Effect of lean six sigma on order fulfilment process: evidence from manufacturing companies in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract

Lean six sigma (LSS) and order fulfilment are two of the most important aspects of any company, and they play a crucial role in facilitating global trade. A company with a sustainable and efficient lean process can easily meet client demands. It also ensures that consumer orders are processed quickly and easily, that products are readily available, and that goods are delivered faster and at a reasonable price to a global clientele. However, if it is not properly deployed and managed, it might prevent a company from competing effectively on a global scale. To accomplish the goal, this study used a two-pronged approach. First, it critically examined several extant studies of the application of LSS to the order fulfilment processes in various manufacturing organisations. This assisted in detecting gaps in the available literature. Second, to overcome the highlighted problems, a quantitative methodology was adopted in this study with a survey questionnaire to operations managers, supply chain experts, procurement officials, consultants, and financial analysts from various manufacturing organisations. The data were collected using a case study with manufacturing firms in Gauteng Province, South Afrcia. The data from industry experts were analysed using deductive reasoning techniques. In this survey, random sampling was used because it provided each participant with an equal chance of being selected and it allowed for the selection of participants who matched those manufacturing professionals working in South Africa. The findings of this study reveal that if lean six sigma is in place in most South African manufacturing firms, customers would not have any concerns about order quality and orders being delivered on time. This gives the company a competitive advantage in the worldwide market. The study confirms that implementing the lean six sigma performance indicator will result in a decrease in bottlenecks. However, communication is an important issue in applying LSS.