| Since the inception of automotive manufacturing in a union environment the work force has been individualized as has the focus of improvements. In the past decade, as the traditional Big Three (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) and their suppliers have seen their collective market share drop and profits dwindle there has been an arduous embrace of lean concepts. In addition, it has been difficult for those in the implementation role to move towards an understanding of how to approach bringing the Toyota Production System's lean concepts to a traditional operational model. This study reviews the recent empirical studies and research done in the area of lean manufacturing and organizational change from the perspectives of architecture of structure, leadership behaviors, and employee empowerment with positive and negative implications. In addition, the study develops a comprehensive theoretical platform using a grounded theory approach to generating an encompassing philosophy to achieve a best practice. |
