House of lean for food processing SMEs
There is no evidence of a framework which includes contextual factors and caters the need of the food processing SMEs.
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The objective of this paper is to propose a systematic lean implementation framework for food processing SMEs.
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The proposed lean implementation framework is constructed based on a longitudinal mixed research method during 2010–2014.
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The key contribution of the paper is a framework “house of lean” that consider the characteristics of food processing SMEs.
Failures in lean implementation tend to stem from a lack of understanding of sector-specific contextual factors and organizational factors. Current resources on lean implementation–such as where to get started or how to address the contextual factors–are limited, and no framework for answering these questions while catering to the needs of small and medium sized food processing enterprises. This paper propose a systematic lean implementation framework for food processing SMEs based on a longitudinal mixed research methodology. The key contribution of this paper is a framework, “House of Lean”, that takes into consideration the needs and characteristics of food processing SMEs.