Abstract
This research demonstrates how Lean can be applied in a Microenterprise. Utilising a case study in a painter/decorator business, the study aims to show the benefits of applying Lean in a service organisation. The study also investigates how the Enterprise Ireland Lean program benefited the microenterprise case study. The results demonstrated that by utilising Lean tools, a new customer quotation process was designed with reduced the non-value add time to raise a customer quote. An enhanced online quotation process ensured a level-loaded, more value-added process. The study is the first published study of Lean in a painter/decorator and can be leveraged by similar size micro-enterprises to demonstrate the applicability of Lean. For academics and practitioners and informing government funding policy, this study demonstrates that Lean can successfully be deployed in Micro Enterprises. This study demonstrates that government support can aid Lean and enhance economic competitiveness. Further research opportunities are to compare and contrast Lean deployment in other sectors across the microenterprise space.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
EU Commission: Commission Recommendation concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (2003)
Central Statistics Office: Small and Medium Enterprises - CSO - Central Statistics Office. https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-bii/bii2015/sme/. Accessed 09 Feb 2022
Central Statistics Office: Business Demography 2018 - CSO - Central Statistics Office. https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/bd/businessdemography2018/. Accessed 30 Jan 2022
Prasad, S., Tata, J.: Micro-enterprise quality. Int. J. Qual. Reliab. Manag. 26, 234–246 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1108/02656710910936717
McDermott, O., Antony, J., Sony, M., Daly, S.: Barriers and enablers for continuous improvement methodologies within the Irish pharmaceutical industry. Processes 10 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10010073
McDermott, O., Antony, J., Sony, M., Healy, T.: Critical failure factors for continuous improvement methodologies in the Irish MedTech industry. TQM J. (2022)
McDermott, O., Antony, J: Lean six sigma as an enabler for healthcare operational excellence in COVID-19. In: Six Sigma for Healthcare & Leadership. Purdue University Press Journal, Purdue University, Indiana (June 26–27)
McDermott, O., Antony, J., Douglas, J.: Exploring the use of operational excellence methodologies in the era of COVID-19: perspectives from leading academics and practitioners. TQM J. ahead-of-print (2021)
McDermott, O., et al.: Lean six sigma in healthcare: a systematic literature review on motivations and benefits. Processes 10 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10101910
McDermott, O., et al.: Lean six sigma in healthcare: a systematic literature review on challenges, organisational readiness and critical success factors. Processes 10 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10101945
Antony, J., Lancastle, J., McDermott, O., Bhat, S., Parida, R., Cudney, E.: An evaluation of lean and six sigma methodologies in the UK national health services. Int. J. Qual. Reliab. Manag. (2021)
Trubetskaya, A., Manto, D., McDermott, O.: A review of lean adoption in the Irish MedTech industry. Processes 10, 391 (2022)
Slattery, O., Trubetskaya, A., Moore, S., McDermott, O.: A review of lean methodology application and its integration in medical device new product introduction processes. Processes. 10 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10102005
Byrne, B., McDermott, O., Noonan, J.: Applying lean six sigma methodology to a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility: a case study. Processes 9 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9030550
Duggan, J., Cormican, K., McDermott, O.: Lean implementation: analysis of individual-level factors in a biopharmaceutical organisation. Int. J. Lean Six Sigma. ahead-of- print (2022). https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLSS-10-2021-0184
Enterprise Ireland: Funding, grants and financial supports for entrepreneurs, companies and researchers - Enterprise Ireland. https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/funding-supports/. Accessed 23 Mar 2022
Lean Business Ireland: Lean For Micro. https://www.leanbusinessireland.ie/funding-supports-overview/are-you-a-local-enterprise-office-client/lean-for-micro/. Accessed 06 Feb 2022
Shah, P.P., Shrivastava, R.L.: Identification of performance measures of lean six sigma in small- and medium-sized enterprises: a pilot study. Int. J. Six Sigma Compet. Adv. 8, 1–21 (2013)
Alkhoraif, A., Rashid, H., McLaughlin, P.: Lean implementation in small and medium enterprises: literature review. Oper. Res. Perspect. 6, 100089 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orp.2018.100089
O’Reilly, S., Freeman, D., Dooley, L.: LSS implementation in micro enterprises: adoption of tools to support competitiveness. In: Emerging Trends in LSS. Purdue University Press Journal, Cork, Ireland (2021). https://doi.org/10.5703/1288284317326
Nelson, S., McDermott, O., Woods, B., Trubetskaya, A.: An evaluation of lean deployment in Irish micro-enterprises. Total Qual. Manag. Bus. Excell. 1–20 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2022.2140651
Ravi, A., Ramesh, N.: Enhancing the performance of micro, small and medium sized cluster organisation through lean implementation. IJPQM 21, 325 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPQM.2017.10005234
Voss, C., Blackmon, K.L., Cagliano, R., Hanson, P., Wilson, F.: Made in Europe: small companies. Bus. Strateg. Rev. 9, 1–19 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8616.00078
Gherhes, C., Williams, N., Vorley, T., Vasconcelos, A.C.: Distinguishing micro-businesses from SMEs: a systematic review of growth constraints. J. Small Bus. Enterp. Dev. 23, 939–963 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-05-2016-0075
Lande, M., Shrivastava, R.L., Seth, D.: Critical success factors for lean six sigma in SMEs (small and medium enterprises). TQM J. 28, 613–635 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-12-2014-0107
Keegan, R.: Improving Competitiveness Using Lean Principles – The Irish Experience. Presented at the ICOPEV, Guimares, Portugale (2014)
Hu, Q., Mason, R., Williams, S.J., Found, P.: Lean implementation within SMEs: a literature review. J. Manuf. Technol. Manag. 26, 980–1012 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-02-2014-0013
Albliwi, S., Antony, J., Abdul Halim Lim, S., van der Wiele, T.: Critical failure factors of lean six sigma: a systematic literature review. Int. J. Qual. Reliab. Manag. 31, 1012–1030 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-09-2013-0147
Enterprise Ireland: LeanStart - Enterprise Ireland. https://www.enterpriseireland.com/en/Productivity/Lean-Business-Offer/Lean-Start.shortcut.html. Accessed 06 Feb 2022
Ekbote, B.: Dynamic sales forecasting method for increased accuracy. SSRN 3645032 (2017)
Bhat, S., Gijo, E.V., Rego, A.M., Bhat, V.S.: Lean six sigma competitiveness for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME): an action research in the Indian context. TQM J. 33, 379–406 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-04-2020-0079
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing
About this paper
Cite this paper
Nelson, S., McDermott, O. (2023). Lean Implementation in a Painter/Decorator Micro Enterprise: A Case Study. 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_28
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25741-4_28
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)
