Implementation of Lean Manufacturing in Small and Medium Enterprises

Mechanical Engineering

The purpose of this keynote is to explore the difficulties experienced when implementing Lean Manufacturing in small and medium sized enterprises (SME). In this work, we design a dual evaluation focusing first on the key characteristics of SMEs then on the management principles of Lean Manufacturing. Based on an analysis of the scientific literature, we observe a number of conflicts between the characteristics point out for SMEs and Lean Manufacturing. The absence of functional organization, lack of methodology and deficiency of formal procedures are often the cause of difficulties experienced by SMEs during the implementation of Lean manufacturing. The examination of the literature show that the notions of leadership, expertise and decision-making are crucial when implementing Lean Manufacturing. However, in the framework of SMEs, these elements tends to be concentrated under the responsibility of the head of the enterprise, leading to several strengths and weaknesses for such implementation.

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