Abstract
Players in the automotive industry have been adopting different strategies to remain competitive, including product and process innovation, Lean Manufacturing, and, more recently, Green Manufacturing. In this paper, we seek to explore the integration of Lean and Green manufacturing activities from the perspective of Operations Management and Operations Strategy. We carried out case studies at four Original Equipment Manufacturers and two first-tier suppliers in the automotive industry, examining their operations strategies, their Lean practices and their Green practices to discuss whether Lean and Green practices were integrated and aligned with companies' operations priorities. We found that companies have adopted different Operations Strategies considering operations competitive priorities, decision areas subjected to changes, and Lean and Green practices implemented. Cases analysed show different levels of Lean and Green Manufacturing adoption and different levels of integration of Lean practices and Green practices. The study indicates that the implementation of an operations strategy, with the addition of the Environment to the set of competitive priorities and involving the implementation of Lean and Green practices – or the implementation of Green practices in production systems that have already adopted Lean practices –, is a complex management task.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Source: The authors
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abualfaraa W, Salonitis K, Al-Ashaab A, Ala’raj M (2020) Lean-green manufacturing practices and their link with sustainability: a critical review. Sustainability (Switzerland) 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12030981
Aguado S, Alvarez R, Domingo R (2013) Model of efficient and sustainable improvements in a lean production system through processes of environmental innovation. J Clean Prod 47:141–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.11.044
Ahmadi-Gh Z, Bello-Pintado A (2022) Why is manufacturing not more sustainable? the effects of different sustainability practices on sustainability outcomes and competitive advantage. J Clean Prod 337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.130392
Alves JRX, Alves JM (2015) Production Management Model Integrating the Principles of Lean Manufacturing and Sustainability Supported by the Cultural Transformation of a Company. Int J Prod Res 53(17):5320–5333. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2015.1033032
Angell LC, Klassen RD (1999) Integrating environmental issues into the mainstream: an agenda for research in operations management. J Oper Manag 17(5):575–598. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-6963(99)00006-6
Anvari A, Zulkifli N, Yusuff RM (2011) Evaluation of approaches to safety in lean manufacturing and safety management systems and clarification of the relationship between them. World Appl Sci J 15:19–26. https://doi.org/10.5829/idosi.wasj.2011.15.01.829
Azevedo SG, Carvalho H, Duarte S, Cruz-Machado V (2012) Influence of green and lean upstream supply chain management practices on business sustainability. IEEE Trans Eng Manage 59(4):753–765. https://doi.org/10.1109/TEM.2012.2189108
Azevedo SG, Carvalho H, Cruz-Machado V (2016) LARG index: a benchmarking tool for improving the leanness, agility, resilience and greenness of the automotive supply chain. Benchmarking 23(6):1472–1499. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-07-2014-0072
Ball P (2015) Low energy production impact on lean flow. J Manuf Technol Manag 26(3):412–428. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-12-2012-0120
Belhadi A, Touriki FE, El Fezazi S (2018) Benefits of adopting lean production on green performance of SMEs: a case study. Prod Plan Control 29(11):873–894. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2018.1490971
Bhatt Y, Ghuman K, Dhir A (2020) Sustainable manufacturing. Bibliometrics and content analysis. J Clean Prod 260:120–988. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120988
Bortolotti T, Boscari S, Danese P (2015) Successful lean implementation: organizational culture and soft lean practices. Int J Prod Econ 160:182–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2014.10.013
Boyer KK, Lewis MW (2002) Competitive priorities: investigating the need for trade-offs in operations strategy. Prod Oper Manag 11(1):9–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1937-5956.2002.tb00181.x
Braglia M, Castellano D, Gabbrielli R, Marrazzini L (2020) Energy Cost Deployment (ECD): a novel lean approach to tackling energy losses. J Clean Prod 246(xxxx):119056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119056
Campos LMS, Vazquez-Brust DA (2016) Lean and green synergies in supply chain management. Supply Chain Manag 21(5):627–641. https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-03-2016-0101
Cherrafi A, Elfezazi S, Chiarini A, Mokhlis A, Benhida K (2016) The integration of lean manufacturing, six sigma and sustainability: a literature review and future research directions for developing a specific model. J Clean Prod 139:828–846. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.08.101
Cherrafi A, Elfezazi S, Govindan K, Garza-Reyes JA, Benhida K, Mokhlis A (2017) A framework for the integration of green and lean six sigma for superior sustainability performance. Int J Prod Res 55(15):4481–4515. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2016.1266406
Choudhari SC, Adil GK, Ananthakumar U (2010) Congruence of manufacturing decision areas in a production system: a research framework. Int J Prod Res 48(20):5963–5989. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207540903164644
Crute V, Ward Y, Brown S, Graves A (2003) Implementing Lean in Aerospace - Challenging the assumptions and understanding the challenges. Technovation 23(12):917–928. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-4972(03)00081-6
De Carvalho AC, Granja AD, Da Silva VG (2017) A systematic literature review on integrative lean and sustainability synergies over a building’s lifecycle. Sustainability (Switzerland) 9(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/su9071156
Dieste M, Panizzolo R, Garza-Reyes JA (2020) Evaluating the impact of lean practices on environmental performance: evidences from five manufacturing companies. Prod Plan Control 31(9):739–756. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2019.1681535
Dilip Maruthi G, Rashmi R (2015) Green manufacturing: It’s tools and techniques that can be implemented in manufacturing sectors. Mater Today Proc 2(4–5):3350–3355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2015.07.308
Dohale AG, Akarte MM, Verma P (2021) 52 Years of manufacturing strategy: an evolutionary review of literature (1969–2021). Int J Prod Res. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2021.1971788
Duarte S, Cruz Machado V (2017) Green and lean implementation: an assessment in the automotive industry. Int J Lean Six Sigma 8(1):65–88. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLSS-11-2015-0041
Duarte S, Cruz-Machado V (2019) Green and lean supply-chain transformation: a roadmap. Prod Plan Control 30(14):1170–1183. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2019.1595207
Dües CM, Tan KH, Lim M (2013) Green as the new lean: how to use lean practices as a catalyst to greening your supply chain. J Clean Prod 40:93–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.12.023
Ferdows K, De Meyer A (1990) Lasting improvements in manufacturing performance. In search of a new theory. J Oper Manag 9(2):168–184. https://doi.org/10.1016/0272-6963(90)90094-T
Fine C, Hax A (1985) Manufacturing strategy: a methodology and an ilustration. Interfaces 15(6):28–46
Florida R (1996) Lean and green: the move to environmentally conscious manufacturing richard florida First Published October 1, 1996 Research Article https://doi.org/10.2307/41165877. Article Information No Access Article Information Calif Manag Rev 39(1):80–105
Flynn BB, Flynn EJ (2004) An exploratory study of the nature of cumulative capabilities. J Oper Manag 22(5):439–457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2004.03.002
Fu X, Guo M, Zhanwen N (2017) Applying the green embedded lean production model in developing countries: a case study of China. Environ Dev 24:22–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2017.02.004
Garvin DA (1993) Manufacturing strategic planning. Calif Manage Rev 35(4):85–106. https://doi.org/10.2307/41166756
Garza-Reyes JA (2015) Lean and green-a systematic review of the state of the art literature. J Clean Prod 102:18–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.04.064
Garza-Reyes JA, Kumar V, Chaikittisilp S, Tan KH (2018a) The effect of lean methods and tools on the environmental performance of manufacturing organisations. Int J Prod Econ 200(March):170–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2018.03.030
Garza-Reyes JA, Romero JT, Govindan K, Cherrafi A, Ramanathan U (2018b) A PDCA-based approach to environmental value stream mapping (E-VSM). J Clean Prod 180:335–348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.01.121
Gholami R (2015) The application of green lean six sigma: a case study in a manufacturing firm. In: Singh BK (ed) Handbook of Research on Green Manufacturing and Economic Sustainability. Hershey, PA, IGI Global, pp 396–413
González-Benito J (2010) Supply strategy and business performance. Int J Oper Prod Manag 30(8):774–797
Gupta S, Dangayach GS, Singh AK, Meena ML, Rao PN (2018) Implementation of sustainable manufacturing practices in Indian manufacturing companies. Benchmarking 25:2441–2459. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-12-2016-018
Hayes R, Pisano G, Upton D, Wheelwright SC (2004) Operations, strategy, and technology – pursuing the competitive edge. John Wiley & Sons Inc, New York, NY.
Hayes RH, Upton D, Pisano G, Wheelwright SC (2007) Produção, Estratégia e Tecnologia: Em Busca Da Vantagem Competitiva. Bookman, Porto Alegre, RS
Holweg M (2007) The genealogy of lean production. J Oper Manag 25(2):420–437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2006.04.001
Jabbour CJC, De Sousa Jabbour ABL, Govindan K et al (2013) Environmental management and operational performance in automotive companies in Brazil: The role of human resource management and lean manufacturing. J Clean Prod 47:129–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.07.010
Jagoda K, Kiridena S, Lin X (2016) Alternative operations strategy processes: do they matter? Prod Plan Control 27:740–752. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2016.1166284
Ketokivi M, Choi TY (2014) Renaissance of case research as a scientific method. J Oper Manag 32(5):232–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2014.05.001
Khan MP, Talib NA, Kowang TO (2020) The development of a sustainability framework via lean green six sigma practices in SMEs based upon RBV theory. Int J Innov Creativity Change 12(5):135–156
Kim JS, Arnold P (1996) Operationalizing manufacturing strategy: an exploratory study of constructs and linkage. Int J Oper Prod Manag 16(12):45–73. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443579610151751
King AA, Lenox MJ (2001) Lean and green? an empirical examination of the relationship between lean production and environmental performance. Prod Oper Manag 10(3):244–256. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1937-5956.2001.tb00373.x
Kleindorfer PR, Singhal K, Van Wassenhove LN (2005) Sustainable operations management. Prod Oper Manag 14(4):482–492. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1937-5956.2005.tb00235.x
Krafcik JF (1988) Triumph of the lean production system. Sloan Manag Rev. http://search.proquest.com/docview/224963951/abstract?accountid=10218
Leong GK, Snyder DL, Ward PT (1990) Research in the process and content of manufacturing strategy. Omega 18(2):109–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-0483(90)90058-H
Liker JK (2004) The toyota way: 14 Management principles from the world’s greatest manufacturer. 1st ed. McGraw-Hill Education, New York
Longoni A, Cagliano R (2015) Environmental and social sustainability prioritiesn: their integration in operations strategies. Int J Oper Prod Manag 35(2):216–345. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-04-2013-0182
Longoni A, Golini R, Cagliano R (2014) The role of new forms of work organization in developing sustainability strategies in operations. Int J Prod Econ 147(PART A):147–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2013.09.009
Losonci D, Demeter K (2013) Lean production and business performance: international empirical results. Compet Rev 23(3):218–233. https://doi.org/10.1108/10595421311319816
Marcus AA, Fremeth AR (2009) Green management matters regardless. Acad Manag Perspect 23(3):17–26. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2009.43479261
Miller G, Pawloski J, Standridge C (2010) A case study of lean, sustainable manufacturing. J Ind Eng Manag 3(1):11–32. https://doi.org/10.3926/jiem.2010.v3n1.p11-32
Miltenburg J (2005) Manufacturing strategy : how to formulate and implement a winning plan. Modern Casting. 2nd ed. Vol 94. New York, NY: Productivity Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315687803-9
Minh ND, Nguyen ND, Cuong PK (2019) Applying lean tools and principles to reduce cost of waste management: an empirical research in Vietnam. Manag Prod Eng Rev 10(1):37–49. https://doi.org/10.24425/mper.2019.128242
Mirzaei EN, Fredriksson A, Winroth M (2016) Strategic consensus on manufacturing strategy content: including the operators’ perceptions. Int J Oper Prod Manag 36(4):429–466. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-07-2014-0309
Mollenkopf D, Stolze H, Tate WL, Ueltschy M (2010) Green, lean, and global supply chains. Int J Phys Distrib Logist Manag 40(1–2):14–41. https://doi.org/10.1108/09600031011018028
Mostafa S, Dumrak J, Soltan H (2013) A Framework for lean manufacturing implementation. Prod Manuf Res 1(1):44–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/21693277.2013.862159
Ng R, Low JSC, Song B (2015) Integrating and implementing lean and green practices based on proposition of carbon-value efficiency metric. J Clean Prod 95:242–255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.02.043
Ohno T (1988) Toyota production system: beyond large scale production. Productivity Press, New York, NY
Oliveira JA, Devos Ganga GM, Godinho Filho M, Silva DA, dos Santos MP, Aldaya Garde IA, Penchel RA, Esposto KF, Ometto AR (2021) Environmental and operational performance is not always achieved when combined with cleaner production and lean production: An overview for emerging economies. J Environ Plan Manag. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2021.1940888
Pampanelli AB, Found P, Bernardes AM (2014) A lean & green model for a production cell. J Clean Prod 85:19–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.06.014
Pathak P, Singh MP (2017) Sustainable manufacturing concepts: a literature review. Int J Eng Tech Mgmt Res 4(6):1–13. https://doi.org/10.29121/ijetmr.v4.i6.2017.74
Paul ID, Bhole GP, Chaudhari JR (2014) A review on green manufacturing: it’s important, methodology and its application. Procedia Mater Sci 6(Icmpc):1644–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mspro.2014.07.149
Pil FK, Rothenberg S (2003) Environmental performance as a driver of superior quality. Prod Oper Manag 12(3):404–415. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1937-5956.2003.tb00211.x
Porter ME, Van der Linde C (1995) Green and competitive : ending the stalemate green and competitive. Harv Bus Rev 73(5):120–34. http://hbr.org/product/green-and-competitive-ending-the-stalemate/an/95507-PDF-ENG
Prasad S, Khanduja D, Sharma SK (2016) An empirical study on applicability of lean and green practices in the Foundry Industry. J Manuf Technol Manag 27(3):408–426. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-08-2015-0058
Rothenberg S, Pil FK, Maxwell J (2001) Lean, green, and the quest for superior environmental performance. Prod Oper Manag 10(3):228–243. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1937-5956.2001.tb00372.x
Ruben R, Ben SV, Asokan P (2017a) Implementation of lean six sigma framework with environmental considerations in an indian automotive component manufacturing Firm: a case study. Prod Plan Control 28(15):1193–1211. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2017.1357215
Ruben R, Ben PA, Vinodh S (2017b) Performance evaluation of lean sustainable systems using adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system: a case study. Int J Sustain Eng 10(3):158–175. https://doi.org/10.1080/19397038.2017.1286409
Ruben RB, Vinodh S, Asokan P (2020) Development of structural equation model for lean six sigma system incorporated with sustainability considerations. Int J Lean Six Sigma 11(4):687–710. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLSS-11-2018-0123
Ruiz-Benitez R, López C, Real JC (2019) Achieving sustainability through the lean and resilient management of the supply chain abstract. Int J Phys Distrib Logist Manag 49(2):122–155. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-10-2017-0320
Salvador R, Piekarski CM, Francisco ACD (2017) Approach of the two-way influence between Lean and Green Manufacturing and its connection to related organisational areas. Int J Prod Manag Eng 5(2):73. https://doi.org/10.4995/ijpme.2017.7013
Sanchez Rodrigues V, Kumar M (2019) Synergies and misalignments in lean and green practices: a logistics industry perspective. Prod Plan Control 30(5–6):369–384. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2018.1501812
Sawhney R, Teparakul P, Bagchi A, Li X (2007) En-lean: a framework to align Lean and Green Manufacturing in the metal cutting supply chain. Int J Enterp Netw Manag 1(3):238–260. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJENM.2007.012757
Shah R, Ward PT (2007) Defining and Developing Measures of Lean Production. J Oper Manag 25(4):785–805. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2007.01.019
Siegel R, Antony J, Garza-Reyes JA, Cherrafi A, Lameijer B (2019) Integrated green lean approach and sustainability for smes: from literature review to a conceptual framework. J Clean Prod 240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118205
Skinner W (1969) Manufacturing - Missing link in the corporate strategy. Harv Bus Rev 47(3):136–145
Skinner W (1996) Perspectives manufacturing strategy ‘ S ’ curve. Prod Oper Manag 5(1):3–14
Skinner W (1974) The focused factory. Harvard Business Review 52:113–121
Slack N, Lewis M (2011) Operations strategy. Operations Strategy. 3rd ed. Pearson Education Limited. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203361528_chapter_11
Souza JPE, Alves JM (2018) Lean-integrated management system: a model for sustainability improvement. J Clean Prod 172:2667–2682. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.11.144
Thanki S, Govindan K, Thakkar J (2016) An investigation on lean-green implementation practices in Indian SMEs using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) approach. J Clean Prod 135:284–298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.06.105
Tiwari R, Sadeghi J, Eseonu C (2020) A sustainable lean production framework with a case implementation: Practice-based view theory. J Clean Prod 258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120787
Torielli RM, Abrahams RA, Smillie RW, Voigt RC (2010) Using lean methodologies for economically and environmentally sustainable foundries. In 69th World Foundry Congress 2010, WFC 2010 Vol. 2, pp 710– 726
Vinodh S, Arvind KR, Somanaathan M (2011) Tools and techniques for enabling sustainability through lean initiatives. Clean Technol Environ Policy 13(3):469–479. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-010-0329-x
Voss CA (1995) Alternative paradigms for manufacturing strategy. Int J Oper Prod Manag 15(4):5–16. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443579510083587
Voss CA (2005) Paradigms of manufacturing strategy re-visited. Int J Oper Prod Manag 25(12):1223–1227. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443570510633620
Wang Z, Subramanian N, Gunasekaran A, Abdulrahman MD, Liu C (2015) Composite sustainable manufacturing practice and performance framework: Chinese auto-parts suppliers’ perspective. Int J Prod Econ 170:219–233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2015.09.035
Ward PT, Bickford DJ, Leong GK (1996) Configurations of manufacturing strategy, business strategy, environment and structure. J Manage 22:597–626. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639602200404
Wheelwright SC (1984) Manufacturing strategy: defining the missing link. Strateg Manag J 5:77–91
Womack JP, Jones DT (2003) Lean thinking: banish waste and create wealth. Free Press; New York
Wong WP, Wong KY (2014) Synergizing an ecosphere of lean for sustainable operations. J Clean Prod 85:51–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.05.093
Yin RK (2017) Case study research and applications: design and methods. 6th ed Vol 1. Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjpe.30.1.108
Acknowledgements
We thank the support of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Level Personnel (CAPES). We also thank the two anonymous reviewers, who provided us with expert guidance and critique throughout the review process. In addition, we acknowledge the companies that agreed to take part in this research.
Funding
CAPES.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could appear to influence the work reported in this paper.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Queiroz, G.A., Filho, A.G.A., Núñez, J.F. et al. Lean and Green Manufacturing in operations strategy: cases from the automotive industry. Oper Manag Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12063-024-00477-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12063-024-00477-1