The Adaptation of Lean Methodology in Swedish Cultures - the innovation approaches to Lean Manufacturing

The Japanese automobile manufacturer invented Lean Production or Toyota Production System (TPS) which has been introduced and implemented in Swedish manufacturers for around 20 years (Dabhilkar, et al., 2005). Many studies discussed how it creates success in optimizing production process and quality. However, many researches show that the gap between culture become the main barrier in the process of realizing ‘true’ lean manufacturing. So, what problems has been brought out because of cultural difference in the process of implementing the lean method in Swedish industry and how to eliminate them? The adaptation of lean method will have influences on the culture of a company. The purpose of this paper is to find out the problems which brought out by the cultural difference and a set of general approaches and principles which can be used for Swedish cultures to adapt and implement lean methodologies successfully and effectively.