LEAN In The Swedish Armed Forces

Abstract: Date: 4th of June 2023 Level: Master thesis within Industrial Engineering and Management, Product and Process development – 30 credits. Institution: School of Innovation, Design, and Engineering at Mälardalen’s University Author: Nadia Al-Hakim Title: Lean in the Swedish Armed Forces Keywords: Lean Philosophy; Lean Thinking; Military logistics; JIT Research Question: What are the potential enablers and barriers to adapting the Lean philosophy in military logistics operations? Purpose: This study aims to investigate the potential challenges of implementing the Lean philosophy in the Swedish Armed Forces’ logistics. Methodology: The study was conducted through an abductive research approach using qualitative methods. A theoretical framework was developed by reviewing extant research within the research scope. The empirical findings were based on semi-structured interviews held with six respondents from the Swedish Armed Forces with different positions in logistics. Finally, the empirical findings were analyzed using a conceptual framework that helps the understanding of the different organizational aspects of Lean. Conclusion: This study aimed to explore the challenges of implementing Lean philosophy in the logistics of the Swedish Armed Forces. Identified barriers include the lack of long-term thinking, incoherent definitions of the end-user and quality, high inventory dependence, confidentiality constraints, and procurement regulations. However, some of the identified enablers include the Armed Forces' use of JIT concepts, focus on safety, and strategic partnerships with certain suppliers.