Making a virtue of necessity once again: assessing the effect of temporary labor on lean practices in highly routinized environments

IF 3.8 2区 工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, INDUSTRIAL
Lucas López‐Manuel, Antonio Sartal, Xosé H. Vázquez
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Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate how temporary labor moderates the relation between two well-known lean initiatives (process flow and process quality) and line productivity. This paper focuses on high-volume, low-variety (HVLV) shop floors, where work experience may not be as relevant as expected and extrinsic motivation of the temporary workforce could become a key driver of individual performance. Design/methodology/approach The authors follow an insider econometrics approach based on panel microdata (1,793 observations) from nine lines over two years in a Spanish manufacturing plant. The authors selected this setting for two reasons: Spain has traditionally had one of the highest levels of temporary employment in the world, so it perfectly represents labor market trends in OECD countries. Simultaneously, the authors also searched for a type of shop floor that could be representative of one of the most common manufacturing environments: a shop floor with highly repetitive and low-complexity work tasks. Findings The results of this paper suggest that in HVLV environments, temporary labor could contribute up to a 1.4% improvement in line productivity, provided there is a strong lean implementation. Otherwise, the use of temporary labor could undermine the positive effects of both process flow and process quality on plant productivity. Originality/value External incentives derived from high levels of unemployment, coupled with manufacturing’s increasing automation and specialization, may be minimizing the weaknesses traditionally associated with temporary workers in lean environments. By contrast, those shop floors lacking lean standards face serious productivity consequences from adjusting to global trends by using temporary work.
再次发挥必要性的优点:在高度常规化的环境中评估临时工对精益实践的影响
目的本文的目的是评估临时工如何调节两个众所周知的精益计划(工艺流程和工艺质量)与生产线生产力之间的关系。本文关注的是高容量、低多样性(HVLV)车间,在那里,工作经验可能不如预期的那么相关,临时员工的外在动机可能成为个人绩效的关键驱动力。设计/方法论/方法作者采用了一种内部计量经济学方法,该方法基于西班牙一家制造厂两年内九条生产线的面板微观数据(1793次观察)。作者选择这种环境有两个原因:西班牙传统上是世界上临时就业水平最高的国家之一,因此它完美地代表了经合组织国家的劳动力市场趋势。同时,作者还寻找了一种可以代表最常见制造环境之一的车间类型:具有高度重复性和低复杂性工作任务的车间。发现本文的结果表明,在HVLV环境中,如果有强有力的精益实施,临时工可以使生产线生产力提高1.4%。否则,临时工的使用可能会破坏工艺流程和工艺质量对工厂生产力的积极影响。创意/价值高失业率带来的外部激励,加上制造业日益自动化和专业化,可能会最大限度地减少传统上与精益环境中的临时工相关的弱点。相比之下,那些缺乏精益标准的车间因使用临时工作来适应全球趋势而面临严重的生产力后果。
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 Lean Six Sigma
International Journal of Lean Six Sigma Engineering-Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
CiteScore
8.90
自引率
15.00%
发文量
46
期刊介绍: Launched in 2010, International Journal of Lean Six Sigma publishes original, empirical and review papers, case studies and theoretical frameworks or models related to Lean and Six Sigma methodologies. High quality submissions are sought from academics, researchers, practitioners and leading management consultants from around the world. Research, case studies and examples can be cited from manufacturing, service and public sectors. This includes manufacturing, health, financial services, local government, education, professional services, IT Services, transport, etc.
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