State of art perspectives of lean and sustainable manufacturing

Abstract

Purpose The contemporary manufacturing organizations recognize the importance of lean manufacturing as a tool to eliminate wastes, streamline processes and improve value addition. On the other hand, such organizations also focus on the development of ecofriendly products and processes. In this context, lean manufacturing concepts provide a pathway for attaining sustainable benefits. This paper aims to present the state of art review on lean and sustainable manufacturing. Design/methodology/approach A total of 80 research papers on lean and sustainable manufacturing from various perspectives have been reviewed and their contributions are being presented. The perspectives include origin, definition, decision-making, performance measurement, product development and application for both lean and sustainable manufacturing. Findings Findings from the literature prove that both lean and sustainable manufacturing systems aim at improving the organizational performance and provide both operational and sustainable benefits. Also based on the studies, it has been found that integrated lean sustainable manufacturing system can be defined as a system that creates value for the customers by eliminating wastes consistently and adopting processes that are ecofriendly, economically viable and safe for the employees to produce green products that enhance the social performance. Research limitations/implications The present review considers the papers on lean and sustainable manufacturing based on certain perspectives. Peer-reviewed journal articles, and books are only being considered and reviewed. Articles and information from dissertation thesis, unpublished working papers and conference proceedings were excluded. In future, the study can be enhanced by considering more such perspectives that reflect the ideology and applicability of the selected themes. The practical perspectives of lean and sustainable manufacturing and their integration are also being presented. Originality/value This paper presents a review of lean and sustainable manufacturing and provides insights from different perspectives. The scope for their integration is also discussed. The contributions are original.