Relationships between national culture and Lean Management: A literature Review

In an increasingly volatile, globalized, and demanding market, Lean is the differential factor that could increase companies´ competitiveness and efficiency. In spite of the abundant literature addressing Lean system´s technical aspects, there has been little discussion on the importance of national culture in Lean´s implementation process. It has been proven that the implementation of lean practices do not always produce the intended results and national culture has been highlighted as one of the contextual variables that may explain the success or failure of Lean practices. Since companies are influenced by the culture of the country where they´re located, some comparative advantages may occur due to their location, making it necessary to adjust Lean´s implementation process to national culture. The purpose of this article is to propose a literature review to examine the relationship between national culture and Lean Management. This study explores the assertions and/or contradictions found in the literature regarding the cultural dimensions that may act as enablers or withholders to the lean principles and practices.