Local adaption and central confusion: decentralized strategies for public service Lean implementation

Abstract

There are a number of arguments for implementing public service Lean in a decentralized fashion, characterized by employee participation and local adaptions of the concept. This paper reports on a longitudinal case study of decentralized Lean implementation in a large Norwegian public service provider. The analysis points to unintended consequence of communication and co-ordination difficulties. The authors suggest ways of striking a reasonable balance between centralized and decentralized strategies of Lean implementation.

Keywords:

• Change management
• decentralization
• implementation
• Lean
• public services

Acknowledgements

The research was supported by the Research Council of Norway.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marte D.-Q. Holmemo

Marte D.-Q. Holmemo is a Researcher in the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.

Jonas A. Ingvaldsen

Jonas A. Ingvaldsen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, NTNU and Senior Researcher at SINTEF Raufoss Manufacturing, Norway.