Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Lean Training as a Driver for Microbusinesses’ Digital Transformation

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Lean, Green and Sustainability (ELEC 2022)

Part of the book series: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology ((IFIPAICT,volume 668))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 670 Accesses

Abstract

Lean management helps to increase the efficiency of microbusinesses by focusing on reducing costs, eliminating waste, and enhancing processes by focusing on customer needs. Practitioners believe that these Lean principles support digital transformation which has become increasingly important for small businesses due to high competition and the need to sustain their business. However, this assumption has not been empirically explored, little recent literature on Lean claims that it can influence digital transformation strategy. In this study, we conducted a focus group to uncover how Lean management programs impacted Microbusinesses’ digital transformations. The results from the study reveal that Lean management is closely related to digital transformation efforts, and it enables microbusinesses to add capacity, reduce costs, optimize risks, innovate, and in some cases transform their organization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hohmann, C.: Lean Management: Outils, méthodes, retours d’expériences, questions/réponses: Editions Eyrolles (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Antony, J., McDermott, O., Powell, D., Sony, M.: The evolution and future of lean Six Sigma 4.0. TQM J. (2022). (ahead-of-print)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Mithas, S., Murugesan, S., Seetharaman, P.: What is your artificial intelligence strategy? IT Prof. 22(02), 4–9 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Ghosh, M.: Lean manufacturing performance in Indian manufacturing plants. J. Manuf. Technol. Manag. 24(1), 113–122 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Krafcik, J.F.: Triumph of the lean production system. Sloan Manag. Rev. 30(1), 41–52 (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Womack, J.P., Jones, D.T.: Lean thinking: banish waste and create wealth in your corporation. Simon and Schuster (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Charron, R., Harrington, H.J., Voehl, F., Wiggin, H.: The Lean Management Systems Handbook. CRC Press, Boca Raton (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Shah, R., Ward, P.T.: Defining and developing measures of lean production. J. Oper. Manag. 25(4), 785–805 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Womack, J.P., Jones, D.T., Roos, D.: The Machine that Changed the World: The Story of Lean Production. 1st Harper Perennial Ed., New York (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Slack, N., Lewis, M., Bates, H.: The two worlds of operations management research and practice: can they meet, should they meet? Int. J. Oper. Prod. Manag. 24(4), 372–387 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Worley, J., Doolen, T.: The role of communication and management support in a lean manufacturing implementation. Manag. Decis. 44(2), 228–245 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Karim, A., Arif-Uz-Zaman, K.: A methodology for effective implementation of lean strategies and its performance evaluation in manufacturing organizations. Bus. Process. Manag. J. 19(1), 169–196 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Al-Balushi, S.M., Sohal, A.S., Singh, P.J., Al-Hajri, A., Al Farsi, Y., Al-Abri, R.: Readiness factors for lean implementation in healthcare settings-a literature review. J. Heal. Organ. Manag. 28(2), 135–153 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Digital lean manufacturing n.d. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/industry-4-0/digital-lean-manufacturing.html

  15. Arnheiter, E.D., Maleyeff, J.: The integration of lean management and Six Sigma. TQM Mag. 17(1), 5–18 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Womack, J.P., Jones, D.T.: Beyond Toyota: how to root out waste and pursue perfection. Harv. Bus. Rev. 74(5), 140–151 (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Lean Business Ireland [Internet]. [cited 2022]. https://www.leanbusinessireland.ie/funding-supports-overview/are-you-a-local-enterprise-office-client/lean-for-micro/

  18. Lean Implementation In Micro & Small Enterprises: Book Of Cases 20202021

    Google Scholar 

  19. Bharadwaj, A., El Sawy, O.A., Pavlou, P.A., Venkatraman, N.V.: Digital business strategy: toward a next generation of insights. MIS Q. 471–82 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Carroll, N., Helfert, M.: Service capabilities within open innovation: revisiting the applicability of capability maturity models. J. Enterp. Inf. Manag. 2, 275–303 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Vial, G.: Understanding digital transformation: a review and a research agenda. Manag. Digit. Transform. 118–144 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Hess, T., Matt, C., Benlian, A., Wiesböck. F.: Options for formulating a digital transformation strategy. MIS Q. Exec. 15(2), 123–139 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Westerman, G., Bonnet, D., McAfee, A.: Leading Digital: Turning Technology into Business Transformation. Harvard Business Press, Brighton (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Commission E.: Digital Transformation (2019). https://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/policy/digital-ransformation_en

  25. Statistics, O.: Stats.oecd.org. (2018). https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ICT_

  26. Gruman, G.: What digital transformation really means. InfoWorld. 18(1), 1–3 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Schwertner, K.: Digital transformation of business. Trakia J. Sci. 15(1), 388–393 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Fitzgerald, M., Kruschwitz, N., Bonnet, D., Welch, M.: Embracing digital technology: a new strategic imperative. MIT Sloan Manag. Rev. 55(2), 1 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Kane, G.: The technology fallacy: people are the real key to digital transformation. Res. Technol. Manag. 62(6), 44–49 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Arnold, C.: The foundation for economies worldwide is small business. In: International Federation of Accountants, Issues and Insights, 26 June 2019 (2019). https://www.ifac.org/knowledge-gateway/contributing-global-economy/discussion/foundation-economies-worldwide-small-business-0. Retrieved 25 Jan 2023

  31. Zimmerman, M., Dunlap, D., Hamilton, III R.D., Hill, T., Chapman, E.A.: David versus goliath: strategic behavior of small firms in consolidated industries. J. Small Bus. Strateg. 13(2), 56–74 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Bharati, P., Chaudhury, A.: Studying the current status of technology adoption. Commun. ACM 49(10), 88–93 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Mandviwalla, M., Flanagan, R.: Small business digital transformation in the context of the pandemic. Eur. J. Inf. Syst. 30(4), 359–375 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Mithas, S.: Digital Intelligence: What Every Smart Manager Must Have for Success in an Information Age. Third edition. Finerplanet (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Bourke, J., Roper, S.: Micro-businesses in Ireland: from ambition to innovation. Cork University Business School (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  36. About Lean Six Sigma Courses - Who, What, & Where - Find out! (2021). https://www.leansixsigmatraining.ie/about/. Accessed 13 May 2021

  37. Fern, E.F.: The use of focus groups for idea generation: the effects of group size, acquaintanceship, and moderator on response quantity and quality. J. Mark. Res. 19(1), 1–13 (1982)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Saldana, J.: The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers. SAGE Publications Ltd., Thousand Oaks (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Shirish, A., O’Shanahan, J., Kumar, A.: The enablers and inhibitors of digital transformation within the microbusiness sector in Irelan. In: UIIN 2022: University Industry Innovation Network Conference, Jun 2022, Amsterdam, Netherlands (2022). ⟨hal-03548215⟩

    Google Scholar 

  40. Shirish, A., Srivastava, S.C., Panteli, N: Management and sustenance of digital transformations in the Irish microbusiness sector: examining the key role of microbusiness owner-manager. Eur. J. Inf. Syst. Forthcoming

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Mines Télécom Business School, Evry-Courcouronnes, France

    Prabhjot Singh

  2. Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, IMT-BS, LITEM, 91025, Evry-Courcouronnes, France

    Anuragini Shirish & Anaya Kumar

  3. LEAN BPI, Limerick, Ireland

    John O’Shanahan

Authors
  1. Prabhjot Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anuragini Shirish
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anaya Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. John O’Shanahan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anuragini Shirish .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Galway, Galway, Ireland

    Olivia McDermott

  2. LUM University "Giuseppe Degennaro", Casamassima, Italy

    Angelo Rosa

  3. Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Porto, Portugal

    José Carlos Sá

  4. University of Galway, Galway, Ireland

    Aidan Toner

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Singh, P., Shirish, A., Kumar, A., O’Shanahan, J. (2023). Lean Training as a Driver for Microbusinesses’ Digital Transformation. In: McDermott, O., Rosa, A., Sá, J.C., Toner, A. (eds) Lean, Green and Sustainability. ELEC 2022. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol 668. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25741-4_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25741-4_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-25740-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-25741-4

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Societies and partnerships