The Determinants of Digital Transformation in Lean Production Systems: A Survey

Abstract

Due to continuously changing conditions (Covid-19 pandemic, energy crisis) the companies search for ways to change their business model and structure in order to remain competitive by utilizing lean manufacturing philosophy and industry 4.0 technologies. The digitalization process is inextricably linked with the introduction of industry 4.0 technologies. In the industry 4.0 era, the systems collect information and data from multiple sensors and adjust the function of the production process without human intervention offering flexibility and automation. Digitalization entails the development of digital organization units with smart devices enabling human-to-machine communication emerging as a key factor. The aim of this paper is to present the framework and the successful strategy for the digital transition of industries combining lean manufacturing principles. To achieve this target, a survey was applied to identify the trends of businesses and investigate the relationship with lean production techniques. Additionally, a logistic regression model is developed based on the survey data. The present paper presents the crucial factors, the most significant obstacles to digital transformation and the most widespread industry 4.0 technology.