1,721,290 research outputs found
Why are manufacturing SMEs canceling their ISO 9001 certification? Research from Italy
No full textWe investigated why Italian manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) cancelled ISO 9001 certification from the Italian database and the problems and difficulties that led to this. Eight such problems derived from a literature review and interviews with a Delphi panel of 20 experts were tested through an online questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed by 167 managers from Italian SMEs that have cancelled their ISO 9001 certification. Costs related to consultancy and certification body are no longer a difficulty for maintaining ISO 9001 and neither are misinterpretations with the external auditors or paperwork. Internal audits are considered a problem when they are not managed with the aim of measuring performances. Staff can represent a cost when just dedicated to administrative and bureaucratic activities. The more relevant difficulties were top management commitment, measurability of performances and customers’ current lack of interest in ISO 9001. Respondents’ comments also provided interesting suggestions for practitioners such as quality managers and quality consultants to avoid mistakes while maintaining ISO 9001 certification
Marketing Strategy, Strategic Planning and Corporate Social Responsibility: An Exploratory Research. In: Sustainable Operations Management - Advances in Strategy and Methodology
No full textIn the last decades companies have started embracing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for their Marketing Strategy (MS). Ethical scandals as well as financial scandals linked to companies and their brands have jeopardized several companies and consumers have even started boycotting purchases. Moreover, starting from the 1980s, mass marketing has been transformed into mass customisation and markets have been divided intomicro-markets and even individual markets. In such a scenario customers and markets have become very interested in CSR impacts of the products/services sell by the companies and customers often compare products using this way of thinking. As a consequence, companies have to integrate their strategic marketing initiatives with issues such as environmental management, health and safety for workers, social responsibility and have to take into account how this can affect sales. To the purpose, this research wants to investigate what are the methodologies for strategic planning and MS and subsequently what are the CSR issues related to it. The research is based on a case study of four European large manufacturing companies and demonstrates how MS can change depending on the kind of market and product, even if the budget for MS is similar
Sustainable manufacturing-greening processes using specific Lean Production tools: An empirical observation from European motorcycle component manufacturers
No full textThe main objective of this research is to investigate whether or not Lean Production tools can help reduce the environmental impacts of manufacturing companies. The research is based on empirical observation inside five European companies that manufacture motorcycle components and which are also committed to Lean and environmental management. The environmental impacts of the production processes of the five companies were observed and measured before and after the implementation of five Lean tools: Value Stream Mapping (VSM), 5S, cellular manufacturing, Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). Comparison of the before and after quantitative results reveals interesting and novel results which contribute to the research on the effects of Lean Production on environmental impacts. In particular, VSM can be used to identify the environmental impacts of production processes. 5S can be useful for reducing oil leakage and improving waste management. Cellular manufacturing can lead to a decrease in electricity consumption, whereas TPM can help to reduce several impacts of the machines, such as oil leakage and emissions of dusts and chemical fumes into the atmosphere. By contrast, no significant improvement in environmental impacts was measured after implementation of SMED. The result of this empirical research also revealed other interesting positive effects concerning electricity consumption in general as well as standardization of activities and worker behavior. The originality of this research lies in observing and measuring the effects on environmental impacts of the implementation of five Lean tools, inviting further research toward a general model of Lean Production for the greening of production processe
Risk management and cost reduction of cancer drugs using Lean Six Sigma tools
No full textPurpose: This paper seeks to understand whether some Lean Six Sigma tools are useful to reduce safety and health risks to nurses and physicians who manage cancer drugs. An additional objective is to analyze economic improvements reached by the means of lean six sigma. Design/methodology/approach: An improvement project inside the pharmacy department of an Italian hospital was observed and studied. The project was conducted through the define-measure-analyze-improve-control (DMAIC) pattern typical of Lean Six Sigma. Findings: The FMEA risk analysis shows an improved situation concerning health and safety for nurses and physicians. Furthermore, the centralization and the use of other tools such as value stream mapping (VSM) have led to an interesting saving due to the reduction of immobilized capital inside the stockrooms of the departments. Other unexpected improvements in terms of motion and transportation reduction have occurred. Research limitations/implications: It is difficult to generalize the developed theory from one case study to other public health care organizations. Academics and practitioners could investigate the subject in more detail by the means of other case studies or a quantitative inquiry. Practical implications: The paper suggests an interesting and practical way to reduce risks for health and safety and costs inside pharmacy departments. Originality/value: Lean Six Sigma and its tools have been used for the first time for reducing health and safety risks due to cancer drugs
Corporate social responsibility strategies using the TQM: Hoshin kanri as an alternative system to the balanced scorecard
No full textPurpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implementation of hoshin kanri as a novel alternative system to balanced scorecard (BSC) for deploying corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies. Hoshin kanri stems from the total quality management (TQM) world and it is usually employed for strategies related to such fields. Design/methodology/approach - This research is based on multiple case studies from private sectors. In particular, a qualitative inquiry among ten large manufacturing companies has been carried out. The inquiry is based on document review as well as unstructured interviews. The companies have implemented hoshin kanri for at least five years in all the plants. Findings - The paper demonstrates the full suitability of hoshin kanri for CSR strategies. Hoshin kanri is more flexible than BSC and CSR objectives can be managed at the same level as financial and market ones. A particular hoshin kanri process called "catchball" creates a large consensus and involvement of the staff and management. Moreover it has been found that managers and employee are supposed to manage CSR measures day-by-day with a strong sense of urgency when daily CSR measures do not perform well, reinforcing the value of pursuing an effective CSR implementation and performance measurement. Research limitations/implications - This research is based on a limited sample of ten private case studies. Furthermore BSC analysis is mainly based on what other studies have investigated on it. TQM researchers should carry out a quantitative survey in order to understand if these results can be generalised and validated as hypotheses. Practical implications - Practitioners are now informed and aware of the prospect of using a different system for deploying and managing CSR strategies; the discussion of the results shows them examples and a model in this sense. Originality/value - For the first time a research has compared in the private sector two important strategic systems, BSC and the TQM hoshin kanri, regarding their suitability of use for CSR strategies. In particular there is no trace in the literature of an in-depth analysis of hoshin kanri applied in CSR context
Effect of ISO 9001 non-conformity process on cost of poor quality in capital-intensive sectors
No full textPurpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether there are differences in terms of the effect of the ISO 9001 non-conformity process on the cost of poor quality in different sectors. In particular, to investigate the effect on six sectors of companies which manufacture their products mainly through machines and plant (i.e. capital-intensive companies). An additional aim is to understand what the reasons for these differences are and why ISO 9001 has limitations in reducing the different categories of costs of poor quality. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a questionnaire administered to a sample of 42 companies divided into six different sectors: chemical, pharmaceutical, mechanical, food, ceramic and steel. Respondents were asked to give a percentage score for the contribution the ISO 9001 non-conformity process makes to the reduction in total cost of poor quality and to its categories: scrap, rework, machine stoppage, re-inspections, rejected products and recall cost. A one-way Anova test was applied to the means of the percentage scores to determine whether there are differences between the means of the total cost of poor quality and its categories. Qualitative comments and suggestions from the companies provided information that helped explain the reasons for such differences. Findings – The results of the research show that there is no difference within and between the sectors in the means of the total cost of poor quality and scrap cost, whereas there are significant differences in the means of the other costs of poor quality between the six sectors. The ISO 9001 non-conformity process has limitations in reducing the costs of poor quality and suggestions concerning the limitations of ISO 9001 in the Research and Development process emerge. Research limitations/implications – The generalizability of the research findings is limited because of the use of just six sectors of capital-intensive companies. Further research about differences in different sectors is needed. Practical implications – The implications of this research are useful for consultants and managers who want to understand what the limitations of the ISO 9001 non-conformity process are on the cost of poor quality in the six sectors. The findings clearly show how, together with ISO 9001, they should take into account other improvement processes such as periodic maintenance and revamping. Originality/value – The paper discusses in a quantitative way and for the first time the effects of the ISO 9001 non-conformity process on the cost of poor qualit
A comparison between time-driven activity-based costing and value stream accounting in a lean Six Sigma manufacturing case study
No full textMany companies have implemented lean and/or Six Sigma to improve processes and reduce the cost of a product. At the same time, managers have tried to measure how these improvements can affect the cost of product. In the recent past, two relatively new accounting systems have been implemented along with lean and Six Sigma improvements. The first is called value stream accounting; it stems from lean accounting or lean costing and requires processes to be reorganised to fit value streams. The second is time-driven activity-based costing which derives from the older activity-based costing and proposes a precise and analytic pattern for calculating costs. Although the literature in general claims that both are suitable for lean Six Sigma environments, there is a lack of comparison between the two accounting systems. Through the findings of a case study carried out in a medium-sized manufacturing company, this research for the first time shows that there are significant differences in implementing the two accounting systems. The comparison has been made using the calculations of the cost of products within a reorganised value stream. The differences are very useful for those managers and practitioners who want to understand in which situation it is better to implement one system rather than the other one. Further research is needed in order to understand whether or not the findings can be generalised
Improvement of OEE performance using a Lean Six Sigma approach: An Italian manufacturing case study
No full textLean Six Sigma is a well-consolidated approach for improving processes. However, for some companies the use and project management of Six Sigma tools and Lean Production is unclear. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the use and project management of Six Sigma tools and Lean Production by discussing a novel case study dedicated to the improvement of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). The case study was conducted in a medium-sized company which produces injection moulded parts in plastic using several presses. One of these machines had a poor OEE with a large variability. This led to the company not satisfying a customer in terms of on-time delivery performance. The poor OEE led to high costs in terms of work-in-process and re-inspections of the products. Following a typical define-measure-analyse-improve-control (DMAIC) pattern, a dedicated team of the company defined the set-up times and the internal diameter of the product as critical to quality characteristics (CTQs). The root causes of the variability of the CTQs were identified through a cause-effect diagram and a Chi-square test. Afterwards, the team removed the root causes and improved the CTQs which have increased the OEE from 40% to 61%, reducing its variability. Tools such as 5S, Single Minute Exchange of Die and poka-yoke were implemented to remove the root causes
Lean production: Mistakes and limitations of accounting systems inside the SME sector
No full textPurpose: Implementation of lean production introduces the problem of what kind of management accounting to use. The purpose of this paper is to analyse aberrations that are typically created when traditional accounting is used in a lean organisation. Furthermore, the purpose is to discuss whether activity-based costing (ABC) and value stream accounting are suitable for lean production. These three accounting systems are compared under the particular conditions of a small-to medium-sized enterprise (SME) that is in an early stage of lean implementation. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on a case study carried out within a SME illustrated by three examples. In the first and second examples the SME analyses how the introduction of improvements, by the means of lean production, can lead to cost product mistakes when traditional accounting calculations are used. The second example deals with a comparison benchmark between traditional accounting and ABC. The third example analyses value stream accounting as an alternative to ABC and discusses the implications and limits for the SME. Findings: The results of the examples show first, the possible mistakes introduced by traditional accounting, and second, how the costing of a manufacturing lot varies when using traditional accounting and ABC. In addition, the results illustrate the interrelationships between lean production, ABC and value stream accounting. In particular, ABC seems to introduce some difficulties in terms of IT automation, and there are difficulties with value stream accounting because it requires a particular value stream-based organisation not particularly suitable for this SME. Research limitations/implications: The generalisability of the research findings is limited because of the use of a case study within a SME in which lean production is in an early stage of application and has a particular flexible organisation. This implies a need for further studies on other SMEs in different organisational situations. Practical implications: The implications are useful for SMEs that are implementing lean production and are thinking of achangeover from traditional accounting. The results can guide SMEs in the selection of the most effective accounting system considering particular factors such as the state of lean implementation, whether the organisation is value stream oriented or type of products manufactured. Originality/value: The paper discusses for the first time the implications of ABC and in particular of Value Stream Accounting inside a SME that is implementing Lean Productio
Relationships between total quality management and Six Sigma inside European manufacturing companies: A dedicated survey
No full textThis paper investigates the relationships between total quality management (TQM) and Six Sigma as viewed by a sample of 176 European manufacturing companies. The purpose is to understand whether or not TQM has been pushed into the background by Six Sigma or whether the two models are used alongside each other in manufacturing companies. Findings from a literature review were transformed into a questionnaire; the questions represent the hypotheses to be validated. The quality managers of the 176 companies completed the questionnaire in an interview and the responses were analysed by the means of frequency tables and percentage pie-charts. Interesting findings concerning what the companies think about TQM and Six Sigma have emerged. In particular, the relationships between TQM and Six Sigma and corporate social responsibility, staff involvement and management of improvements. In this way the research tries to fill a gap existing in literatur
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