TY - JOUR
T1 - Lean manufacturing as a high-performance work system
T2 - The case of Cochlear
AU - Gollan, Paul J.
AU - Kalfa, Senia
AU - Agarwal, Renu
AU - Green, Roy
AU - Randhawa, Krithika
PY - 2014/11/2
Y1 - 2014/11/2
N2 - This paper addresses the Special Issue call for Australian examples of innovative management systems that enable the production of successful products by drawing on a single case study: medical device manufacturer Cochlear. Through qualitative case study methodology, we examine the human resource management practices that complemented the implementation of lean manufacturing principles. We argue that in their implementation, Cochlears management team enriched the traditional understanding of lean and its focus on waste reduction, low cost and quality assurance by adopting people management practices as an integrated component of the overall management capability which allowed their people to grow and develop. The combination of lean and HR practices transformed Cochlear to a high-performance work system and positively impacted production processes and output. By examining a medical device manufacturer, an under-researched sector, our paper expands existing literature on lean manufacturing and provides implications for practitioners.
AB - This paper addresses the Special Issue call for Australian examples of innovative management systems that enable the production of successful products by drawing on a single case study: medical device manufacturer Cochlear. Through qualitative case study methodology, we examine the human resource management practices that complemented the implementation of lean manufacturing principles. We argue that in their implementation, Cochlears management team enriched the traditional understanding of lean and its focus on waste reduction, low cost and quality assurance by adopting people management practices as an integrated component of the overall management capability which allowed their people to grow and develop. The combination of lean and HR practices transformed Cochlear to a high-performance work system and positively impacted production processes and output. By examining a medical device manufacturer, an under-researched sector, our paper expands existing literature on lean manufacturing and provides implications for practitioners.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84908208269&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00207543.2014.940430
DO - 10.1080/00207543.2014.940430
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84908208269
SN - 0020-7543
VL - 52
SP - 6434
EP - 6447
JO - International Journal of Production Research
JF - International Journal of Production Research
IS - 21
ER -