Project Proposal and Plan
Template Project Proposal and Plan
IMPLEMENTING 5S LEAN MANUFACTURING PROCESS IN AMCOR FOR WASTE REDUCTION AND FINANCIAL IMPROVEMENT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The study has been focused on the 5S lean manufacturing process through which waste reduction and financial improvements can be done. In such case, Amcor, a well-known Australian packaging company has been selected for which the improvements related information have been discussed. The study has tried to show the benefits of the process which can be used by the company in a proper manner. The aim of the study is to focus on the process which can support the organizational activities. Methodology has also been discussed which will be accessed by the researcher. Finally, the time frame and experimental setting have been analyzed through which the researcher can develop the entire study for supporting the company for implementation of the process.
Introduction
5S system is a common method used by management of different organizations to maintain waste reduction properly and to improve their financial system. The name of the system has come from 5 different Japanese words which mean, sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain of a proper lean process. Through all the steps, manufacturers become successful to eliminate wastes from their organizations and make consistent ways for product development along with right financial analysis. The present study has focused on the major issues of a well-known packaging company of Australia, namely Amcor due to their flexible packaging. In such case, they have experienced challenges which have reduced their profitability level. Therefore, a project related to 5S lean manufacturing implementation has been suggested for them to enhance their waste reduction method as well as to conduct the financial improvements. The main goal of the study is to achieve the proper waste reduction and financial improvement of the company through 5S lean manufacturing process.
State-of-the-art/Literature Review
Relevant research areas and current understanding
Challenges faced by the packaging industry of Australia
Presently, packaging industry of Australia has faced different issues in time of running their business due to which their profitability level has been decreased in a huge manner. It has been seen that due to lack of their sustainable packaging system, they have failed to earn desired profits both the years 2017 and 2018. As per a newspaper article, it has come out that the Australian packaging industry has failed to maintain good packaging for good products. In such case, the quality of products has been decreased in a systematic manner (Wu, 2014). Even, some examples of the top packaging blunders that industry makes have been focused from the newspapers. Thus, the entire packaging industry has experienced huge loss in the Australian market for which their profitability level has been reduced up to 30.4% in the year 2017 from the previous years (Restuccia et al. 2016).
On the contrary of the above viewpoint, Wikström et al. (2018) stated that the packaging sector has failed to collect sufficient information related to the waste management through which they have not been recognized with the sustainable packaging. It has also decreased their brand value and made their trading system improper. In addition to this, the industry has also failed to make products environmentally sustainable because of that the pollution related issues have been highly enhanced. The packaging industry of Australia has been called as the most unsustainable industry by the Department of Environment and Energy due to which their international business has been reduced in a high manner (Spizzirri, Cirillo & Iemma, 2015). In this way, the company has faced major challenge that have also reduced their expected earnings from both the Australian and international market. The following figure has shown the reduction of sustainable packaging in the industry from the year 2005 to 2017.
Advantages of 5S lean manufacturing process
In order to conduct a sustainable growth as well as improvement in finance, the Australian packaging industry has developed their production system. They have recently implemented the 5S lean manufacturing process in order to develop their dynamism and variability while running their packaging functions. As per the reviews of Omogbai & Salonitis (2017), this process helps to reduce the non-value adding time along with increasing both the productivity and quality. With implementing the process for the industry, the management has also become successful to access less time for packaging the products.
The most important advantage of the process is that it invents recycling process in a huge manner depending on which their cost management process has also been enhanced. Supporting the above view, Moodie (2016) mentioned that 5S audit tool has also been accessed by the management in order to bring changes in their packaging styles through which the waste reduction has been commenced in an appropriate manner. For all these advantages, the entire packaging sector of Australia has started to implement in a proper manner. It has also been noticed that for conducting the sustainable packaging, the entire packaging industry of Australia has targeted to do 70% recycling (Hannam, 2015). The following figure has shown the core functions of the process through which the entire industry has been benefited.
Supportive theories of 5S lean manufacturing implementation
In order to support the 5S lean manufacturing process, different theories can be mentioned which are as follows:
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Kano Model
Primarily, this model is used to develop the product features which can easily attract customers towards the product (Erika et al. 2018). However, the model relates with lean manufacturing while trying to increase the satisfaction level of customers. The packaging industry of Australia has taken support from the model through which they have become successful to implement the process for satisfying customers through developing the environmental sustainability. It has supported the cost management depending on which the packaging sector has become successful to improve their financial position (Schaefer & Cheung, 2018).
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Lean Manufacturing Theory
Lean Manufacturing Theory mainly focuses on the developed and better services than previous methods through which industry can create products in a faster way through lower costs (Biao et al. 2016). In the context of the packaging industry of Australia, it can be said that they utilise this theory while accepting the process for their gradual enhancement. The steps mentioned in the following figure have shown the way for maximizing the value of the industry. Accessing the steps of the theory, the packaging sector has become successful to make their products perfect and environmentally sustainable. Maintaining the theory by the packaging sector, the quantity of the production related hazards have been reduced which has also reduced the wastes of the industry after their production. Moreover, through getting the support from the theory, the brand value of the industry has also been increased in a systematic manner (Blackston, 2018).
Benefits of Waste reduction and financial improvements
From the above discussion, it has become clear that 5s lean manufacturing process is highly valuable for the entire packaging industry of Australia. The most beneficial effects of the process are their waste reduction and financial improvements. In such case, the packaging industry has tried to clear their ideas regarding the advantages of both the things through which the above mentioned process is implemented. As per the viewpoints of Urban et al. (2018), waste reduction, not only helps to make environment pollution free, but also assists to invent the recycling process depending on which cost management has also been accelerated. Supporting this view, Świda, Cholewa-Wójcik & Kawecka (2016) commented that the waste reduction process has also helped the industry to utilise their production hazards in a proper manner.
Its correct utilisation has also assisted them to grasp the market productivity in a thorough way. Therefore, different articles have mentioned to develop the 5s lean manufacturing process as it provides the lean manufacturing model to the industry for reducing the negative impacts on environment through their products. Apparently, from the notations of Scollo et al. (2015), it has also been confirmed that the financial improvements have also supported the organizational gradual growth for which it is also very necessary. The packaging industry of Australia has tried to depend on the lean manufacturing as it has helped them in cost management. Through this cost management procedure, they have also improved their finance and supported the revenue growth. The entire discussion has provided a clear vision on the importance of waste reduction and financial improvements from where the benefits of lean manufacturing process have also been evaluated.
Research Question, Aim/Objectives and Sub-goals
Aim
The aim of the study is to focus on the advantages of 5S lean manufacturing process through which the company can be successful to handle their waste management and improve their financial standards. Practically, the study wants to develop the packaging process of Amcor for a sustainable growth of enterprise.
Objectives and Questions
The objectives of the study are as follows:
- To evaluate the importance of 5S lean manufacturing for waste reduction in the company
- To define the process for financial improvements in the venture
- To discuss the advantages of 5S lean manufacturing for supporting the activities of the organization
- To recommend this process for increasing the profitability level of the company
Main research question
What are the benefits of 5S lean manufacturing process for the waste reduction and financial improvements of the company?
The other research questions based on objectives are as follows:
- What is the importance of 5S lean manufacturing for waste reduction in the company?
- How does the process help the company for financial improvements?
- What are the advantages of 5S lean manufacturing for supporting the activities of the organization?
- How does the process assist the company for increasing their profitability level?
Justification of Sub-goals and feasibility of the research
The research mainly focuses on the above mentioned method for the company through which their organizational activities can be improved. In such case, few sub goals need to be mentioned. Practically, the sub-goals of the study are to develop their sales growth through using the process. Moreover, it tries to develop their financial statements based on which the company can achieve their expected outcome. It is important to maintain the feasibility of the research while developing the main and sub-goals (Waltz et al. 2015). Therefore, the description related to the 5S lean manufacturing process or the advantages of it can be shown through a through beneficial effect. The reason behind it is that the feasibility and reliability of the process can motivate the organization to implement it as soon as possible for their gradual growth. The importance of waste reduction and financial improvements can also be mentioned in the study through which the management can be encouraged to take support from the process for ultimate achievement.
Theoretical Content/Methodology
The study will focus on the different theoretical basis in order to complete the entire research work. Challenges of the entire packaging industry will be discussed in the study along with the benefits of 5S Lean manufacturing process. The importance of financial improvements as well as waste reduction will be defined here through which the significance of lean process will also be mentioned in the study. The study will try to link the theoretical basis with the entire process or system depending on which the advantages of the process will be introduced by the management of Amcor in a systematic way.
Depending on the entire topic, following Hypotheses can be mentioned:
H0:5S Lean Manufacturing process does not help in waste reduction and financial improvement
H1:5S Lean Manufacturing process helps in waste reduction and financial improvement
In time of conducting the research, the hypotheses will be met in a proper manner. Using proper research on the matter, the usefulness of 5S lean manufacturing process will be described along with examples. It will present the value and benefits of the process for the waste education and financial improvement. In this way, the hypotheses will be tested in the research.
Theoretical approaches will also be used for conducting the entire research and in such case hybrid approach will be done in the study. Practically, hybrid approach shows and includes both the traditional and agile approaches (Cooper & Sommer, 2016). Depending on it, the study will define the disadvantages of traditional method and benefits of agile method which will help Amcor to reduce organizational wastes and improve financial standard. As defined by Lampard & Pole (2015), the hybrid approach is a thorough combination of both the qualitative and quantitative research that can expand the value of the research. Using this approach, the researcher will discuss both the definition and importance of the process for supporting the above mentioned organization.
In time of discussing the process, agile methodology will be incorporated in the process for getting better results than other processes. The reason behind it is that agile supports lean process for betterment of packaging organizations (Tripp, Saltz & Turk, 2018). The research objectives which have been mentioned in the study will need to be met in the further research. The importance of 5S lean manufacturing for waste reduction in the company will be met in the literature review section. The benefits of the process for financial improvements and advantages of 5S lean manufacturing for supporting the organizational activities will be met in importance section within literature review chapter. The secondary research provides valuable information within short time span along with taking less number of costs from organizations (McCusker & Gunaydin, 2015). Finally, the last objective which is the recommendation for increasing the profitability level of the company will be linked in the recommendation section of the further research.
Experimental Setting (Hardware or Software or Both)
Field set is highly important to create the ways for the entire research. In order to set the field for the further study, the researcher will depend on the better information system. Agile process will be used through which the 5S lean manufacturing process related information will be given to the readers of the research, especially to the management of Amcor. Case study of different companies can be analysed as a part of secondary research through which the benefits of the above mentioned process will be gained by the researcher. In such case, “The implementation of 5S lean tool using system dynamics approach” will be verified (Omogbai & Salonitis, 2017). For conducting the entire research, the researcher can face different problems which can be measured as research limitation.
At first, the researcher can face issues in time of accessing different journals, books and organizational websites. Accessibility issues can be faced by researcher along with time management issue. This analysis helps to develop the core impacts of research (Lamberth-Cocca & Meiren, 2017). The entire research will show the benefits of the implementation of 5S lean manufacturing process depending on which collaboration of the process with Amcor will be defined. The aim and objectives of the research will properly be evaluated in the methodology section. Secondary research of the section will also support the researcher to get information related to a same topic. Programming and computer modelling will be used to complete the entire research. Practically, Project Libre will be accessed for making Gantt chart depending on which timescale of the research will be developed. Apparently, MS Office will be used for the entire project development.
Risk Analysis, Results, Outcome and Relevance
In order to complete the research, a researcher can face technical risks especially in time of collecting information through secondary research (Kliem & Ludin, 2019). The theoretic data will be gathered by the researcher in order to provide detailed information to the management of the company. The study will have two dependent variables which will be waste reduction and financial improvements. One independent variable will be focused which will be the 5S lean manufacturing process. The researcher will try to investigate the data related to benefits of the process for the packaging industry. Moreover, the outcome related to advantages of the implementation for waste reduction and financial improvements will be defined in the study. It will be relevant as this research will be applicable for the development of the above mentioned company in a proper manner.
Project Planning and Gantt chart
Through the following diagrams, the time frame of the future research has been presented. It can be mentioned as a whole schedule for conducting the research in an actual manner. WBS helps to show the entire schedule whereas the Gantt chart presents the key review points along with deliverables (Brhel et al. 2015).
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Kick-off Review
This review will be done to meet with the supervisors of the research.
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Mid-term Review
This review will be conducted to formulate the project proposal and consider the project goals.
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Green Light Review
This review will be done to take final decision regarding the entire research. Draft thesis will also be presented after this review session.
Conclusions
The entire discussion shows the impacts of 5S Lean manufacturing process on the waste reduction and financial improvements in the packaging industry of Australia. A literature review section has been mentioned in the study from where it has been noted that the packaging industry of Australia has faced different issues in time developing their production. Therefore, the benefits and significance of the above process have been discussed in the section to support the sector in a proper manner. It has been known that the famous packaging company of Australia, namely Amcor has faced different issues related to waste management and financial standards. Therefore, this study has proposed the process for the company through which they can develop their financial standards and management wastes in a proper recycling way.
It has mainly shown the project development for the company through a detailed research for supporting the organization by the above mentioned process. Supportive theories and benefits of the elements have also been discussed to support the organization. Research method has also been mentioned which will be accessed by the researcher for the further study. Research aim, objectives and questions have been mentioned to suggest the best paths to the company. Risk management process, timeframe and practical implications have also been discussed to provide the proper information to the company for their improvement after the implementation of the process.
References
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