Top management commitment and lean team members’ prosocial voice behaviour

Abstract

Purpose Top management commitment (TMC) and prosocial voice behaviour in Lean teams are vital for the successful Lean implementation. This study aims to investigate how TMC influences Lean team members’ prosocial voice behaviour and how such changed voice behaviour affects the outcome of Lean implementations. Design/methodology/approach The authors have used a qualitative research methodology to examine six dimensions of TMC (communication, involvement, support, empowerment, encouragement and monitoring) in two ready-made garment (RMG) factories in Bangladesh. Operational performance was measured by efficiency, quality, value stream mapping, single-minute exchange dies and 5S scores. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) was assessed by acceptable head and back positions, machine safety, use of masks and housekeeping. Findings The findings reveal that TMC influences Lean team members' voice behaviour positively and, thereby, company's performance. Six dimensions of TMC are all critical for mobilizing prosocial voice, which then improves productivity, OHS and enhancing employee capacity and job satisfaction. Research limitations/implications This research involved two sewing lines in two RMG factories in Bangladesh. Cross-sector and large-scale international quantitative research is also needed. Practical implications This research shows how TMC and Lean problem-solving teams can mobilize employee voice. Originality/value Employee voice is a central issue in the implementation of Lean. To the best of the author’s knowledge, for the first time, the authors show how the six dimensions of TMC influence Lean team members’ voice behaviour in the workplace and thereby how prosocial voice affects team performance.

A Proposed Factory Layout and Improved Process Time Using Lean Tools for FITCO Detergent Factory in Qatar

“…Moreover, when the top management implement lean in the organization, the employees automatically mimic the leaders. As a result, the overall community at the workplace has a positive attitude, which enhances the productivity by further reducing the gaps (Latif and Vang 2021).…”

Individuals' psychosocial voice barriers in lean problem-solving teams

“…However, in recent years there has been a surge of interest in employee involvement across different lean activities where the employee is given due priority in improving performance and productivity (Garza-Reyes et al, 2018;Delbridge et al, 2000;Sandrin et al, 2018;Womack, 1996;Hasle and Vang, 2021). More specifically, lean scholars have emphasized the need to focus on the barriers to mobilizing prosocial employee voice in general and developing countries in particular (van Dun and Wilderom, 2012;Panizzolo et al, 2012;Latif and Vang, 2021). Prosocial employee voice behavior refers to both in-role and extra-role behavior that aims to contribute to problem-solving (Van Dyne et al, 2003); the unit of analysis in the induvial.…”

“…Prosocial employee voice behavior refers to both in-role and extra-role behavior that aims to contribute to problem-solving (Van Dyne et al, 2003); the unit of analysis in the induvial. Both lean and organizational behavior scholars have concurred that the absence of prosocial voice behavior negatively affects the success of lean implementations Wilderom, 2012, 2016;Hamja et al, 2019;Morrison, 2011;Latif and Vang, 2021). In addition, employees' beliefs and attitudes also influence lean implementation (Vlachos and Siachou, 2018).…”

“…Recently Detert and Edmondson (2011) have identified that socially acquired beliefs restraint employee voice at work (Besieux et al, 2021). They called these beliefs IVTs and argued that IVTs assumed the inappropriateness of speaking up before the managers (Knoll et al, 2021;Latif and Vang, 2021). Direct experience and vicarious learning in repeated situations (Anderson and Lindsay, 1998) with authority figures such as parents, teachers and religious leaders throughout an individual's life can cause the development of fearing speaking up (Detert and Edmondson, 2011).…”

“…The employees' interpretation of the role definition depends on their perception of job responsibility, their understanding of employment obligations (Rousseau, 1989;Morrison, 1994;Kalkavan and Katrinli, 2014;Sears and Hackett, 2011), and supervisors' perceptions of the employees' job responsibilities (Chamberlin et al, 2016;Van Dyne et al, 2008;Knoll and van Dick, 2013;Weiss and Morrison, 2020). Moreover, the success of lean also depends on employees' perception of their beliefs, works, commitment and communication (Demeter, 2011;Latif and Vang, 2021) For example, when employees in the garment industry join lean teams, they are assigned tasks (i.e. in-role activities).…”