Team performance in a lean manufacturing operation: it takes the will and a way to succeed

Abstract

As contemporary manufacturing companies embark upon the lean transformation, they are relying upon a more collaborative, cross-trained workforce that strives to deliver a quality product at the required time. This longitudinal study tracked five multifunctional work teams involved in a pull system implementation effort at an electronics assembly plant. This research examines the relationship between team characteristics including the inclination to collaborate, team flexibility and shared team priorities; and team performance measures that include performance to schedule, product quality and labour efficiency. Team member collaboration was positively associated with schedule performance and labour efficiency. Team flexibility was positively related to product quality. Finally, the concept of team priority consonance is introduced, which showed a positive association with schedule performance.