Title: Empirical interaction between root causes and primary lean resources

Authors: Ernest Iwuchukwu; Rupy Sawhney

Addresses: Center for Productivity Innovation (CPI), Department of Industrial & Information Engineering, University of Tennessee Knoxville, 1425 South and East Stadium Drive, 402 East Stadium Hall, TN 37996-0700, USA. ' Center for Productivity Innovation (CPI), Department of Industrial & Information Engineering, University of Tennessee Knoxville, 1425 South and East Stadium Drive, 402 East Stadium Hall, TN 37996-0700, USA

Abstract: Lean production system has been implemented by many businesses; however, its effectiveness and performance sometimes are elusive. Also, lean systems reliability models have been developed based on the premises that lean production systems require four primary resources: personnel, equipment, materials and schedules. These primary resources have been independently analysed, without due consideration to underlying relationships with each other. This study identified probable root causes of resource failure and established relationships therein using survey data collected from 449 industrial practitioners. The result shows levels of relationships in primary resources, which would enable lean implementation experts to direct their efforts and resources to prevent undesired events that have most impact on the system.

Keywords: lean production; root causes; primary resources; lean manufacturing; resource failure.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRAPIDM.2012.046571

International Journal of Rapid Manufacturing, 2012 Vol.3 No.1, pp.1 - 22

Published online: 20 Dec 2014 *

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