Are lean and digital engaging better problem solvers? An empirical study on Italian manufacturing firms

IF 7.1 2区管理学 Q1 MANAGEMENT

International Journal of Operations & Production Management Pub Date : 2024-03-22 DOI:10.1108/ijopm-06-2023-0477

Ambra Galeazzo, Andrea Furlan, Diletta Tosetto, Andrea Vinelli

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose

We studied the relationship between job engagement and systematic problem solving (SPS) among shop-floor employees and how lean production (LP) and Internet of Things (IoT) systems moderate this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

We collected data from a sample of 440 shop floor workers in 101 manufacturing work units across 33 plants. Because our data is nested, we employed a series of multilevel regression models to test the hypotheses. The application of IoT systems within work units was evaluated by our research team through direct observations from on-site visits.

Findings

Our findings indicate a positive association between job engagement and SPS. Additionally, we found that the adoption of lean bundles positively moderates this relationship, while, surprisingly, the adoption of IoT systems negatively moderates this relationship. Interestingly, we found that, when the adoption of IoT systems is complemented by a lean management system, workers tend to experience a higher effect on the SPS of their engagement.

Research limitations/implications

One limitation of this research is the reliance on the self-reported data collected from both workers (job engagement, SPS and control variables) and supervisors (lean bundles). Furthermore, our study was conducted in a specific country, Italy, which might have limitations on the generalizability of the results since cross-cultural differences in job engagement and SPS have been documented.

Practical implications

Our findings highlight that employees’ strong engagement in SPS behaviors is shaped by the managerial and technological systems implemented on the shop floor. Specifically, we point out that implementing IoT systems without the appropriate managerial practices can pose challenges to fostering employee engagement and SPS.

Originality/value

This paper provides new insights on how lean and new technologies contribute to the development of learning-to-learn capabilities at the individual level by empirically analyzing the moderating effects of IoT systems and LP on the relationship between job engagement and SPS.

查看原文本刊更多论文

精益和数字化是否能更好地解决问题？对意大利制造企业的实证研究

目的我们研究了车间员工的工作投入与系统性问题解决（SPS）之间的关系，以及精益生产（LP）和物联网（IoT）系统如何调节这种关系。由于数据是嵌套的，我们采用了一系列多层次回归模型来检验假设。我们的研究团队通过现场访问的直接观察，对工作单位内物联网系统的应用情况进行了评估。此外，我们还发现，精益捆绑包的采用正向调节了这一关系，而令人惊讶的是，物联网系统的采用负向调节了这一关系。有趣的是，我们发现当采用物联网系统的同时辅以精益管理系统时，工人的工作参与度往往会对 SPS 产生更高的影响。研究局限性/启示本研究的一个局限性是依赖于从工人（工作参与度、SPS 和控制变量）和主管（精益捆绑）两方面收集的自我报告数据。此外，我们的研究是在一个特定的国家（意大利）进行的，这可能会限制研究结果的普遍性，因为工作投入和 SPS 的跨文化差异已被记录在案。我们的研究结果突出表明，员工对 SPS 行为的强烈投入是由车间实施的管理和技术系统决定的。本文通过实证分析物联网系统和 LP 对工作投入和 SPS 之间关系的调节作用，就精益和新技术如何促进个人学习能力的发展提供了新的见解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Operations & Production Management MANAGEMENT-

CiteScore

13.30

自引率

17.20%

发文量

期刊介绍： The mission of the International Journal of Operations & Production Management (IJOPM) is to publish cutting-edge, innovative research with the potential to significantly advance the field of Operations and Supply Chain Management, both in theory and practice. Drawing on experiences from manufacturing and service sectors, in both private and public contexts, the journal has earned widespread respect in this complex and increasingly vital area of business management. Methodologically, IJOPM encompasses a broad spectrum of empirically-based inquiry using suitable research frameworks, as long as they offer generic insights of substantial value to operations and supply chain management. While the journal does not categorically exclude specific empirical methodologies, it does not accept purely mathematical modeling pieces. Regardless of the chosen mode of inquiry or methods employed, the key criteria are appropriateness of methodology, clarity in the study's execution, and rigor in the application of methods. It's important to note that any contribution should explicitly contribute to theory. The journal actively encourages the use of mixed methods where appropriate and valuable for generating research insights.