Executive Summary
Through the analysis of over 80 articles from mainly academic but also practitioner sources this literature review presents an overview of the writings of "Lean". This analysis leads to some main findings from the literature review:
Can Lean Work in the Public Sector?
- Lean is making a transition from the manufacturing sector to the service and public sectors.
- There is little doubt of the applicability of Lean to the public sector. Many of the writings indicated that many of the processes and services within the public sector can gain greater efficiency by considering and implementing aspects of Lean.
- However, there is still little evidence of the complete Lean philosophy being applied in the public sector so it is not possible to state completely that it can work in the public sector.
How does Lean Work?
- Lean can be considered in the broadest sense to be a philosophy, which aims to develop good practice of process/ operations improvement that allows a reduction of waste, improvement of flow and better concept of customer and process view through a culture of continuous improvement involving everyone.
- The writings on Lean thinking promote it as a different way of looking at organisational processes requiring the workforce to consider things from a customer point of view. It is argued that by doing so, the flow of information and customer contact through the process is enhanced.
- From research findings discussed in articles implementation should include as many people as possible from the organisation and also customers during the transformation process in order to achieve a cultural change within the organisation.
Can Lean Thinking be replicated?
- To date the majority of the writings on Lean have been focused on the manufacturing sector with some examples of service becoming available. There is little empirical research on public sector organisations related to the complete implementation of Lean although there is indication that this is starting to grow.
- Tools and techniques associated with lean are being used in different parts of the public sector, e.g. healthcare, to remove non-value added activities and waste from the systems.
Does Lean Thinking embed Continuous Improvement?
- Continuous Improvement is an integral aspect of the Lean approach. However, discussion in literature indicates that Lean Thinking should not be interpreted as a short-cut route to the development of a CI culture.
- Drawing from the lean writings barriers to Lean, particularly in the public sector, include culture, lack of clear customer focus; too many procedures; people working in silos; too many targets; lack of awareness of strategic direction; general belief that staff are overworked and underpaid; dominance of stakeholders; lack of understanding of the effect of variation, systems thinking and process flow.