A Framework for implementing lean through continuous improvement and Hoshin Kanri: a case study in Guanxi culture

Nowadays, the literature recognizes Lean as an integrated system. Despite its widespread adoption, literature highlights a lack of standard and success cases in the implementation of Lean. Hoshin Kanri (HK the literature) is recognized as a component for implementing new management systems and can play an essential role in Lean deployment. Cultural challenges are recurring issues in the literature. Organizational culture and workers’ cultural context could affect how HK and Lean are performed. This paper aim to provide a framework for Lean Deployment based on the principles of Hoshin Kanri, which allows the implementation of Lean through Continuous Improvement mechanisms. The innovation consists in incorporating the activities of the organizational culture setting in a Lean Deployment framework. The paper presents the implementation of a framework in the Chinese site of an international company. The case study highlights the importance of understanding organizational implications about lean implementation and possible resistance given by the Guanxi environment.