CHAPTER 5 Results and Discussin 5.1 Discussin in Relatin t Research Questins Fr hw lng Lean Manufacturing is being implemented in Sri Lankan apparel industry? It is clear that almst every apparel rganizatin can adpt Lean Manufacturing t imprve their businesses. After ging thrugh the literature review and data analysis, it is evident that Lean Manufacturing is still smewhat new t the wrld as well as the Sri Lankan apparel industry (less than 5 years fr Sri Lankan apparel industry). What are the tls and techniques intrduced t the cmpany and the rder f implementatin? Sharing infrmatin via visual displays and cntrls is easy and it helps t run the prductin prcess smthly. Therefre mst f the industries tend t implement 5S and ther visual management tls initially. These tls are the instant winners which can easily make visible shp flr changes and quickly influence the financial status f the rganizatin. This is same as Canada, USA and India; cuntries mentined in the literature review. Next, peratin stability and cntinuus flw must be achieved via takt time, ne piece flw, cellular manufacturing, SMED, pull system etc. (Table 4.1) SMED is very ppular in apparel industry in Sri Lanka. This is quite cntradictry cmpared with the glbal situatin. (Appendix A.3) The reasn may be thse cuntries use heavy machinery and SMED is nt very ppular due t a belief that imprving changevers requires a large investment in new machinery r tling. Mrever implementatin rder is almst same fr any industry which is stated by Wmack and Jnes [ 8 ]. But the rganizatinal culture must be thrughly analyzed befre intrducing any cncept. Depending n the culture there may be slight mdificatins f the sequence Lean tls and techniques are intrducing. 90
Reasns t chse line wise, sectin wise, department wise and cmpany wise the abve mentined tls? Cmpanies have intrduced mst f the Lean tls and techniques line wise. The majr reasn fr ding that is, they can run the particular line as a pilt line befre deplying the Lean cncepts t the whle factry. Als it prevents mistakes affecting bulk prductin and als the prgress can be shwn t thers. Other reasns are the ease f implementatin and ease f awareness as it is limited t a small area. Tls like VSM were intrduced t the entire factry as t get a clear idea abut the whle peratin. What are the tls that mst f the cmpanies avid and why d they avid them? It was fund that even thugh mst f the apparel manufactures have implemented mst f the Lean tls and techniques, the level f implementatin and usage is varying. It is due t ecnmic, peratinal r rganizatinal factrs such as challenging ecnmic cnditins, high levels f demand uncertainty, high mix, lw vlume prduct prtflis, rganizatin size and rigid rganizatinal structures. What is the sustainability f Lean tls and techniques? Mst f the tls and techniques have been sustained fr mst f the cmpanies fr mre than 1 year. Als it can be seen that sustainability is a prblem fr sme tls which is a glbal issue. It is fund that ne piece flw is difficult t sustain. The main reasn is the peratinal stability is nt achieved 100%. This is due t inadequate change in the culture which must be gradually happen while implementing Lean cncepts. What are the implementatin strategies that suits Sri Lanka? Lean Manufacturing has been implemented by varius means in Sri Lankan apparel industry. The experts are hired frm utside cnsultancy firms and are highly trained in Lean cncepts. Sme training is prvided by inhuse Lean champins via belt prgrams which is limited t sme rganizatins. Mst training cmbines classrm learning with shp flr practical exercises that prvides instant payback. Best 91
practise invlves develping a culture that encurages experimentatin and embraces failures as a learning experience which leads t emplyee empwerment. What are the challenges in implementing Lean? It can be seen that the backsliding is ne f the main barriers in implementing Lean arund the glbe including Sri Lankan apparel industry. Lack f implementatin knwhw, supervisr resistance and middle management resistance are the next influenced factrs. This is because mst f the humans are reluctant t change. There is little senir management resistance in implementing Lean in all analyzed cuntries in the literature review as well as Sri Lankan apparel industry.. Hw t vercme thse challenges? Mst f the apparel manufactures have identified emplyees as their key assets. Emplyee empwerment prgrams have started by all the cmpanies as this is essential in future Lean jurney. Starting frm training prgrams up t emplyee empwerment, a well structured human resurce plan is necessary when implementing Lean practices. This must be dne by human resurce department in crdinatin with Lean teams. What are the benefits achieved after implementing Lean? Organizatins that have implemented Lean Manufactruing systematically, have been able t gain many benefits ut f that implementatin. 5S, kaizen, TPM and prblem slving are the mst beneficial tls fr apparel industry in Sri Lanka. 5S has led t imprved wrkplace rganizatin, reductin f space utilizatin and increased prductivity. Pkayke techniques has reduced defects and imprved emplyee satisfactin. Kaizen is reprtedly creating an peratinal cst reductins and prductivity imprvements while als raising shp flr mrale and emplyee empwerment. Takt time has been used successfully in line balancing and it will supprt JIT. One piece flw, pull system and cellular manufacturing prvide a lw WIP manufacturing slutin that is particularly suited t lw vlume prducts in the same prduct family. Kanban has reduced raw material stck and simplified rdering f thse creating sme pull prductin. SMED has been used t make very significant 92
reductins in setup times and it will supprt heijunka. TPM has been shwn t reduce maintenance csts and machine dwntime thereby increasing Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). Regular reviewing f VSM will identify the nnvalue adding activities and kaizen pprtunities. Visual cntrls and displays prvide supprt in the wrkplace, simplifying many prcesses thereby saving time and mney. Jidka has increased prductin quality and prductivity while ensuring ntime delivery. Prblem slving techniques will help t eliminate peratinal variatins in the prcess. Wrk standardizatin has reduced prcess variability while encuraging prblem slving. 5.2 Emerging Lean Mdel The implementatin rder, methd f intrductin, implementatin strategy, sustainability. challenges faced, ways t vercme challenges, and benefits achieved depends n the rganizatinal culture. It is revealed that the culture cnsists f cmpanies' visin and missin, leadership, mutual respect f emplyees, trend twards new cncepts, kaizen mindset, teamwrk and educatinal level. Therefre a well structured and integrated apprach is needed when implementing Lean Manufacturing. Based n the data analysis, the cnceptual mdel presented in chapter 3 can be mdified t fullfil the primary bjective f the research. (Figure 5.1) 93
Implementatin rder Intrductin methd Snstainability 4 Organizatinal culture L e a n tls and techniques Visin and missin Leadership Structure Mutual respect Trend twards new cncepts Kaizen mindset Team wrk Educatinal level Implementatin strategy Challenges W a y s t v e r c m e challenges Benefits achieved Figure 5.1 Emerging Lean Mdel 5.3 Prpsitins derived frm the Lean Mdel Fllwing are sme f the prpsistins derived frm the emerging Lean mdel. In rder t implement Lean tls and techniques successfully, rganizatinal culture plays a vital rle. Culture has several cmpnents; visin and missin, leadership, structure, mutual respect, trend twards new cncepts, kaizen mindset, team wrk and educatinal level. Hence rganizatinal culture f the firm is an intervening variable t bridge the relatinship between Lean tls and their successful implementatin. If crrect implementatin rder, methds (line wise, sectin wise, department wise, cmpany wise) and implementatin strategies (segmentatin methd, Lean team, Lean bt camp, belt prgram, thrugh IE dept.) are used, mst f the tls tend t sustain. 94
Crrect implementatin strategies will lead t less challenges and resistances (backsliding, lack f impelmentain knwhw, lack f training/ awareness etc.) when implementing Lean. If the challenges are high, rganizatins must find effective ways (wrkshps, presentatins, quality circles, leaflets/banners, belt prgram, participative management) f vercming thse challenges. If the challenges are high, chances f sustainability is lw fr any tl. If there are significant benefits (lwer inventry, lwer defects, lwer lead time etc.). chances f sustaining thse tls and techniques are very high. 5.4 Summary In this chapter answers fr the research questins are further discussed. Based n the discussin and ther findings the cnceptual mdel presented in Chapter 3 is mdified and ermerging Lean mdel is presented. It can be seen that rganizatinal culture plays a vital rle in implementing Lean Manufacturing effectively. Als sme prpsitins are derived frm the emerging Lean mdel. 95