Factors Affecting the Performance of Employees in Lean Success: Case Study of a Leading Sri Lankan Apparel Manufacturing Company based on Value Stream Mapping

This study is an attempt to identify the factors affecting the success of lean for employee performance, by bridging the empirical gap in the apparel industry in Sri Lanka. Following an interpretive research paradigm, this research is based on a case study analysis carried out concerning a lean case factory that is under a leading apparel manufacturing company in Sri Lanka. The primary data was collected through structured interviews conducted with a sample of seven key process owners and the operational details of this factory were gathered as secondary data; and the main factors affecting have been distinguished in qualitative analysis in this research. As per the findings, the key factors that affect the lean performance of employees are involvement and support of top management, lean culture, knowledge of lean tools, lean training, involvement of lean consultants, and integration with supplier and customer processes. Further, this study has developed a theoretical framework that can be implied to the existing case factory as well as new organizations in different industries that seek enhancement of employee performance and thereby the overall factory performance through lean implementation.