After the propitious end of the year 2013, economy started a slow recovery with signs of a cyclical upturn at the beginning of 2014. The construction sector, consumer industries and company service providers were in good shape, while capital goods producers have almost returned to their former strength. Other important international trading companies started to intensify their growth little by little.
Globalization continued its progress, since the economic crisis weakened multinational corporations from Europe, the USA and Japan only barely. At the same time, companies in the West were increasingly challenged by global competition. Fast-acting contractors found new clients and strategic trading partners, while the latter, however, were facing strong and aggressive competition.
International competition continues to remain one of the key issues that companies have to deal with today. Productivity and efficiency have to be improved steadily and innovation, research and development initiatives are to be constantly promoted. In order to address this issue successfully, numerous companies make investment into the education and training of their personnel a priority. Employees are called upon to recognize the potential for improvement at their workplace and to propose creative solutions. The concept of Lean Management, formerly mostly applied at Japanese companies, is presently a reference term for lean processes and continuous competitiveness building.
In scholarly literature, Lean Administration or Lean Office is described as the application of Lean Management approaches and methods to the field of business processes, without regard to whether they take place on the shop floor or on higher administrative levels. In the present thesis, the applicability of this management approach will be not only analyzed, but also submitted to critically scrutiny. Is the term “Lean“ only expressive of a misplaced downsizing fervor, as critics claim, or are the successes of Lean Management transferable into the sphere of administration as well? Is it, thus, possible to achieve a “lean” administration? Can processes, often described as “nontransparent“ and “non-measurable,“ indeed, be optimized through the application of this new management approach?
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Problem statement
1.2 Objective
1.3 Structure of the Thesis
2. Development of the Lean Philosophy
2.1 Top-Down or Bottom-Up Management Approach
2.2 History and Core Idea
2.3 Definition of the term “Lean Management”
2.4 Usage of the term “Lean“
2.5 From TPS to Lean Administration
3. Process Optimization with Lean Administration
3.1 In Search of Wastefulness - the 3 MU‘s
3.1.1 MUDA - The 7 Types of Waste
3.1.1.1 Wasteful over-production
3.1.1.2 Wasteful waiting times and idle periods
3.1.1.3 Wasteful unnecessary transportation
3.1.1.4 Wasteful unnecessary inventory and buffer stocks
3.1.1.5 Wasteful inappropriate processing (over-processing)
3.1.1.6 Wasteful unnecessary motion and searching
3.1.1.7 Wasteful defective products and wasteful non-quality
3.1.2 MURA - Wasteful imbalance or deviation
3.1.3 MURI – Wasteful overload or overburden
3.2 Lean Principles
3.2.1 Define value from customer’s perspective
3.2.2 Identify the value stream
3.2.3 Implementation of the Flow Principle
3.2.4 Implementing the Pull Principle (Kanban)
3.2.5 Striving for perfection (Kaizen)
3.3 Methods
3.3.1 Value Stream Mapping
3.3.2 The Kanban Board
3.3.3 CIP - The Continuous Improvement Process
3.3.3.1 PDCA Cycle
3.3.3.2 6W - Questioning Technique
3.3.3.3 5S Method
3.3.3.4 Ishikawa Diagrams
3.3.4 Performance Indication Systems
3.3.4.1 CVE - Customer Value Effectiveness
3.3.4.2 Complaints ratio
3.3.4.3 Working and processing time
3.3.4.4 Ability to meet deadlines
3.3.4.5 Productivity of staff
3.3.4.6 Lost orders
3.3.4.7 Improvement suggestions per employee and year
3.3.5 Employee involvement
4. Critics and barriers for implementation
4.1 Lack of contingency
4.2 Human aspects
4.3 Scope and lack of strategic perspective
4.4 Coping with Variability
4.5 Further barriers in Administration
5. Practical example of Lean Administration implementation
5.1 Methodical approach to data collection via interview
5.2 Evaluation method of the interviews
5.3 Key results of the experts interviews
6. Résumé
6.1 Summary of key messages
6.2 Target of the Thesis
6.3 Outlook
Research Objectives & Key Themes
The primary objective of this thesis is to examine the transferability of the Japanese Lean Management approach from production environments into office administration. It investigates how Lean Administration can be utilized to optimize business processes, reduce wastefulness, and increase overall efficiency in administrative areas, which are often characterized by non-measurable and non-transparent workflows.
- Theoretical foundations and development of the Lean philosophy.
- Identification of waste (MUDA, MURA, MURI) in administrative processes.
- Application of core Lean principles (Value, Value Stream, Flow, Pull, Perfection) in office settings.
- Implementation of specific methods such as Value Stream Mapping, Kanban, and the PDCA cycle.
- Critical evaluation of implementation barriers and practical case studies.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1.1 MUDA - The 7 Types of Waste
Womack and Jones started their book “Lean Thinking” with the words: “Muda. It’s the one Japanese word you really must know“51.
Nowadays, the term “Muda,” deriving from the Japanese word for waste, is known worldwide. In daily life, it is possible to discover different types of wastefulness almost everywhere. It often occurs when individuals waste resources without making a contribution to added value.52
In the sphere of production and in TPS Ohno differentiated between 7 different types of wastefulness.53 These types of wastefulness have later also been applied to the sphere of administration: 1. Wasteful over-production (largest wastefulness), 2. Wasteful waiting times and idle periods (time on hand), 3. Wasteful unnecessary transportation, 4. Wasteful unnecessary inventory and buffer stocks (stock on hand), 5. Wasteful inappropriate processing (over-processing), 6. Wasteful unnecessary motion and searching (movement), 7. Wasteful defective products and wasteful non-quality.
Chapter Summary
1. Introduction: This chapter sets the context for the thesis by highlighting economic conditions and the growing need for productivity in administrative sectors through Lean Management.
2. Development of the Lean Philosophy: This section details the historical origins of the Lean philosophy, its transition from production to administrative fields, and its definition as a holistic management approach.
3. Process Optimization with Lean Administration: This core chapter explores specific forms of waste (the 3 MUs), Lean principles, and methods like Value Stream Mapping and the PDCA cycle for administrative optimization.
4. Critics and barriers for implementation: This chapter analyzes potential gaps in Lean thinking and identifies obstacles, such as human factors and strategic alignment, which can hinder successful implementation in office environments.
5. Practical example of Lean Administration implementation: This section presents a qualitative analysis of expert interviews with managers who have successfully implemented Lean Administration strategies in their organizations.
6. Résumé: The final chapter summarizes the thesis, reaffirms the objective of transferring Lean concepts into the office, and provides a future outlook on the importance of organizational learning.
Keywords
Lean Management, Lean Administration, Lean Office, Process Optimization, Waste Reduction, MUDA, MURA, MURI, Value Stream Mapping, PDCA Cycle, Kanban, Kaizen, Continuous Improvement, Administrative Efficiency, Change Management.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The thesis focuses on the applicability of Japanese Lean Management principles—traditionally rooted in manufacturing—to the field of office administration.
What are the central themes of the work?
Central themes include the identification of waste in administrative processes, the application of Lean principles like the Flow and Pull systems, and the strategic implementation of these concepts to improve efficiency.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to evaluate if and to what extent Lean Administration can help companies optimize processes and increase efficiency in office environments.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The research combines a comprehensive literature review with a qualitative empirical study, utilizing expert interviews with managers experienced in Lean Administration.
What does the main body of the text address?
It addresses the development of Lean, the specific types of administrative waste, key principles of Lean thinking, practical tools like the Kanban Board, and common barriers to implementation.
What are the primary keywords characterizing this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Lean Management, Lean Administration, process optimization, waste reduction, and continuous improvement (Kaizen).
How does the "3 MU's" concept apply to the office environment?
The 3 MUs (MUDA, MURA, MURI) represent waste, imbalance, and overload. In an office, these manifest as information overload, uneven workloads, and employee burnout or stress, which Lean techniques aim to rectify.
Why is change management emphasized in the thesis?
Change management is crucial because moving to a Lean system in an office requires a fundamental shift in employee mindset and culture; failure to manage this transition often leads to project failure.
What is the significance of the "Lean Iceberg Model"?
The model illustrates that while tools and technology are visible above the waterline, the critical components for success (leadership, strategy, and behavior) are beneath the surface and must be prioritized.
- Citar trabajo
- Madeline Gremme (Autor), 2015, Transferability of the Japanese Lean Management Approach from Production into the Office, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/299411
