Examensarbete Lean i offentlig verksamhet - Vara kommun

Master of Science Thesis INDEK 2009:84Lean for public sectorSuccess factors and challenges when implementing leanto improve citizen service and authority performanceEvelina Ögren & Isabelle RüterApproved2009-10-08ExaminerThomas SandbergSupervisorThomas SandbergAbstractCommissionerDeloitte ABContact personErik SelldinCaroline AnderssonThe main question this thesis answers is: What are the success factors and challenges whenimplementing lean to improve citizen service and authority performance?To answer the main question three cases have been done: Odense City, Vara municipality andStockholm City. All of these public organizations have implemented lean or are implementing lean atthe moment. The thesis is focused on four topic areas: conditions of the organization, leadership,methodology and practical tools and external consultants. The theoretical reference in Part I and theempirical Part II are divided on basis of these four focus areas. Through the study it is shown howlean can be applied to public sector; how to involve the co-workers, how the tools can be used andhow the organizational culture should be changed. In every case the result of the leanimplementation have been positive, which indicates the usefulness of lean as a method fororganizational development in public sector. Through the study we have also identified twocategories of lean projects, which result in different starting points of the lean implementation.A careful choice of a pilot project has shown to be a clear success factor, since this project is ofimportance for future lean implementations in the organization. It has further been shown that theengagement of the top management has been of crucial importance, at the same time asresponsibility and decision-making should be delegated to the co-workers. An early introduction ofthe practical tools has shown fast results, which can be desirable. The tools should still be combinedwith a clear focus on learning the lean philosophy to achieve long-term results. Experience hasshown to be a key element in the implementation of lean. This experience and knowledge requiredto implement lean seldom exist without help from an external source.A general challenge for the organizations has been to fulfill every phase in the lean transformationbefore they go on to the next one, which results in an unstable foundation for lean. Anotherimportant, but sometimes overlooked base of lean, is to start from the need of the citizen/customer.It has also been shown that causes of faults have been sought among the workers and not in thesystem. This counteracts the problem solving and thus the elimination of waste. Lean projects shouldnot be motivated around a specific target value, since the value can be seen as the final goal and thuscounteract continuous improvement. After the lean implementation the organizations also have hada problem knowing when to ask for external help.Finally we consider lean as a method for organizational development which suits well into theincreasing demands and trends in public sector: customer focus, efficiency and quality.3