Abstract
The study aims to develop knowledge frameworks that subordinate and offsets all known barriers in implementing lean manufacturing in the automotive supply chain industry in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province of South Africa. The investigation investigated the barriers to lean culture which were later used to develop methods of overcoming the risks of failure in implementing lean from both the literature and the automotive supply chain companies in KZN.
The literature obtained ten generic operational barriers that were used elsewhere and in the automotive industries in South Africa (SA). The automotive industries in KZN unveiled seven more operational areas which were previously treated as attributes. The areas are Green technologies, profitability and sustainability, marketing, core values, the workforce culture, and motivation.
In addition, available literature lacked the frameworks and models that specify the procedures for each operational area. Models and frameworks were developed for each operational area from the specific needs of the automotive industry. The implementation is in two stages, the pilot which demands less resource (5S and PDCA), and the full implementation stage using multiple resources, technology, equipment education and training to allow the convergence of lean.
A mixed research method was used and data was obtained using questionnaires, interviews and observations at the automotive industry in SA. Literature served as secondary sources of data. The strategic plan was developed to be used by aspiring candidates for lean adoption. The study showed that the successful implementation of lean rested on the strategic goals of ASC.
The framework for risk management guided and controlled the value stream against the eight wastes. The divergence theory was used by late adopters to deduce and discover benefits of lean for continuous improvement. Lean philosophy places each employee at a workstation where his talent and passion could be exploited to deduce and discover new ways of doing the tasks. Transparency, team rewards and respect for people is key motivate the workforce to buy-in lean.
The study is significant in providing solutions to lean barriers using frameworks and models. The frameworks and models can be used by academics in teaching and learning and formulating future lean implementing projects at post and undergraduate studies. It outlays the need to focus on specific and related industries, instead of mixing industries such as metal manufacturing with plastic moulding factories.