FACTORS INFLUENCING LEAN MANUFACTURING PRACTICES ON PRODUCTION LEAD TIME SUSTAINABILITY

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) aiming to remain competitive with restricted resources, reducing Production Lead Time (PLT) sustainably counts the most. Tools gleaned from lean manufacturing not only cut waste but also increase efficiency. However, the ability to achieve these aims depends on the context in which they are applied and how well they fit with others. The paper examines how the five main daily work tasks or tools in the lean system, such as Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Just-In-Time (JIT), Setup Time Reduction (STR), Employee Involvement (EI), and Layout Redesign (LR), combine to affect PLT in Malaysian SMEs. While previous studies have clearly highlighted the advantages of each step in a large production setup, the advantages for resource-limited, smaller firms remain largely unknown. This quantitative research, guided by Lean Thinking Theory and Socio-Technical Systems Theory, uses structured questionnaires for production and operations managers. The findings aim to offer insight into how completely integrated lean practices can lead to PLT. It provides practical advice for the adoption of leaner production systems.