Assessment of lean practices in small and medium garment manufacturing companies in South-Western Nigeria

Abstract

The Nigerian garment industry has significantly contributed to the Gross Domestic Product of the country. However, this multibillion naira, small and medium scale enterprises have a higher potential to generate huge revenue, provided lean manufacturing concepts are adopted. In this study, the awareness level and the adoption of lean concepts were assessed using a survey technique. In the survey, 40 complete responses were received by administering 60 copies of a structured questionnaire based on five-point Likert scale. By analyzing the responses using descriptive statistics and mean item score, it was deduced that teamwork is the most predominant lean concept that is currently been practiced in the South-Western Nigeria garment industry with the highest mean score of 3.63. Just-in-time supply, workforce commitment, daily schedule and product design have witnessed the influence of the implementation of lean practices. In the garment industry, the practice of the few lean concepts resulted in a significant improvement in the quality of the garments produced. However, a lack of understanding on how to implement the lean concepts has been a major barrier in this industry. Hence, comprehensive trainings, seminars and workshops for the key players in the industry are proposed to increase the knowledge and adoption of lean concepts.