Exploring the importance of cultural collectivism on the efficacy of lean practices: Taking an organisational and national perspective.

The purpose of this study is to assess the influence of cultural collectivism on the
efficacy of lean practices. Furthermore, this study assesses whether or not potential cultural
disadvantages related to the level of individualism at the national level can be compensated
for at the organisational culture level.
Hofstede’s cultural dimension of individualism is used to
test whether practicing a collectivistic culture at the organisational level can fully compensate
for the potential disadvantages of being geographically situated in an individualistic culture
when practicing lean.
Results suggest that cultural collectivism at the national and organisational level
have a significant impact on the efficacy of lean practices. Furthermore, the negative impact
of being situated in an individualistic country cannot be fully compensated for through
practicing a collectivistic organisational culture when practicing lean.
This study represents a comprehensive attempt to simultaneously assess
the collectivism cultural components of lean practices at the national as well as at the
organisational level.

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