Title: Evaluating lean implementation performance in Indian MSMEs using ISM and AHP models

Authors: M.M. Ravikumar; K. Marimuthu; P. Parthiban

Addresses: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Anna University, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, India ' Department of Production Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India

Abstract: This paper investigates the implementation of the lean manufacturing concepts in Indian MSMEs. In particular, it examines the extent to which lean can be implemented given the various financial constraints businesses find themselves in the current economic environment in India. Here a new method combined with interpretive structural modelling (ISM) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) models were used to evaluate the lean implementation performance of MSMEs. After finding the weights for those criteria, these were ranked. The AHP model was applied to find the best one in lean implementation from a group of six MSMEs. Further, to justify the AHP results, fuzzy was used to compare those criteria weights. This paper presents an innovative method to ascertain how a set of 11 factors can influence successful lean implementation. The analysis of AHP and ISM methodologies provides the industry with an insight on how lean implementation can be made more responsive.

Keywords: lean implementation; interpretive structural modelling; ISM; analytical hierarchy process; AHP; fuzzy AHP; FAHP; lean manufacturing; structural self-interaction matrix; SSIM; MSMEs; India; micro enterprises; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2015.070881

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2015 Vol.22 No.1, pp.21 - 39

Received: 05 Feb 2014
Accepted: 05 Apr 2014
Published online: 31 Jul 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article