Model of risk interactions hindering lean production implementation

Abstract The low success rate and the complex structural and organizational changes required for lean production implementation (LPI) require the use of the risk management approach to manage this transformation. This paper aims to present a graphical model to explain the relationships between the risks in LPI through interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and to understand the reasons behind such relationships. The case study was conducted in a factory of a global company that manufactures hydraulic components. Data were collected from multiple sources, including interviews, observations, visits to the plant, and document analysis. The research contributed to clarifying and understanding the direct and indirect influences of risks that hinder the LPI at the plant. The main relationships identified in the model were confirmed by explanations of reasons for such relationships occurred in the case.