Beyond theory:an examination of lean new product introduction practices in the UK

Abstract

Interest is growing around the application of lean techniques to new product introduction (NPI). Although a relatively emergent topic compared with the application of ‘lean’ within the factory, since 2000 there has been an exponential rise in the literature on this subject. However, much of this work focuses on describing and extolling the virtues of the ‘Toyota approach’ to design. Therefore, by way of a stock take for the UK, the present authors' research has set out to understand how well lean product design practices have been adopted by leading manufacturers. This has been achieved by carrying out in-depth case studies with three carefully selected manufacturers of complex engineered products. This paper describes these studies, the detailed results and subsequent findings, and concludes that both the awareness and adoption of practices is generally embryonic and far removed from the theory advocated in the literature.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.1243/09544054JEM871
Divisions: College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School > Operations & Information Management
College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School > Advanced Services Group
Uncontrolled Keywords: lean,new product introduction,case study
Publication ISSN: 2041-2975
Last Modified: 05 Dec 2024 08:06
Date Deposited: 14 Aug 2012 12:53
Full Text Link: http://pib.sage ... 1/1593.abstract
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PURE Output Type: Article
Published Date: 2007-11-01
Authors: Baines, T.S. (ORCID Profile 0000-0002-7518-2967)
Williams, G.M.
Lightfoot, H.
Evans, S.

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