dc.description.abstract | Lean Supply Chain Management philosophy is considered to enhance customer value
through waste elimination and continuous improvement. The cement manufacturing
industry in Kenya has recently been on the spotlight for adverse technical innovations
and systems reengineering in the quest to mitigate the ever increasing competitive
operating platform. This research focused on determining the extent of practice and
impact of lean supply chain management practices on organizational performance of
cement manufacturing companies in Kenya. Specifically; the study aimed at establishing
the lean supply chain management practices used in Bamburi Cement Limited, and also
establishing the impact of lean supply chain management practices on the performance of
Bamburi Cement Limited. The study was bolstered on resource-based view and systems
theories. A descriptive design was used in studying the research problem and analyzing
for the objectives. The target population included all the 175 personnel from all
departments of Bamburi Cement Limited –Nairobi grinding plant. A stratified random
sampling technique was used: of which 20% sample size was subjected to each
categorical stratum to give a total sample size of 35 respondents. The researcher collected
quantitative and qualitative primary data by use of open and closed ended questions. The
questionnaires engaged reverse Likert scales. Data was subjected to Statistical Package
for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 and further exported and refined in Microsoft excel
for proper presentation. The analysis was descriptively done by use of mean, frequency
and percentile tables and also by use of column charts. The response rate of 89% was
sufficient enough for analysis. The findings indicate that all the lean supply chain
practices were engaged by the company. However lean manufacturing was the most
highly engaged, followed by lean transportation, lean supplier, lean procurement, and
lean customer respectively. The analysis on their effect on performance indicates an
average mean of 1.9418. These readings indicate that lean supply chain management
practices impact on organizational performance at a higher level. The study findings also
signposts that internal lean practices tend to perform higher than those extending
outwards. The study recommends that staff training be done in concern of mean practices
employed within the company’s supply chain. The intensity of implementing these
practices should also be uniformly distributed so as to balance internal and external
oriented practices. | en_US |