Business Sustainability in Post COVID-19 Era by Integrated LSS-AM Model in Manufacturing: A Structural Equation Modeling

Abstract

The Manufacturing sector has suffered to a great extent due to global pandemic COVID-19. This pandemic is forcing the manufacturing industries to look forward to a long term and sustainable business plan, which ensures sustainability in three different aspects i.e. Social, Economic, and Environment. This demands a never before need of higher value to the customer in lesser resources. Implementation of innovative approaches of integrated manufacturing practices i.e. Lean Six Sigma (LSS) and Agile Manufacturing (AM) are need of the hour for long-term business sustainability which can be done by ensuring waste elimination and by adjusting the dynamic changes in the demands and requirements simultaneously without compromising in quality. However, the strategic linkage between LSS and AM practices with the three pillars of sustainability has yet not been described in the literature. In this study an integrated model which consists of six constructs i.e. Managerial practices (C1), Organizational culture practices (C2), Technological practices (C3), Economical Aspects (C4), Social Aspects (C5) and Environmental Aspects (C6) was developed. The purpose of the paper is to scrutinize the relationships between the integrated LSS and AM practices and three aspects of sustainability through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique.. The results of this study depict that there is a correlation exists between integrated LSS –AM practices and sustainability pillars that leads to the improvement of firms’ business competitiveness. This is one of the premier attempts to develop integrated LSS-AM practices structural model with the sustainability aspects.