Proposition of a method for stochastic analysis of value streams

Abstract

This article aims at proposing a method to stochastically analyze values streams taking into consideration the effect of critical uncertainty sources on lead time. The proposed method combines value stream mapping (VSM) and Monte Carlo simulation to identify improvement opportunities. To illustrate this approach, we carried out a case study in the special nutrition value stream of a Brazilian public hospital. Results show that the proposed method allows the identification of improvement opportunities that would not be considered in the classical deterministic VSM approach. Further, the integration of the stochastic analysis enables the determination of a more realistic lead time, which supports a more assertive planning and scheduling of the value stream. The proposed method addresses a fundamental gap in traditional VSM without adding much complexity to the analysis procedure, which is a common practical issue in previous works that integrated other stochastic methods into VSM.

Keywords:

• Value stream mapping
• Monte Carlo simulation
• uncertainty sources

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico.

Notes on contributors

Gabriel Preuss Luz

Gabriel Preuss Luz is a PhD candidate at the Production Engineering Post-Graduate Program at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis – Brazil. His background involves lean implementation in healthcare and manufacturing organizations.

Guilherme Luz Tortorella

Guilherme Luz Tortorella is Associate Professor of the Department of Systems and Production Engineering of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil. He is the Head of Research of the Productivity and Continous Improvement Lab and the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Lean Systems. He is one of the founders of the Brazilian Conference on Lean Systems and has more than 18 years with practical and academic experience with manufacturing and operations management.

Marina Bouzon

Marina Bouzon is Associate Professor of the Department of Systems and Production Engineering of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil. She works in the areas of logistics and supply chain, environmental management, project management and product design. As a practitioner, she has also worked in companies such as Embraco, Intelbras and AcelorMittal.

José Garza-Reyes

Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes is Professor of Operations Management and Head of the Centre for Supply Chain Improvement at the University of Derby, UK. He is actively involved in industrial projects where he combines his knowledge, expertise and industrial experience in operations management to help organizations achieve excellence in their internal functions and supply chains. His areas of expertise and interest include general aspects of operations and manufacturing management, business excellence, quality improvement, and performance measurement.

Paolo Gaiardelli

Paolo Gaiardelli is Associate Professor at the Department of Management, Information and Production Engineering of the University of Bergamo. His main teaching and research subjects mainly focus on Production and Service Management, with a specific interest in Lean Management. Recently his research interests have extended to the exploration of the role of lean management with reference to the main trends in the Operations, including sustainable and behavioural operations, digitalization and servitization of manufacturing. In particular, he is involved in studying how the adoption of lean paradigms increases the efficiency and effectiveness of Product Service Systems design, development and management.