Operational performance improvement in manual assembly lines: a case study in Denmark and conceptual model for quick and long-term wins
Diego Augusto de Jesus Pacheco and
Thomas Schougaard
International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 2023, vol. 73, issue 6, 1689-1718
Abstract:
Purpose - This study aims to investigate how to identify and address production levelling problems in assembly lines utilising an intensive manual workforce when higher productivity levels are urgently requested to meet market demands. Design/methodology/approach - A mixed-methods approach was used in the research design, integrating case study analysis, interviews and qualitative/quantitative data collection and analysis. The methodology implemented also introduces to the literature on operational performance a novel combination of data analysis methods by introducing the use of the Natural Language Understanding (NLU) methods. Findings - First, the findings unveil the impacts on operational performance that transportation, limited documentation and waiting times play in assembly lines composed of an intensive workforce. Second, the paper unveils the understanding of the role that a limited understanding of how the assembly line functions play in productivity. Finally, the authors provide actionable insights into the levelling problems in manual assembly lines. Practical implications - This research supports industries operating assembly lines with intensive utilisation of manual workforce to improve operational performance. The paper also proposed a novel conceptual model prescriptively guiding quick and long-term improvements in intensive manual workforce assembly lines. The article assists industrial decision-makers with subsequent turnaround strategies to ensure higher efficiency levels requested by the market. Originality/value - The paper offers actionable findings relevant to other manual assembly lines utilising an intensive workforce looking to improve operational performance. Some of the methods and strategies examined in this study to improve productivity require minimal capital investments. Lastly, the study contributes to the empirical literature by identifying production levelling problems in a real context.
Keywords: Operational performance; Manual assembly lines; Productivity; Process improvement; Lean manufacturing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:
Downloads: (external link)
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.110 ... d&utm_campaign=repec (text/html)
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.110 ... d&utm_campaign=repec (application/pdf)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.
Export reference: BibTeX
RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan)
HTML/Text
Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:ijppmp:ijppm-11-2022-0566
DOI: 10.1108/IJPPM-11-2022-0566
Access Statistics for this article
International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management is currently edited by Dr Luisa Huatuco and Dr Nicky Shaw
More articles in International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management from Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Emerald Support ().