Lean practices are known to increase operational performance. Previous research has identified critical success factors for implementing lean practices. This research aims to examine the extent to which success factors are critical for various degrees of lean practice implementation. Using multiple-respondent self-assessments from 33 Dutch manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), we conducted a Necessary Condition Analysis. Our findings indicated that the criticality of success factors is progression dependent. In the initial stages of the lean journey, SMEs could improve their lean practices in a bottom-up manner through local factors such as a learning focus, improvement training and support congruence. When lean practices are more advanced, some company-wide factors must be present: top management support, a shared improvement vision and a supplier link. Our findings question the universality of success factors such as strategic involvement and indicate the need for a more dynamic model of lean implementation.

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Due to the success of lean manufacturing, many companies are interested in implementing a lean production control system. Lean production control principles include the levelling of production, the use of pull mechanisms and takt time control. These principles have mainly been applied in high volume flow shop environments where orders move through the production system in one direction in a limited number of identifiable routing sequences. This article investigates how lean production control principles can be used in a make-to-order job shop, where volume is typically low and there is high variety. We show how production levelling, constant work in process, first in first out and takt time can be integrated in a lean production control system. A case study is presented to illustrate the design and phased implementation of the system in a typical dual resource constrained production environment. The case study demonstrates that lean production control principles can be successfully implemented in a high-variety/low-volume context. Implementation led to a reduction in flow times and an increase in the service level achieved, with on-time delivery performance improving from 55 to 80%.