Application of lean management in Lebanese pharmaceutical companies

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this research is to study the impact that the adoption of Lean manufacturing principles has on operational performance in Lebanese pharmaceutical industries, while taking into account the employees' characteristics that might affect the constructs. Design/methodology/approach - The philosophical position that was adopted in this research is the post-positivist approach. Moreover, the deductive reasoning was used throughout the paper. A quantitative method was implemented using a questionnaire that targeted some Lebanese pharmaceutical companies. Findings - The perception of operational performance in terms of quality, cost and time in Lebanese pharmaceutical companies was not affected by the gender. However some differences in the age ranges, educational levels, years of experience and positions had an effect on the judgment of operational performance. This could be explained by the fact that older people, with more years of experience and higher positions tend to have managerial positions that make them perceive operational performance in a better way. It was also recorded that the lean principles, perfection, value, VSM and pull affected the operational performance, the quality and the cost. As for the time, it was affected by perfection, value and VSM. The flow principle did not affect any of the pillars of operational performance and this could be due to a lack of time management of the demand in the companies. Research limitations/implications - The survey was conducted in a limited timetable, this might have affected the results since Lean is becoming more integrated in the Lebanese pharmaceutical companies. No foreman filled the survey even though they are part of the operation fields and their input might have affected to results. Thus, it would be interesting to re-evaluate the impact of Lean on operational performance in future years and compare it to the outcomes obtained in this study. Practical implications - Managers in Lebanese pharmaceutical companies should integrate the Lean concept in the core value of the employees. This could be done by empowering them and by providing them with trainings. This will help improve the behavior and mind-set of the workers in order to have a positive change inside the companies and thus better results. Originality/value - Lean knowledge has become a major concept especially in the Lebanese pharmaceutical companies that follow the Good Manufacturing Practices. Few studies analyzed this concept in this market and this gave the research study an added value especially that it studies the impact of Lean on the operational performance while focusing on the quality, the cost and the time.