Riding the bell curve of lean and digitalisation programme alignment – a social capital perspective
Journal
International Journal of Production Research
ISSN
0020-7543
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2025-09-24
Author(s)
Abstract
With the rise of digital technologies, manufacturing companies pursue new performance gains.While digitalisation programmes often aim to complement lean programmes, many firms struggleto realise expected benefits when managing both simultaneously. Drawing on social capital theory,this paper focuses on the perspective of lean and digitalization program managers (L&DPMs), theiralignment challenges and strategies. We conducted a multiple case study over a 1.5-year periodanalysing 10 pharmaceutical manufacturing companies. Primary data was collected through 29semi-structured interviews, follow-up discussions and workshop observations. The robustness of ourfindings was enhanced through triangulation with 650 pages of company presentations document-ing lean and digitalisation programmes. We found that L&DPM’s alignment follows a bell-shapedchallenge trajectory across three distinct stages: loose, evolving, and close alignment. In the loosealignment stage, challenges are limited but begin to multiply rapidly, reaching their peak duringevolving alignment. As L&DPMs transition into close alignment, the continuous refinement of align-ment strategies leads to a gradual reduction of challenges. The extent to which these strategies takeroot is largely determined by the strength of social capital relationships. Our findings add nuancedunderstanding to the interrelated socio-technical management of lean and digitalisation and opennew research avenues.
Refereed
yes
Publisher
Informa UK Limited