Relationships between competences and lean automation practices: an exploratory study

Abstract Lean Automation (LA) is defined as the combined use of Lean Production (LP) practices and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies. This paper investigates the pairwise relationships between the LA practices and their corresponding implementation competences. A survey-based study with 110 practitioners from manufacturing companies was conducted. Multivariate data techniques were used to analyze the responses, which were categorized according to practitioners’ LP experience and I4.0 knowledge. Findings indicate that the relationships between competences and LA practices become more prominent as practitioners’ LP experience increases. A contrary trend was observed when I4.0 knowledge increases. Nevertheless, commonalities were found regardless respondents’ characteristics, such as: (i) the significant relationships between LA practices and competences were all positive; (ii) supply chain-related LA practices are more likely to be extensively associated with all competences; and (iii) competences related to the ability of identifying, analyzing and solving problems through computer programming and data analytics were the most likely to support LA practices. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that empirically verifies the pairwise relationship between competences and LA practices. The understanding of this allows companies to foster and develop the proper competences on the employees, catalyzing the LA implementation.