Investigating the impact of lean philosophy for identification and reduction of delays associated with performance of production line

Abstract: In the present world scenario, the rapid industrialization and growth of manufacturing sector has led to the rise of large number of companies focusing on increase in profitability for sustaining the company’s profit margin at a higher level. While most of the companies fail to differentiate between productivity, profitability and performance as all the three growth indicators have different factors affecting them. The productivity of a system is evaluated through the ratio of output and input whereas the profitability is evaluated by measuring the capital flow. But the performance of any system is measured by the speed, quality and time consumed for delivery of a product. Thus, the preliminary growth indicator to be focused by any company must be productivity as it defines the effective input and efficient output of a system or production line and further provide attention for performance. Any productive system to function smoothly must include less amount of wastes, these wastes need not be a particular form. According to lean philosophy there are basically eight wastes arising in a system which has to be considered for elimination or reduction preferably. These wastes not only affect a particular process, while causes negative effects on the performance of entire system by causing delays in the process which increases nonvalue added time and reduces the actual operating time of a process. The present study focuses on exploring lean philosophy for identifying the existing delays of a production system and to further investigate the root causes influencing these delays which effect delivery of product. This study involves a deductive approach of qualitative type of research and the methods used for data collection includes a single case study with systematic literature review of data on which analysis is carried out and derived results are concluded in the final chapter of this research. The conclusion will be based on the results obtained from analysis of data carried out with the aid of tools existing under lean philosophy. The research is concluded by suggesting the solution for reducing delays utilizing simple tools of lean philosophy which can be utilized by manufacturing firms with effective utilization of existing machinery, men and methods and low investment of capital.