PurposeIn the recent scenario, there has been an increasing trend toward lean practices and implementation in production systems for the improvement of an organization’s performance as its basic nature is to eliminate the wastes. The increasing interest of customers in customized products and the fulfillment of customers’ demand with good productivity and efficiency within time are the challenges for the manufacturing organization; that is why adopting lean manufacturing concept is very crucial in the current scenario.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the authors considered three different methodologies for fulfilling the objective of our research. The analytical hierarchy process, best–worst method and fuzzy step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis are the three methods employed for weighting all the enablers and finding the priority among them and their final rankings.FindingsFurther, the best results among these methodologies could be used to analyze their interrelationships for successful lean supply chain management implementation in an organization. In this paper, 35 key enablers were identified after the rigorous analysis of literature review and the opinion of a group of experts consisting of academicians, practitioners and consultants. Thereafter, the brainstorming sessions were conducted to finalize 28 lean supply chain enablers (LSCEs).Practical implicationsFor lean manufacturing practitioners, the result of this study can be beneficial where the manufacturer is required to increase efficiency and reduce cost and wastage of resources in the lean manufacturing process.Originality/valueThis paper is the first of the research papers that considered deep literature review of identified LSCEs as the initial step, followed by finding the best priority weightage and developing the ranking of various lean enablers of supply chain with the help of various methodologies.

Many forest tree and fruit species can be raised on highly alkali soil (pH > 10) but some of them such as pomegranate (Punica granatum) are unable to tolerate water stagnation. To avoid water stagnation problems during the monsoon the raised and sunken bed technique has been found suitable for agroforestry practices on highly alkali soil. One fruit-yielding pomegranate and one oil-yielding salvadora (Salvadora persica) plantation species were successfully grown on raised bunds to avoid water stagnation and rice±wheat and ////// berseem±kallar grass rotation were grown on sunken-beds constructed for the purpose. The experiment was initiated in 1996 and the above two crop rotations were followed for two consecutive years starting in the summer season. Results of these experiments have also shown that good growth of plantations, on an average 4 Á 3 to 4Á 9 t ha À 1 rice (salt tolerant var. CSR-10) and 1 Á 2 to 1Á 4 t ha À 1 wheat (KRL 1±4), were obtained in sunken beds. In another rotation 21 Á 3 to 36.8 t ha À 1 fresh forage of // / kallar grass (Leptochloa fusca) and 44 Á 9 to 47Á 8 t ha À 1 fresh forage of // // berseem (Trifolium alexandrium) were obtained. After two years of the experiment, soil amelioration in terms of reduction in soil pH was signi®cant. The effect of plantation in reducing soil pH showed that the pomegranate and salvadora both helped in reduction of soil pH, but the latter due to its well-developed lateral root system was more ef®cient in lowering the soil pH even at lower depths. The reduction in soil pH by the ////// berseem±kallar grass rotation was better than under rice±wheat rotation.

Seed production of farmers preferred improved maize varieties under community based seed production(CBSP) group initiated in the hills of Nepal under Hill Maize Research Project in 2000. Trained members of the community group produce improved seeds identified through participatory varietal selection procedures. Despite quantum jump in maize seed production, 14 tons by 7 CBSP groups in 2000 to 1,036 tons by 207 groups in 2012, seed marketing remained one of the challenges in HMRP districts. Main objective of this study was to analyze maize seed production trend and presowing seed contracts in hill districts under HMRP. Linear regression model showed seed production trend over the period 2000 to 2012 highly significant. Annual compounded growth rate of seed during the same period was estimated to be 34.36%. Pre-sowing seed contract in cereal crops in the hills of Nepal is a new initiative of HMRP IV. Analysis showed 63 formal contracts were signed for 170.45 tons of improved maize seed between 50 CBSP groups and 24 private seed buyers/traders.

Purpose Today the role of industry 4.0 plays a very important role in enhancing any supply chain network, as the industry 4.0 supply chain uses Big Data and advanced analytics to inform the complete visibility. Latest data are available to bring clarity and support real-time decision-making in the entire supply chain that’s why adopting optimization techniques such as lean manufacturing and lean supply chain concept for enhancing the supply chain network of the organizations is a good idea and would benefit them in increasing their cost efficiency and productivity. The purpose of this work is to develop a technique, which may be useful for future researchers and managers to identify and classification of the significant lean supply chain enablers. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors considered hybrid analytical hierarchy process to find the ranking of the identified lean supply chain enablers by calculating their weightage. Interpretive structural modeling (ISM) is applied to develop the structural interrelationship among various lean supply chain management enablers. Considering the results obtained from ISM the Matrices d'Impacts Croises Multiplication Appliqué a un Classement (MICMAC) analysis is done to identify the driving and dependence power of Lean Supply Chain Management Enablers (LSCMEs). Findings Further, the best results applying these methodologies could be used to analyze their inter-relationships for successful Lean supply chain management implementation in an organization. The authors developed an integrated model after the identification of 20 key LSCMEs, which is very helpful to identify and classify the important enablers by ISM methodology and explore the direct and indirect effects of each enabler by MICMAC analysis on the LSCM implementation. This will help organizations optimize their supply chain by selective control of lean enablers. Practical implications For lean manufacturing practitioners, the result of the study can be beneficial where the manufacturer is required to increase efficiency and reduce cost and wastage of resources in the lean manufacturing process, as well as in enhancing the supply chain. Originality/value This paper is the first research paper that considered firstly deep literature review of identified lean supply chain enablers and second developed structured modeling of various lean enablers of supply chain with the help of various methodologies.

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