A Socio-Technical Framework for Lean Project Management Implementation towards Sustainable Value in the Digital Transformation Context

Bianca Felizardo Lima, Julio Vieira Neto, Renan Santos and Rodrigo Goyannes Gusmão Caiado
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Bianca Felizardo Lima: LATEC—Laboratory of Technology, Business Management and Environment, Federal Fluminense University (UFF), Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24000-000, Brazil
Julio Vieira Neto: LATEC—Laboratory of Technology, Business Management and Environment, Federal Fluminense University (UFF), Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24000-000, Brazil
Rodrigo Goyannes Gusmão Caiado: Industrial Engineering Department, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Rio de Janeiro 22541-041, Brazil

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: Motivated by the project uncertainties of complex realities brought by the fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0 (I4.0), researchers must look at Lean project management (LPM) soft skills as a new mindset to have a holistic view of customer needs and to improve value to the organization. In the digital transformation era, it is essential that Lean practitioners develop socio-technical thinking while also prioritizing interpersonal soft skills that directly affect their ability to solve problems in order for the company to grow sustainably. This paper aims to identify the critical soft skills (CSSs) to implement LPM in the I4.0 era and to investigate, from the perspective of organizations, the latent factors for LPM implementation that generate sustainable value. For this purpose, a mixed-method approach was used, combining literature review and a survey with 166 Brazilian professionals. This empirical study intends to set the CSSs from a practice perspective and explore the benefits they generate throughout the organization. Data analysis was conducted with descriptive statistics and factorial analysis. Research findings revealed convergences regarding the practitioners’ perception regarding the ten CSSs identified in the literature, and portray two latent factors, human and process factors, which can assist decision-makers in implementing LPM by offering a better perspective of the key factors that add sustainable value for companies in the digital transformation context. This study contributes to the debate on rethinking traditional skills, accentuates the need for adjustments, and proposes a socio-technical framework that can be used in a project manager’s routine to enable better Lean project execution, help with decision making, and increase the understanding and meeting of customer needs.

Keywords: lean thinking; project management; critical soft skills (CSSs); digital transformation; sustainable value; empirical study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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