Cultural Aspects when Implementing Lean Production and Lean Product Development – Experiences from a Swedish Perspective

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to describe a process of analysis of the problem of a company for the performance of innovation. To perform an innovation, it was necessary to select a method for the analysis of current state and set the tool for the selection of employees and their inclusion into the process of innovation based on criteria that were specified in advance. The aim of the situational analysis was to find out how the process of the goods preparation goes in a company LC SA a.s., and whether an innovation is needed. To perform a possible innovation, a team of people needs to be created, who will participate. For the division of employees into groups, we will use VDL model. To set up this model, we need to gain information about scope of employment of individual employees and their qualities. Another aim was to analyse outputs and set a forecast of their development in the period of innovation implementation. Methodology/Approach: To meet the aim, it was necessary to analyse the current state in the given company, set the need for innovation. For this aim, we have selected a situational analysis, scope of which was to set the current state of the goods preparation before their expedition in connection with the need for innovation. After determination of the need for innovation, we have used VDL model, thanks to which criteria for the selection of employees who will participate in the innovation process were specified. For that it was necessary to gain information about the functional scopes of employment of individual employees. Consequently, we have analyses the amount of turnovers from the previous years and set a forecast of their development in the period of innovation implementation. Results: This paper is an output of the analysis of the need of innovation in a company LC SA a.s. with the use of VDL (Vertical Dyad Linkage) model for the selection of employees, who will participate in the performance of the innovation process. The result of the analysis was the basis for the proposal how to perform the innovation in the given company. It’s intended for managers, who are trying to gain competitive advantage by performing the innovation.