Short answer

Prioritize the development of lean leadership and actively engage employees in Gemba practices to foster a culture that supports and drives sustainability performance.

Field: Commercial Production
Source: DergiPark (Istanbul University) (2021)
Method: Quantitative research using structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).
Sample: 30 participants
Evidence: Moderate effect

Implementing lean management and Gemba practices, guided by lean leadership, can significantly improve an organization's sustainability performance. This commercial production research insight is drawn from a 2021 study published in DergiPark (Istanbul University). Using Quantitative research using structural equation modelling (pls-sem). with 30 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Prioritize the development of lean leadership and actively engage employees in Gemba practices to foster a culture that supports and drives sustainability performance.

Study

Commercial ProductionHigh ImpactModerate effect

Lean Leadership Mediates Gemba Practices to Enhance Sustainability Performance by 39.4%

Implementing lean management and Gemba practices, guided by lean leadership, can significantly improve an organization's sustainability performance.

DergiPark (Istanbul University) · 2021

Key Findings

01Gemba Practices, Lean Leadership, and Lean Management Practices collectively explain 39.4% of the variance in Sustainability Performance.
02Gemba Practices have a medium effect size (0.238) on Sustainability Performance.
03Gemba Practices and Lean Management Practices have small effect sizes (0.075 and 0.094 respectively) on Lean Leadership.
04Lean Leadership has a small effect (0.046) on Sustainability Performance.
05Lean Management Practices showed no direct effect on Sustainability Performance.

Application

Design takeaway

Prioritize the development of lean leadership and actively engage employees in Gemba practices to foster a culture that supports and drives sustainability performance.

How to apply

Incorporate lean leadership training and establish regular Gemba walks focused on identifying sustainability-related improvements within production or service processes.

Project actions

01Clearly define what 'sustainability performance' means in the context of your design project.
02Consider how leadership styles can influence the adoption of new design or production methods.

Method & Evidence

AimTo analyze the relationship between lean management practices and Gemba practices, mediated by lean leadership, on sustainability performance.

MethodQuantitative research using structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

ProcedureA questionnaire with 56 statements across four sections was administered to 30 respondents (15 management, 15 employees). Data was analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS to test direct and mediating effects.

Sample30 participants

ContextFinancial services (National Bank in Oman)

Variables

IV["Lean Management Practices","Gemba Practices"]

DVSustainability Performance

CV["Lean Leadership (as a mediator)"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Utilizes advanced statistical modelling (PLS-SEM) for robust analysis.
+Investigates the mediating role of leadership, providing deeper insights.

Limitations

Small sample size and specific industry context may limit the direct applicability of findings to all design projects.

Reliability & validity

The use of established software (SPSS, SmartPLS) and structural equation modelling suggests a strong methodological approach to reliability and validity, though specific measures are not detailed in the abstract.

Think critically

To what extent can the findings be generalized to industries with less standardized processes than banking?

Design Principles

"Operational efficiency practices, when supported by effective leadership, can be leveraged to achieve broader sustainability goals."

This research highlights a practical pathway for businesses to integrate operational efficiency with environmental and social responsibility. By focusing on lean principles and strong leadership, organizations can achieve measurable improvements in their sustainability metrics, which is increasingly important for stakeholder relations and long-term viability.

What This Means for Your Design

Using lean methods and having good leaders helps companies be more sustainable, explaining over a third of their sustainability success.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing the impact of operational strategies on product lifecycle sustainability.
2.Use the findings to justify the importance of leadership buy-in for implementing sustainable design solutions.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research demonstrates that lean management practices, particularly Gemba practices, when supported by lean leadership, can significantly contribute to sustainability performance, explaining a substantial portion of its variance. This highlights the importance of integrating operational efficiency with strategic leadership for achieving environmental and social goals in design and production.

Source

DergiPark (Istanbul University)

THE LEAN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, GEMBA PRACTICES, AND LEAN LEADERSHIP RELATIONSHIP WITH SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE OF THE NATIONAL BANK IN OMAN: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF VARIABLES

journal · 2021

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about lean leadership mediates gemba practices to enhance sustainability performance by 39.4%?: Prioritize the development of lean leadership and actively engage employees in Gemba practices to foster a culture that supports and drives sustainability performance. Evidence: DergiPark (Istanbul University) (2021).
Why does "Lean Leadership Mediates Gemba Practices to Enhance Sustainability Performance by 39.4%" matter for design?: This research highlights a practical pathway for businesses to integrate operational efficiency with environmental and social responsibility. By focusing on lean principles and strong leadership, organizations can achieve measurable improvements in their sustainability metrics, which is increasingly important for stakeholder relations and long-term viability.
How can designers apply this research?: Prioritize the development of lean leadership and actively engage employees in Gemba practices to foster a culture that supports and drives sustainability performance.
What were the main findings?: Gemba Practices, Lean Leadership, and Lean Management Practices collectively explain 39.4% of the variance in Sustainability Performance.. Gemba Practices have a medium effect size (0.238) on Sustainability Performance.. Gemba Practices and Lean Management Practices have small effect sizes (0.075 and 0.094 respectively) on Lean Leadership.. Lean Leadership has a small effect (0.046) on Sustainability Performance.
What research method was used?: Quantitative research using structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). with 30 participants.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2021 journal from DergiPark (Istanbul University).
What should I do differently in my next project?: Incorporate lean leadership training and establish regular Gemba walks focused on identifying sustainability-related improvements within production or service processes.
What are the limitations?: The study was conducted in a specific national bank in Oman, limiting generalizability to other sectors or regions. The sample size was also small.