Lean Techniques Research Articles

A lean approach to robotic process automation in banking

Automation is a concept that has been previously introduced in organizations as a means to improve their processes. However, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is an emerging method to automate processes with software, which the industry calls robots. These robots perform repetitive and low-complexity tasks previously performed by humans in front of a computer which as is known is the most commonly used feature in a company nowadays. Using the Design Science Research methodology to build up this article, it is argued that RPA is being used idly compared to its full potential which would entail using process improvement techniques before applying the automation itself. Thus, this article proposes a new approach to RPA through the use of Lean techniques. This article assesses two market leaders in RPA. It suggests a framework of activities for organizations that are investing in RPA and that want to take advantage of the capabilities currently offered by this technology. The majority of the demonstration proposal was carried out in a Portuguese private bank in three processes. Depending on the different cases, it had an overall positive evaluation in the field or simulations. Comparing RPA and Lean RPA projects in the number of resources (time, FTE) needed to carry out business processes, the latter approach presented values that were significantly lower and, consequently, satisfactory.

Applying Lean Tools to Improve the Sewing Line Efficiency: A Case Study

In a garments manufacturing industry for selling as well as exporting ready-made-garments, quality improvement is a vital task. Industry will not be able to build up a good business relationship with the buyer if they fail to timely dispatch quality samples and finished product to buyers.
 This paper aims to investigate the changes in various aspects such as productivity, efficiency, capacity etc. of a readymade garment industry in Bangladesh by applying the 5’s lean tool. There is an improvement in production, WIP (work in progress) inventory reduction, space utilization, transport by applying the lean tool compared to conventional method. This study is based on both primary and secondary data. Here, quantitative method for data analysis is used. Data are tabled firstly in accordance with traditional operation break down, then according to lean line operational breakdown. Here data for jacket operation are shown. Results are compared with the help of bar charts.
 In this study the production data of Knitted Jacket are taken. The SMV data in two phases are considered, one with the traditional production process and the other one is with the implementation of Lean technique. Beside SMV (Standard Minute Value) data it has been shown productivity, efficiency, capacity etc. By comparing these data, it is assured that it is more preferable to choose Lean techniques to ensure better productivity level. This study is worked with 5’s and the 5’s will help a manufacturing company to increase its improvement and the company will turn into a self-improving company.

LEAN CULTURE FOR A SUCCESSFUL LEAN MANUFACTURING IMPLEMENTATION: AN EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM MALAYSIAN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Although lean has gained many accomplishments, 90% of the manufacturers that implemented lean failed to sustain the implementation, and these results have led academics to consider lean culture as a soft lean approach for successful lean implementation. This research is aimed to investigate the role of lean culture for a successful lean implementation. This survey-based was a cross-sectional study with 151 final respondents from discrete manufacturers in Malaysia. The samples were selected using a cluster sampling procedure from medium and large manufacturing companies registered with the Federation of Manufacturers Malaysia (FMM). The data was analyzed using SmartPLS 4.0 software. The result showed evidence that lean manufacturing implementation is positively impacted by lean culture. This study contributes to the body of knowledge and widens the bounds of the current literature, and offers insight to the lean practitioners on lean implementation techniques to strategize the roadmap and assure continuous execution by considering the role of lean culture.

Development of gene model combined with machine learning technology to predict for advanced atherosclerotic plaques

BackgroundAtherosclerosis, as a major cause of stroke, is responsible for a quarter of deaths worldwide. In particular, rupture of late-stage plaques in large vessels such as the carotid artery can lead to serious cardiovascular disease. The aim of our study was to establish a genetic model combined with machining leaning techniques to screen out gene signatures and predict for advanced atherosclerosis plaques. MethodsThe microarray dataset GSE28829 and GSE43292 which were publicly obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database were utilized to screen for potential predictive genes. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by using the “limma” R package. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes Genomes (KEGG) analyses of these DEGs were performed by Metascape. Later, Random Forest (RF) algorithm was applied to further screen out top-30 genes which contribute the most. The expression data of top 30-DEGs were converted into a “Gene Score”. Finally, we developed a model based on artificial neural network (ANN) to predict advanced atherosclerotic plaques. The model later was validated in an independent test dataset GSE104140. ResultsA total of 176 DEGs were identified in the training datasets. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were enriched in leukocyte-mediated immune response, cytokine- cytokine interactions, and immunoinflammatory signaling. Further, top-30 genes (including 25 upregulated and 5 downregulated DEGs) were screened as predictors by RF algorithm. The predictive model was developed with a significantly predictive value (AUC = 0.913) in the training datasets, and was validated with an independent dataset GSE104140 (AUC = 0.827). ConclusionIn present study, our prediction model was established and showed satisfactory predictive power in both training and test datasets. In addition, this is the first study adopted bioinformatics methods combined with machine learning techniques (RF and ANN) to explore and predict for the advanced atherosclerotic plaques. However, further investigations were needed to verify the screened DEGs and predictive effectiveness of this model.

Study of Lean Technique in Construction

Abstract: The objective of this analysis is testing the 1. usefulness of some lean construction tools, particularly, all those tools which may be utilized in medium size construction firms. Because of the results of the lean manufacturing process in 2. production, the building business has taken lean techniques to eliminate waste as well as increase revenue. This analysis offers a 3. historical past of evolution of philosophies and production 4. practices through the building sector from the standard methods 5. to present lean production. The variations in production concepts, the limits of theirs, plus the impacts of theirs in the building business may also be assessed. A field study is performed to assess the usefulness of some lean construction methods such as last planner, improved visualization, daily huddle meetings, first run reports, the 5s process, as well as fail protected for highly effective project management and site implementation.. The information collection techniques included direct observations, questionnaires, interviews, and documentary analysis. The usefulness of the lean construction equipment is examined from the lean implementation measurement standard & performance requirements. Results confirmed that by using lean construction reduced the amount of stages in the entire project by 57 %. The non-value extra decreased from 81 % to 14 % within the duration of the project. The entire cycle time on the project was lowered by 75 %.

Identification of Lean Implementation in the Post-Disaster Housing Reconstruction

Housing reconstruction is a significant determinant of the post-disaster recovery process and one of the most complex challenges, especially in developing countries. Post-disaster housing reconstruction sometimes results in poor environmental quality, delayed construction completion, low performance, and wasteful materials. Previous research has shown the success of the lean application in construction projects as well as in reconstruction projects. Its means that post-disaster housing reconstruction can also apply lean principles and techniques. This study aims to identify and analyze lean theories and techniques that can be implemented to overcome, minimize or resolve problems in Indonesia’s post-disaster housing reconstruction stage to obtain a lean model (Lean Housing Reconstruction). This study is the initial stage of developing a lean implementation model in post-disaster housing reconstruction. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to obtain lean principles and techniques for post-disaster housing reconstruction. The results of the SLR obtained five lean construction techniques that can be used for housing reconstruction, including Lean Six Sigma, Last Planner System, 5S (Sort, Straight, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain), Value Stream Mapping, and Pull Scheduling.

Do lean practices increase nurses' organizational commitment and job satisfaction in Turkey? – A private hospital model

Background: Making the employee feel valued can significantly affect the employee's commitment to the organization. The most important criteria of lean health services are to develop a culture in which employees are empowered to be actively involved in the decision-making process. Objective: This study aims to examine whether lean management practices have an effect on increasing nurses' “organizational commitment” and “job satisfaction”. Method: The research was conducted in a private hospital in 2019-2021 in Turkey. In the study, the "Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction Questionnaire" was applied to staff nurses. Then the hospital management decided to implement “Lean Hospital” practices. In this process, lean training was given to the nurse management, and lean methods and techniques were applied in the field. After approximately 1.5 years, the questionnaires were re-issued to the participants again to compare and contrast results. Results: In the study, the mean score of the nurses from the "Job Satisfaction Questionnaire" before lean was 3.79±0.29, while it was 3.82±0.28 after lean. The average score from the "Organizational Commitment Questionnaire" before implementing the lean practices was 3.74±0.32. It was 4.18±0.21 after implementing the lean practices. While there was a low level of positive correlation between the nurses' mean scores of organizational commitment and job satisfaction questionnaires before implementing lean practices, it was found that the result was moderately positive after lean practices. Conclusions/Implications for Practice: Ensuring the participation of employees in the decision-making process and listening to their suggestions in lean management were positively associated with “organizational commitment” and “job satisfaction”. However, it should not be forgotten that lean practices are a long-term and continuous methodology.

A Review on Implementing Lean Construction Technique in Construction Industry

In this literature review the concept of lean construction and its impact on time, cost, and resource management in construction projects are explored. The study examines various research articles and academic papers in the field of lean construction to identify the primary themes and findings. The review indicates that lean construction practices can have a positive effect on time, cost, and resource management by reducing waste, enhancing communication, and encouraging collaboration among stakeholders. The implementation of lean construction principles has been demonstrated to lead to shorter project durations, lower costs, and better resource allocation. However, the review also acknowledges the challenges associated with implementing lean construction in the construction industry, such as resistance to change, limited knowledge and understanding, and difficulties in assessing its impacts. In conclusion, this literature review concludes that lean construction has the potential to enhance time, cost, and resource management in construction projects, and proposes the need for further research to overcome the challenges and facilitate its adoption.

Barriers and strategies for sustainable manufacturing implementation in SMEs: A hybrid fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS framework

Due to growing sustainability challenges, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are under tremendous pressure to implement sustainable practices in their operations. Studies in this regard show that in almost all cases, transition from a traditional approach to sustainable manufacturing is not at all a smooth experience as it is fraught with pitfalls on several counts at the implementation stage. Therefore, analyzing probable barriers and implementing right set of strategies duly addressing them becomes utmost crucial to successfully implementing the sustainable manufacturing practices. The study particularly aims at identifying and prioritizing such strategies to overcome the very barriers in the implementation phase. The study identified some twenty one odd barriers through an extensive literature review and expert opinions and classified them into four categories. In the same way, nine specific strategies were identified to address the barriers through a comprehensive literature review. An Integrated Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process-Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FAHP-FTOPSIS) approach has been used to further prioritize the barriers and strategies for sustainable manufacturing implementation in Indian manufacturing SMEs. The result depicts that, “Ineffective enforcement of the law (B22)”, “Complexity in implementing 6Rs (B17)”, “Ineffective controlling and monitoring system (B24)”, “Need for a standardized approach to carbon auditing (B15)” and “Heavy dependence on fossil fuels (B14)” are the top five barriers that hamper smooth implementation of sustainable manufacturing whereas, out of the nine proposed strategies “Implementation of lean and green manufacturing techniques (S2)” and “Establishment of benchmark and performance measuring systems (S6)” were found to be the two most important strategies that should be employed to eliminate the identified barriers. The findings provide strategic insights into guiding decision-makers and practitioners of Indian manufacturing SMEs in regards to sustainable manufacturing implementation. Besides, this study also assists managers by way of providing them with a hierarchical list of strategies ranked in order of their effectiveness to potentially eliminate the implementation barriers.

Managing construction and demolition waste using lean tools to achieve environmental sustainability: an Indian perspective

The construction industry substantially impacts a country's economic growth and ecological progress. Due to the competitive nature of the construction business and intense rivalry between construction companies, the industry's focus is progressively becoming customer-centric. Efforts are being taken to ensure high-quality buildings are built at reasonable rates and on time. Companies are trying to ensure on-time building projects are completed within allocated budgets. This can be accomplished by ensuring minimal waste generation from various activities during the construction process. Implementing lean tools and techniques can improve work efficiency and reduce waste in the building process. This research study offers a basic understanding of lean tools and emphasizes their contribution in terms of time, effort, and sustainability. The primary purpose of this study is to present the effectiveness of the lean process for construction waste management. Through a case study, this research shows the deployment of lean tools and principles for efficient construction waste management and optimal use of building resources. The improvement in reduced waste generation and enhanced organizational resource productivity is closely monitored. The study results indicated that the lean framework could reduce waste by 25 to 50%. It is demonstrated that lean construction significantly improves construction sustainability and productivity. If it is implemented along with automation tools and circular economy concepts, more than 50% of waste reduction can be achieved. These viable initiatives are necessary to improve the performance of the Indian construction industry to achieve circularity in waste management which indirectly helps in the sustainability goals of the construction sector.

Reducing turnaround time in a pathology laboratory using the lean methodology

PurposeThe aim of this study is to determine the effect of the application of the lean methodoloy in the pathology laboratory and to evaluate the results on the turnaround time.Design/methodology/approachThis study was a prospective intervention study formed of the three stages of pre-intervention, determination of problem areas and the application of lean techniques and quality improvement. The study was conducted between February 2019 and August 2020. In the first stage, research was made through interviews, observations, questionnaires and seminars; in the second stage, observations, brain-storming, process flowcharts and fishbone diagram were used; and in the third stage, Kaizen, A3 method and spaghetti diagram were applied.FindingsFollowing the application of lean techniques, turnaround time in the pathology laboratory was decreased, and the changes made in the working methods and placement of the units in the laboratory were found to have prevented unnecessary steps. The lean method was also determined to have had positive effects on the workplace satisfaction of the laboratory employees and of the physicians working with the laboratory.Originality/valueThe results showed that applying lean techniques could reduce waste and increase participation in processes. This article demonstrates its originality and relevance by proving that the lean techniques can be applied in the hospital laboratory. Actions to improve turnaround time are also crucial for the efficient use of resources.

‘Lean Dancing’: How Involvement in Continuous Improvement and Lean Techniques Relate to Hospital Performance and Workers’ Wellbeing through Autonomy

This study examines Lean—conceptualized as Involvement in Continuous Improvement and Lean Techniques—in hospitals. Specifically, we aim to determine the extent to which hospital workers’ perceptions of Lean are related to perceptions of their performance and wellbeing, and to what extent these relationships are explained by autonomy. Our data (n = 754) come from a Lean implementation study in a Dutch hospital, and are analysed using structural equation modelling. First, our results indicate that Involvement in Continuous Improvement positively relates to hospital workers’ perceptions of several dimensions of hospital performance (quality, service, efficiency, and predictability) and their own wellbeing (burnout and engagement)—a mutual benefit for both employer and employees. However, we also show that the Lean Techniques do not significantly relate to wellbeing. Second, our study reveals that it is essential to distinguish between responsible autonomy and choice autonomy, as we found differing mediating effects. Based on these findings, we recommend HR executives to move away from approaches that focus on happy few and to move away from approaches that focus on techniques.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEAN ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIAL BANKS IN ELDORET TOWN, KENYA

<p>Everybody working seriously to implement Lean Accounting concept in their company eventually bumps up against their accounting systems. It soon becomes clear that traditional accounting systems are actively anti-lean. Lean accounting refers to the concepts designed to better reflect the financial performance of a company that has implemented lean service processes. These may include organizing costs by value stream, changing inventory valuation techniques and modifying financial statements to include nonfinancial information (Alves, Vieira Neto, de Mattos Nascimento, de Andrade, Tortorella, & Garza-Reyes, 2022). The study sought to establish whether Lean Accounting influences the financial performance of Commercial Banks in Kenya. The study was guided by the Lean Philosophy model. The study used a cross-sectional research design and targeted employees working in all t8 commercial banks in Eldoret town, Kenya. A census of the study population was conducted. Questionnaires were used as data collection instruments. The data was analyzed using both inferential (multiple regression and correlation) and descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation) and was presented by the use of tables and charts. The study findings indicated that the study variables Lean Accounting β = 0.209, p < 0.05 were significant to financial performance. The results showed that Lean Accounting was a positive and significant predictor of financial performance with (t = 3.250; ρ < 0.05). The study recommended that the management of commercial banks in Kenya should strive to maintain the current lean accounting practices and further increase or improve them in order to enhance the banks’ value. They should also train staff on the use of Lean Accounting techniques in order to be able to improve their performance. </p><p><strong>JEL</strong>: G20; G21; M40</p>

Implementation of Lean Scheduling in Real Estate Industry: A Review

It is observed that every construction project is unable to perform as per planned objectives as it faces variances in terms of cost, time, quality, safety, specifications, liable to various constraints pertaining to it. Conventional Scheduling techniques that uses push approach has to perform each activity right, the first time- every time in order to make the forthcoming activities follow the schedule. In this study we have introduced Pull Scheduling approach to overcome the delays resulting from wastes in a real estate project. Waste's typical cost as Construction businesses have started using Lean Construction to reduce waste and boost productivity. The proportion of project costs that do not include performance costs ranges from 5.38% to 14.70%. In order to implement lean concepts, which place a strong emphasis on waste minimization and efficiency improvement, building sites in India must first detect waste and its underlying causes. Lean Scheduling (LS) was employed to address efficiency and waste problems and to adapt to the challenges of the construction industry as a future project management philosophy. A comprehensive literature review is carried out to determine real time issues faced in real estate industry using a pilot questionnaire survey and overcoming those challenges using lean tools. Finally, a method for choosing the most fitting lean resources by pull scheduling was suggested. The key contribution of this study is to reinforce the decision-making capacity of the builders in their choice of the most suitable construction-coordinated method on real estate project. Keywords: Lean Construction Techniques, Pull Scheduling, Just-In-Time, Indian Real Estate Industry, Lean Thinking, Lean Concepts, Value stream mapping, Construction waste.

A Study of Machine Learning Effectiveness in Detecting Credit Card Fraud: KNIME

Abstract: Credit cards are becoming the most widely utilized form of payment. The numbers of fraud users are growing as quickly as the technology. This paper discusses the performance of three popular Machine Leaning techniques for predicting credit card fraud detection. In this paper we used Machine Learning algorithms such as Decision Tree, Random Forest and Simple Regression tree for handling the imbalanced credit dataset. KNIME is used as data analytical tool for the purpose of simulation. The Comparative Study related to Accuracy is being tested and the Regression tree will give the best result

Implementing Lean Construction: A Literature Study of Barriers, Enablers, and Implications

The challenges of adopting and implementing lean construction (LC) have led to substantial but isolated research studies concerning the relevant barriers, enablers, and implications, which lack a comprehensive approach and analytical as well as conceptual perspectives. Hence, this study aims to fill the mentioned knowledge gap by identifying the barriers, enablers, and implications of implementing lean construction and exploring their relatedness. A systematic literature review was carried out through which 230 located studies were analyzed using thematic and content analysis methods to realize the objectives of this study. The findings suggest that the lack of awareness and understanding of LC, resistance to change, and a lack of support and commitment from top management are the top three barriers toward LC adoption and implementation, which can be overcome using the identified enablers, among which the top three ones were developing lean culture, application of lean principles tools and techniques, and top management support and commitment. Moreover, the results present a model which portrays the relatedness between the discovered barriers, enablers, and implications of applying lean construction. The findings can be insightful for the research community and project practitioners in their efforts for facilitating the adoption and implementation of lean construction.

Evaluation of the Implementation of Lean Techniques to Reduce Construction Process Waste in Real Estate Firms in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Waste in the construction industry is the loss produced by activities that generate direct or indirect costs but do not add any value. In recent years, waste in the construction industry has been the subject of several research studies around the world; however, it still continues to be a critical issue. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop an analytical hierarchical model for the implementation of lean techniques for the reduction of construction waste in real estate companies in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The study was conducted on seven private residential real estate companies which were actively involved in the construction sector at the time, by targeting decision-makers as respondents. Analytical hierarchical process-based questionnaires and face-to-face interviews were conducted for the collection of primary data. Thus, comparison-based surveys and data analyses were used to quantify the relative priorities for a given set of alternatives on a ratio scale based on the judgment of the construction professionals. According to the data analyses, poor material handling, poor site management, and frequent changes in the design were identified to be the three most dominant sources of construction waste. It was found that the real estate companies do not have any waste reduction strategies or practices. Furthermore, the concerned professionals have limited awareness of the lean techniques and their implementation. Based on the findings, the construction companies are recommended to give proper attention to construction waste minimization and a huge task is ahead of the policymakers for lean techniques implementation.

Improving Energy Performance in Flexographic Printing Process through Lean and AI Techniques: A Case Study

Flexographic printing is a highly sought-after technique within the realm of packaging and labeling due to its versatility, cost-effectiveness, high speed, high-quality images, and environmentally friendly nature. A major challenge in flexographic printing is the need to optimize energy usage, which requires diligent attention to resolve. This research combines lean principles and machine learning to improve energy efficiency in selected flexographic printing machines; i.e., Miraflex and F&K. By implementing the 5Why root cause analysis and Kaizen, the study found that the idle time was reduced by 30% for the Miraflex machine and the F&K machine, resulting in energy savings of 34.198% and 38.635% per meter, respectively. Additionally, a multi-linear regression model was developed using machine learning and a range of input parameters, such as machine speed, production meter, substrate density, machine idle time, machine working time, and total machine run time, to predict energy consumption and optimize job scheduling. The results of the research exhibit that the model was efficient and accurate, leading to a reduction in energy consumption and costs while maintaining or even improving the quality of the printed output. This approach can also add to reducing the carbon footprint of the manufacturing process and help companies meet sustainability goals.

Using Lean Healthcare Techniques to Reduce Appointment Times

To reduce extended appointment times at a heart failure clinic, 3 Lean healthcare-based changes were planned and implemented one at a time over 4 months. Findings based on 1,267 appointments showed that appointment times decreased with proper implementation. Although staffing challenges and inadequate sample sizes prevented statistical analysis on consult appointments, follow-up appointment results were statistically significant based on 1-way analysis of variance and Tukey honest significant difference tests. Although the study period prevented the determination of a correlation between monthly clinic end times and average appointment times (patient throughput), in-room minute decreases suggest that lean healthcare techniques can be effective in this context.

Adapting P2M Framework for Innovation Program Management Through a Lean-Agile Approach

The commonly adopted project management approach is the stage-gate model, which is not always the convenient approach to innovation projects. The paper objective is to present a qualitative analysis of existing project management approaches and to propose a new hybrid model for effective management of innovation programs based on traditional project management approaches, agile methods to involve the customer, and then lean approach to eliminate waste. The results were illustrated by a new model based on the Japanese P2M (program and project management for enterprise innovation) guide, then combine it with Agile Industrial Scrum method and the agile 3S (scheme, system, and service) model of P2M, and finally with some lean tools and techniques oriented towards the innovation and project management context. Finally, an application case was illustrated where the researchers present the planning of the application of the proposed model on an innovation program in medical waste management field.