Determining the barriers affecting lean process management with the fuzzy DEMATEL method: A study in the Turkish pharmaceutical industry


USLU Y., GEDİKLİ E., YILMAZ E., YEŞİLAYDIN G., Hancioglu Baskoy Y.

Acta Pharmaceutica Sciencia, cilt.63, sa.4, ss.837-856, 2025 (Scopus) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 63 Sayı: 4
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.23893/1307-2080.aps6351
  • Dergi Adı: Acta Pharmaceutica Sciencia
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, EMBASE
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.837-856
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: DEMATEL, fuzzy logic, lean process management, pharmaceutical industry
  • Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study was aimed determine the most critical barriers affecting lean process management applications in the Turkish pharmaceutical industry. Organizational, managerial, financial, technical, regulatory, industry-specific, knowledge and capability barriers determined from literature. According to the analysis results, the three most critical barriers in the implementation of lean process management were determined as organizational, financial and managerial barriers respectively. The organizational barriers were the most affected category in the system, while financial barriers were the most affected category. In this context, it was emphasized that factors such as resistance to change, lack of employee participation and empowerment, cultural incompatibilities and inadequacy of reward strategies, which are among the organizational barriers, play a direct and decisive role in the success of lean applications. Inadequate financial resources and high investment costs not only make implementation difficult but also trigger other obstacles. In terms of management, lack of leadership, poor communication, and lack of trust prevent the healthy functioning of transformation processes. It is critical to establish an in-house lean culture, increase leadership and middle management support, align financial planning with lean transformation goals, and expand training programs that will ensure effective employee participation in the process.