Assessing the Sustainment of a Lean Implementation Using System Dynamics Modeling

The adoption of the lean approach has yet to extend to the majority of manufacturers in developing countries where traditional work practices are dominant and cultural resistance to change is high. This research consists of a case study about lean implementation at a clothing manufacturer in a developing country. Production wastes are identified and appropriate lean techniques, namely Total Productive Maintenance, Kanban and Supermarket Pull, are identified to eliminate or reduce them. The potential impacts on the manufacturing system are first assessed using a system dynamics model. The modeling results showed a “getting worse before getting better” behavior as work-in-process increased in the short-term, before a net reduction of 34% on average was achieved over the first 3 months. This result was replicated by a similar trend in the actual lean implementation on the factory floor, showing the usefulness of SD modeling for supporting the sustainability of lean interventions where short-term drawbacks can be deceptive when compared to the long-term benefits of lean.