Interactions between the Theory of Constraints and Sustainable Lean Management

Abstract

Sustainable development practices remain today the most controversial concern of overall economic sectors. As such, the concept of performance has been leveled up beyond economic considerations to embrace multiple facets of sustainability. Though, global performance is a complex paradigm since it is related to stakeholders including employees, clients, and suppliers and to practices including economic, social, and environmental aspects. In this article, it is question of bringing together these multiple facets and variables in one platform where Lean Management and corporate social responsibility are the main strategic vision for enhancing global performance. Based on the hypothesis that Lean Management tools and social and environmental practices are correspondent variables, we suppose that the interaction between these variables is vital for more positive outcomes in industrial process. We based our research methodology in a sample of 107 Moroccan industrial companies driven by the three dimensions of sustainability, with a focus on the major constraints that can derive from such combination. The theory of constraints is the core tool to identify and analyse these constraints with the possible adjustments. The qualification of such constraints relies on their ability to satisfy performance strategic goals as quality, cost, time, productivity, and brand image. These groups remain the master goals aimed by every company to achieve continuous improvement with a focus on the potential that social and environmental practices have to offer to economic performance. The main results show that the strategic combination between Lean Management and social and environmental variables is subject to multiple constraints, mainly economic, This requires an impact assessment prior to the implementation of any sustainability approach within the company’s processes. The tools of Lean Management are certainly generators of economic performance. Nevertheless, the integration of social and environmental objectives can even harm the overall performance objectives expected by the company. It is then necessary to analyse the impact between the different variables and to optimize their constraints before their introduction. This is the objective of this article, which seeks to guide companies' vision to the risks associated with such a combination and to propose ways of adjustment and improvement specific to each strategic objective.