Suchergebnisse

Purpose– The use of the general satisfaction index (GSI) concept is a great way to measure the organizational climate. However, the traditional concept has an inaccurate calculation approach. In order to review this concept, the purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology to obtain this index through a more appropriate mathematical approach, supported by some linear algebra concepts. For this purpose, an organizational climate survey was carried out in a bank agency to exemplify application of this method. Each step of the application was detailed, as well as the intermediate results achieved. Among its principal benefits are: improved accuracy to obtain the GSI; the possibility of a comparison with a minimum required rate for the decision-making process; and the possibility of identifying the order of priority of the organizational climate dimensions that mostly need improvements.Design/methodology/approach– The working method was divided into three parts. The first part consists of the collection of data on employee satisfaction through a questionnaire based on Luz (2003) considerations and presented in a research performed by Maciel (2011), which uses 27 pertinent questions directed to the context of a banking system. These questions were answered on a scale from 0 to 4, where 0 means a very negative satisfaction condition and 4 a very positive one. The second part dealt with the application of the methodology for calculating GSI. The third and final part consisted of proposing improvements to increase the GSI of the studied bank agency.Findings– In general, the proposed method has proved to be a great ally to climate research and also to identify the need for improvements in banking context. Finally, the use of the 5W2H tool has proved important to improve weak points observed in the climate analysis, providing an initial guide to raise the agency's GSI and achieve the goals pursued by the company. It is noteworthy that, due to the fact that improvement actions have been inferred based on direct observation, there is still a need for further analysis and/or debates about the impact and viability of these solutions.Originality/value– The proposed method turns GSI into a more accurate and appropriate tool, making it even more valuable in decision-making process faced by human resources departments focussed on improving or maintaining the organizational climate. To illustrate the application of the new approach regarding this tool, an organizational climate study in a bank branch is conducted.

A adoção dos princípios e práticas oriundos da Produção Enxuta (PE) auxilia na eliminação sistemática dos desperdícios, ao passo que lapida a cultura organizacional para a sustentação da melhoria contínua. O processo de implementação da PE pode variar de acordo com os problemas existentes e o contexto no qual a empresa está inserida. Assim, este artigo busca identificar como se relacionam os fatores críticos de sucesso, barreiras e práticas para a implementação enxuta em uma pequena empresa. Para isso, os principais FCS, barreiras e práticas de PE relacionados a pequenas empresas foram inicialmente consolidados a partir de uma revisão bibliográfica. Através de entrevistas semiestruturadas e grupos focados com as lideranças de uma pequena empresa manufatureira do setor eletrônico em implementação enxuta, as relações entre FCS, barreiras e práticas enxutas foram avaliadas e ranqueadas a partir da incorporação de uma ferramenta de análise multicriterial. Além da contribuição teórica já evidenciada, este estudo apresenta implicações de natureza prática/gerencial, uma vez que provê um direcionamento para auxiliar a implementação enxuta em pequenas empresas manufatureiras. Adicionalmente, o maior entendimento dessas relações sob o contexto em estudo possibilita aos gestores a antecipação de potencias problemas, permitindo uma implementação enxuta mais bem-sucedida. Ao final os resultados foram analisados e concluídos com sugestões para futuras pesquisas.

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of Industry 4.0 technologies on the relationship between lean production (LP) and operational performance improvement within Brazil, a developing economy context.


Design/methodology/approach
One representative from each of the 147 studied manufacturing companies filled in a survey on three internally related lean practice bundles and two Industry 4.0 technology bundles, with safety, delivery, quality, productivity and inventory as performance indicators. As this study was grounded on the contingency theory, multivariate data analyses were performed, controlling for four contingencies.


Findings
Industry 4.0 moderates the effect of LP practices on operational performance improvement, but in different directions. Process-related technologies negatively moderate the effect of low setup practices on performance, whereas product/service-related technologies positively moderate the effect of flow practices on performance.


Originality/value
With the advent of Industry 4.0, companies have been channelling their efforts to achieve superior performance by advancing levels of automation and interconnectivity. Eventually, widespread and proven manufacturing approaches, like LP, will integrate such technologies which may, in turn, impair or favour operational performance. Contrary to previous studies, the contingencies appeared to have a less extensive effect. The authors point to various options for further study across different socio-economic contexts. This study evidenced that purely technological adoption will not lead to distinguished results. LP practices help in the installation of organisational habits and mindsets that favour systemic process improvements, supporting the design and control of manufacturers' operations management towards the fourth industrial revolution era.

Devido a uma crescente concorrência mundial em relação ao desempenho operacional e lucros empresariais, a Lean Manufacturing (LM) tem sido uma matéria emergente e relevante entre os cursos de pós-graduação em Engenharia de Produção e Gestão de Negócios. Apesar dos avanços no ensino de princípios e técnicas de LM, o caráter prático inerente ao LM mina a aprendizagem e o desenvolvimento dos alunos. Nesse sentido, este estudo visa propor uma metodologia para aprimorar o aprendizado de LM de graduados em Engenharia de Produção de um curso de pós-graduação stricto sensu. A metodologia proposta combina os métodos tradicionais de ensino com a abordagem PBL (abordagem baseada em problemas), baseada em problemas reais de empresas em fase de implementação lean. O método é ilustrado com um exemplo em uma universidade pública brasileira, que foi um dos precursores no ensino de Engenharia de Produção no Brasil em nível de pós-graduação. Os resultados indicam que o PBL pode ser um método complementar eficaz para o aprendizado de LM, especialmente se os estudantes de pós-graduação são expostos a problemas reais em empresas que estão passando por uma implementação lean e relacionam isto com o corpo atual da literatura.

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand how the association between leadership styles (task or relation orientation) and lean manufacturing (LM) implementation changes due to two contextual variables, team size and the leader's age.


Design/methodology/approach
The authors carried out a survey with 225 leaders from different Brazilian companies that are implementing LM. Research constructs were validated through rigorous procedures using confirmatory factor analysis. Hypotheses were tested using ordinary linear least squares regression.


Findings
The results suggest that larger teams and more senior managers were negatively associated with LM implementation. Task-orientation style makes leaders more likely to achieve higher levels of LM than relation-orientation style leaders. Finally, the influence of relation-oriented leaders on LM implementation is contingent upon the size of the team.


Research limitations/implications
Regarding study's limitations, sample size and respondents' location restrict results to this contextual condition, indicating that increasing the sample would help provide wider and more generalizable results. It is also worth noting that results are based on respondents' (leaders) perspective. Hence, future studies may collect data from multiple perspectives, such as leaders and their followers, in order to compare results so as to verify the convergence or divergence among different respondents.


Practical implications
The results suggest that leaders should have different behaviors according to the context in which they are inserted. Therefore, such behavioral prescriptions are useful for managers since they are pressured to achieve high operational performance in short time periods and with few resources. Further, companies undergoing lean implementation may also be able to stimulate proper leadership behaviors and promote development programs accordingly, which is extremely relevant since behavioral changes usually take time.


Originality/value
The evolutionary process for achieving a successful lean enterprise requires different leadership styles according to the context in which leaders are inserted. This research provides arguments to help better understand the recommended leadership behaviors for lean implementation, complementing existing roadmaps by considering the proper leadership style as a contingency issue during lean implementation. Moreover, identifying the effect of contextual variables helps specify the contexts in which lean practices are more likely to be implemented.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the digitalization of operational processes and activities in lean manufacturing firms and explore the associated learning implications through the lens of cumulative capability theory.Design/methodology/approachAdopting a multiple-case design, we examine four cases of digitalization initiatives within lean manufacturing firms. We collected data through semi-structured interviews and direct observations during site visits.FindingsThe study uncovers the development of learning capabilities as a result of integrating lean and digitalization. We find that digitalization in lean manufacturing firms contributes to the development of both routinized and evolutionary learning capabilities in a cumulative fashion.Originality/valueThe study adds nuance to the limited theoretical understanding of the integration of lean and digitalization by showing how it cumulatively develops the learning capabilities of lean manufacturing firms. As such, the study supports the robustness of cumulative capability theory. We further contribute to research by offering empirical support for the cumulative nature of learning.

A Produção Enxuta (PE) é uma abordagem que abrange uma variedade de práticas de gerenciamento, visando reduzir perdas e melhorar a eficiência operacional. Devido a isso, a habilidade de inovar, mudar e aprender continuamente apresenta-se como um elemento chave na implementação da PE. Diversas variáveis contextuais foram mencionadas na literatura como possíveis impedimentos para a implementação enxuta. No entanto, pouco se sabe sobre a influência dessas variáveis nas dimensões do Aprendizado Organizacional (AO). Este estudo visa examinar o relacionamento entre seis variáveis contextuais e a frequência de ocorrência de problemas em empresas que estão implementando a PE. Além disso, a identificação de relacionamentos relevantes entre dimensões do AO e as variáveis contextuais contribui para a identificação de contextos nos quais se podem esperar problemas. A amostra do estudo contém treze empresas que estão implementando a PE. Os resultados indicam que as mesmas variáveis contextuais, as quais são consideradas como influentes para implementar a PE, apresentam uma influência diferente quanto à capacidade de AO.