THE ADOPTION OF THE LEAN MANUFACTURING APPROACH IN THE CURRENT ERA. AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF AN SME IN ITALY.

This research focuses on lean manufacturing (LM) philosophy to evaluate its potential and applications within Italian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This business approach was introduced to better manage production or supply chain process of an enterprise so as to improve the overall company's performance. This thesis aims to fill the literature gap about the implementation of LM within Italian SMEs, and so to give an overview of the actual situation of Italian manufacturing SMEs considering their effective need to improve the overall efficiency, and also their reluctance towards production and logistics process changes. This will be achieved by using a new solutions and tools (LM structures) to a various range of enterprises operating in different business sectors. The scope is to develop or implement their supply or production chain by employing LM approach. From the range of these enterprises the use of LM approach is showed, and its benefit discussed with the previous literature. In this line, the use of LM approach is described and then discussed according to the managerial literature. The empirical research is developed by delivering a survey to Allmag L.l.c.'s employees, by interviewing the daughter of the founder, Mrs. Giulia Allegretti, and then by conducting an experimental lab. The first methodology is employed to investigate employees' perception and experience on LM. This followed by the interview which aims to show a decision maker's belief and directions. Finally, the third methodology is used to simulate the implementation of LM techniques within an SME's production chain. Concluding, academic and practical implication are offered along with research limitations and future studies.