Sketching the Landscape for Lean Digital Transformation

Abstract

Lean management remains the most popular approach to operational excellence within industry. The next wave of industrial improvement is widely considered to be driven by the application of digital technologies. Organizations are seeking to understand how the two approaches can be utilized synergistically. This paper aims to sketch the landscape for current theories and managerial challenges facing Lean and digital transformation based on Lean principles with respect to organizational design, supply chain planning, decision systems and supplier relationships. We raise fundamental questions that should be addressed by future research in the field of digital lean manufacturing and lean digital transformations.