Title: The importance of aligning lean with organisational strategy

Authors: Kristy J. Lauver; Abraham Y. Nahm; Brent S. Opall; James P. Keyes

Addresses: Department of Management and Marketing, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, WI, 54702, USA ' Department of Management and Marketing, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, WI, 54702, USA ' Department of Management and Marketing, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, WI, 54702, USA ' Department of Operations and Management, University of Wisconsin-Stout, USA

Abstract: This study explores how strategic direction of firms may affect salient factors that were found in prior research to be conducive for lean implementation success. We use Venkatraman's (1989a) categorisation of strategy and examine their correlation with workers' perceived job security, perceived personal benefits of lean, and level of training on lean (Nahm et al., 2012). We apply intraclass correlations, ANOVA analyses, and regression analysis within the study. Lean success factors were affected differently by each type of organisational strategy examined (proactiveness, defensiveness, analysis and futurity). Workers perceived their jobs to be secure in all four types of strategies. They also perceived personal benefits of lean positively under futurity strategy, but were negative about it under proactiveness and defensiveness strategies. Training on lean concepts and techniques was actively carried out in firms with analysis and futurity strategies but significantly less training was done in firms adopting a proactiveness strategy.

Keywords: lean implementation; strategy; perceived job security; perceived personal benefits of lean; training on lean.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2020.106934

International Journal of Business Excellence, 2020 Vol.21 No.1, pp.17 - 36

Received: 20 Mar 2018
Accepted: 19 Nov 2018
Published online: 28 Apr 2020 *

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