Critical Success Factors for Lean Manufacturing Implementation: The Case of Egypt

This study aims to investigate the critical success factors (CSFs) for implementing lean manufacturing in the Egyptian industrial sector. The study examines the interrelationship among 13 critical success factors for lean manufacturing implementation using interpretive structural modeling (ISM). Further, MICMAC analysis is conducted to classify the 13 factors under four groups and assess the driving power and dependency of each factor. The ISM model showed that the involvement of top and middle managers, and staff training are among the most important critical success factors. On the other side, employees’ involvement, changing traditional management accounting practices, and supplier partnership came as the least prioritized factors that may contribute to the success of lean implementation. The results of the MICMAC analysis reveal that training is the only independent factor that has no antecedents compared to other factors. The paper’s findings provide managers in Egypt with insights into how 13 CSFs factors could be optimized for a successful lean implementation program. The study contributes to the extant literature on innovative management in Africa, and lean manufacturing in developing countries. The results offer several managerial implications for implementing lean in the Egyptian industrial sector.