in the complexity of planning and coordination of order fulfillment. Retailers test a mix of different solutions for storage and picking and partly shift focus to advanced sorting operations. The companies already have or plan to invest in substantial automation systems, which emphasize the importance of capturing and using accurate master data. Research limitations/implications The study highlights the need to understand the interrelations and co-development of configuration elements in omni-channel warehousing. The findings also suggest that a successful transformation requires increased collaboration with upstream and downstream partners. Conceptual models are developed to illustrate strategies and development paths in omni-channel warehousing, and suggestions for future research are summarized in a research agenda. A research limitation is the focus on Swedish retailers in three sectors (fashion, consumer electronics and DIY/construction material). Future studies can include additional sectors, extend the geographical scope and explore cross-regional differences. Practical implications As one of the few deeper case studies on omni-channel warehousing, practitioners will find new configurations described and analyzed here. Along with conceptual models, a synthesis of challenges and potential solutions are presented to support retailers’ practical analysis and decision making. Originality/value This is one of the first multiple case studies that go deeper into omni-channel warehouse configuration, which is of increasing importance to both scholars and practitioners in the field.

Environmental education in libraries – theoretical foundations and practical implementation

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 279-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Fedorowicz-Kruszewska
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Professional Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Main Components ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain the concepts related to environmental education in the context of sustainable development, to indicate the links between them as well as to identify and organize elements of library activities that have the potential to implement environmental education.Design/methodology/approachThe method of analysis and criticism of scientific and professional literature and research reports was used. The multiple case study method was also used.FindingsAn analysis of literature and multiple case studies confirms the assumption that sustainable development is now a new paradigm of librarianship. Among the goals of sustainable development are environmental goals, which in libraries can be achieved through environmental education. A broad approach to environmental education has been proposed, which is implemented not only by using library services but also by building green collections, contacts with environmentally involved librarians, using ecological library infrastructure, observing sustainable management methods in libraries, cooperation between the library and the external environment in terms of the natural environment.Research limitations/implicationsAn analysis of 20 case studies was carried out regarding the implementation of pro-environmental measures in libraries. Examination of a larger number of case studies would probably give a more complete picture of this area of activity in libraries. The next stage of research should be the development of standards/guidelines in the field of environmental education in libraries, and then the development of methods and techniques for assessing the quality of library activities in this area and methods for assessing the impact of libraries on society and the environment in the field of environmental education.Practical implicationsThe paper indicates – based on case study analyses – those library elements that have potential in the field of environmental education. They were ordered in categories that were assigned to the three main components of a library: people, artefacts and processes.Social implicationsSustainable development is a new library paradigm. The paper focuses on the environmental area, specifically environmental education. It has been recognized that libraries have considerable potential for environmental education and should be seen as socially responsible organizations that take responsibility for the impact of their decisions and actions on society and the environment.Originality/valueThe paper explains the basic concepts of environmental education and the relationships between them. It defines the area of environmental education in libraries in terms of library activity elements that can be used to organize them according to the three main components of a library, which are people, artefacts and processes. The paper also indicates that sustainable development should be treated as a new paradigm of librarianship, and environmental education as a new research field of library and information science.

The transfer process of lean practices in multi-plant companies

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 468-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Danese ◽  
Pietro Romano ◽  
Stefania Boscari
Keyword(s):  
Transfer Process ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Joint Effect ◽  
Contextual Variables ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lean Practices ◽  
The Usa ◽  
National Environment ◽  
Multiple Case

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to deal with the transfer of lean practices between different units in multi-plant organizations with different levels of adoption of lean practices. It investigates how certain influential contextual variables – i.e. lean standards development, lean transfer team composition, source characteristics, recipient national environment and corporate lean programme deployment – can influence stickiness in the different phases of lean transfer process. Design/methodology/approach This paper opted for the multiple-case study method and examines six lean transfer projects at a dyadic level, that is, between a source and a recipient unit. The authors focussed on companies with headquarters in Europe with an attested experience in lean and which had recently and successfully transferred lean to subsidiaries in the USA and China. Findings The paper provides empirical insights about how stickiness in lean transfer projects changes during the initiation, implementation/ramp-up and integration phases. It identifies three lean transfer approaches (local, global, global and shared) and provides a set of propositions that explains how sociocultural traits of recipient environment (China vs USA) and lean transfer approach affect stickiness in each phase. Originality/value Literature on stickiness in lean transfer is at an early stage and very fragmented. Unlike previous contributions in the field, this paper provides an interpretation of the dynamics of stickiness in lean transfer at a micro-level (i.e. for each single phase of the lean transfer process). In addition, it develops a fuller understanding of the influence of context on lean transfer by adopting a configurational view, i.e. studying the joint effect of contextual variables on stickiness, which is a novelty in the lean transfer literature.

e-Business management assessment: framework proposal through case study analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-254
Author(s):  
Pedro Isaías ◽  
Luisa Cagica Carvalho ◽  
Nildo Cassundé Junior ◽  
Fernanda Roda Cassundé
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Business Model ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Assessment Framework ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Online Presence ◽  
Business Approach

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose an e-business assessment framework for organizations that aim to enhance the effectiveness of their online presence and maximize the benefits that result from it. The framework is based on three main pillars derived from the academic literature research: e-marketing strategies, customer relationship management (CRM) strategies and business model strategies. Design/methodology/approach This paper reviews the literature from e-Marketing, CRM and business model strategies, leading to the generation of an e-Business assessment framework. Second, it takes 19 case studies and analyzes them using ATLAS.ti, through qualitative content analysis, to validate that framework. Findings Pragmatic advice for practitioners derives from research results considering that this framework enables managers to characterize the company in terms of its e-business approach, making it possible to determine the level of depth of competitive online strategies. Lessons for an improved e-business approach can be derived from this paper. Originality/value This study proposes a novel e-business framework to assist organizations that want to have an online presence. This framework is comprised of the factors identified in the literature review that contribute to define and scope that online presence. The framework is then validated through the collection of 19 case studies of companies that have this online presence, validating the theoretical findings.

scholarly journals Lean production in agribusiness organizations: multiple case studies in a developing country

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Guilherme Satolo ◽  
Laiz Eritiemi de Souza Hiraga ◽  
Gustavo Antiqueira Goes ◽  
Wagner Luiz Lourenzani
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Production System ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Lean Production ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
System Use ◽  
Multiple Case

Purpose This paper aims to conduct case studies in companies of different branches of the agribusiness sector to analyze the degree of adherence to lean production system, considering the use of techniques and tools, and how the specificities of the agribusiness system work. Design/methodology/approach By contributing to the refinement of the theory, multiple type case studies were conducted in eight agribusiness units from different branches by applying structured interviews, on-site visits and document analysis. The comparative analysis of the cases occurred focusing on the degree of adherence to lean production system; use of techniques and tools; and influence of the specificities of agribusiness systems. Findings The adoption of lean production system occurs as an improvement mechanism of organizational performance. However, it is necessary to advance in the formalization of the actions, which need to encourage the creation of new leaders who spread the organizational philosophy. When comparing the degree of adherence to lean production with the use of techniques and tools, it was observed that there is no direct relationship, indicating that each organization should select only the techniques and tools that will improve their own organizational performance. At last, the specific characteristics of seasonality of consumption, quality and health surveillance and sociological aspects of the food have high influence on surveyed agribusiness systems, and its effects can be minimized by the techniques and tools associated with lean production system. Research limitations/implications The analysis is valid for the universe investigated due to the specific characteristic of the case study. Originality/value The literature regarding the lean production philosophy is vast; however, the agribusiness segment, one of the major sectors of the global economy, features a large gap in literature. This study is one of the first original papers to report this reality.

The Competitive Advantage of Nations 20 years later: the cases of Sweden, South Korea and the USA

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 306-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy L. Wilson ◽  
Lars Lindbergh ◽  
Jens Graff
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Secondary Information ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect on some policy possibilities and outcomes for three countries of interest suggested in Porter’s The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Design/methodology/approach – This research was both exploratory and qualitative in nature and utilized an in-depth case study approach of three major international economies reflecting previous observations in The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Personal contemporaneous observations of individuals in the countries of interest were complemented by current secondary information. The three countries selected for analysis, South Korea, Sweden and the USA, reflected different stages of development at the time The Competitive Advantage of Nations was published and certainly different progress since then. Findings – The Competitive Advantage of Nations advocated new, constructive and actionable roles for government and business. These observations can now be tested after a reasonable time of development. In terms of development, Korea would appear to be the star of the group; Sweden has made strong progress in comparison with other members of the European Union. Although there are areas of strength, the USA recently has lost much of the edge it had at the time of the Advantage’s publication. Research limitations/implications – Because this research was built on case studies, one has the reservations common with that approach. On the other hand, case studies are acknowledged as useful in the identification of important variables in situations in which there is little control over events in a real-world context. Practical implications – Countries must go their own way and find their own paths to success. In some ways, directions are suggested by Schumpeter (1942/1975) and in others, by Porter (1990/1996). Chance appears to have played a role in development in each instance, but government, seen as a fifth determinant possibility by Porter, heavily affected outcomes in each instance. Originality/value – Although relying heavily on Porter, results add insight into the development of economies over time.

scholarly journals How adaption of historic listed buildings affords access

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 589-605
Author(s):  
Suzanna Lynch ◽  
David G. Proverbs
Keyword(s):  
Historic Buildings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Financial Benefits ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Physical Changes ◽  
Visitor Survey ◽  
Visible Disabilities

Purpose Providing accessible and inclusive environments fulfils legislative obligations and creates financial benefits. Historic-listed buildings rely on heritage tourism for continued financial support. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how historic-listed buildings adapt to afford access to people with disabilities (PwD), through physical and non-physical interventions. Design/methodology/approach Using a case study approach of an historic property, research comprises of: an observational visitor survey, determining visitor demographic regarding visible disabilities; an access audit, determining current accessibility; interviews with the property’s Access Team; and desktop-based research. Findings The results depict the complexity, challenges and barriers in making historic buildings accessible for PwD. Through alternative training and inclusive initiatives, the findings reveal how historic buildings may support the multiplicity of individuals’ access requirements. Research limitations/implications Further research incorporating longer surveying periods, wider demographic of interviewees and multiple case study analysis would provide richer, comparable data in understanding the intrinsic complexities involved in creating accessibility within historic buildings. The implications of this research could transcend management, conservation and adaptation of listed buildings in identifying the defined barriers and solutions to overcome them. Originality/value The originality of this paper relates to the use of alternative services creating access when physical changes are deemed “unreasonable”. A conceptual framework is developed depicting the complexity, challenges and barriers in making historic buildings accessible for PwD.

The speedways’ method: drive fast, catch the wind, get there early and move ahead!

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Girgis Dimitri ◽  
Virginia Bodolica ◽  
Martin Spraggon
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Venture Creation ◽  
Graduate Studies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Academic Level ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
Upper Level

Learning outcomes Upon completion of this case study analysis in class, students should be able to distinguish the different steps and actions involved in the entrepreneurial venture creation; evaluate the extent to which an entrepreneurial idea represents a commercial success or practical failure; apply relevant strategy frameworks to estimate the complexities associated with the management of a small startup; and debate about the pros and cons of different strategic options and offer viable advice for decision-making. Case overview/synopsis This case follows the entrepreneurial beginnings of a college student, Mohsen Shahin, whose early initiation into the world of business commenced from a serendipitous win of a small fortune in a raffle in London, UK. The case study illustrates the protagonist’s dilemma of whether to spend the winning on everyday pleasures of his life as a teenager or to venture in an entrepreneurial undertaking. Following his father’s advice, Mohsen ultimately decides to exchange his prize for money and use it for launching Speedways, a luxurious car servicing garage in London’s downtown. The case further elaborates on some initial struggles he faced as a young entrepreneur and continues with his decision to pursue higher education in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which forced him to handle his managerial responsibilities from a country thousands of miles away from his garage. Eventually, Mohsen makes the hard decision to sell Speedways and realize his grown ambition of exploiting his prior business experience to embark on new adventures in his life. The case culminates with Mohsen having to choose between either opening his own company in the premium car care industry in Dubai or pursuing his post-graduate studies at a prestigious university in the USA – a critical decision he has to make promptly, as he is short on time. Complexity academic level Upper-level undergraduate courses. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS: 11 Strategy.

The importance of timing in retail innovation

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 31-33
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Management Perspective ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Successful Innovation ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings The study focuses on the marketing management perspective with the object to understand the best timing for successful innovation, and to figure out some practices able to support this choice and decrease any risks involved. Starting from a qualitative approach involving a multiple-case study analysis in the fashion retail industry, interesting insights are drawn for managing innovation in retail settings. Such insights have considerable relevance to marketing scholars and practitioners, as they provide indications on the best innovation strategy to be adopted to generate the desirable outcomes. Practicalimplications The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

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