A perspective on knowledge sharing and lean management: an empirical investigation

We conducted a single-case study analysis of a global leading manufacturer of carton packaging for food and beverages, to reveal linkages between knowledge sharing (KS) and lean management (LM) and examine the moderating role of corporate culture. Such linkages, ensure that lean knowledge acquired during a company’s transformation from conventional management to lean, is appropriately shared to all interested parties. In this context, the study findings revealed that there are enablers (e.g., employee involvement in decision making; common targets and goals) and disablers (e.g., time constraints; extreme workload; complicated KMS) of KS in a lean context. Firms need to take into account both enablers and disablers in order to minimize “knowledge waste” and achieve successful lean outcomes. These KS-LM relationships highlight a need for organizations to depart from the mere operational view of lean to a holistic one by drawing attention to a “soft” paradigm into the maximization of lean.