Understanding Lean Awareness Gaps between Management and Operations in an Aerospace Manufacturing Company in Malaysia

Lean planning is usually performed by the management team, while lean implementation by the operations team. Lean implementation can be more successful if the gap in lean between the management and operations teams are understood. By knowing the gaps, the right resources can be allocated to the right people doing the right things. This study aims to investigate the gap in lean awareness between both teams. The survey, via Google Form, took place in an aerospace manufacturing company in Malaysia. 360 valid responses received and analyzed with SPSS. Based on the findings, the management team was found to have more working experiences with higher qualifications compared to the operations team. Consistently, the findings have also found the management team has better awareness on lean terminologies, types of waste, and benefits of lean, followed by the technicians and operators, respectively. As a result, there was a clear gap in lean awareness between the management and operations teams. This gap might possibly be influenced by the level of qualifications, and number of experiences. Meanwhile, the findings within the operations team have shown the technicians' awareness on lean is better than the operators. This study implicates that a specific lean awareness program should be designed to suit different level of understanding on lean, for the right people with the right resources. With effective lean program, the implementation will be more successful, and firms can achieve better efficiency and waste reduction.