A conceptual methodology to assist employees and employers design new ways of working in lean manufacturing

The opportunity to create more fulfilling and effective work in lean manufacturing is considerable, but so are the dangers of reducing its quality. Lean organisations are introducing new measures involving changes to people's jobs. However, the complex nature of work organisation in lean production enviromnents are contributing to work related injuries in particular Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI). Previous research has evaluated work organisation changes in the workplace by aligning work practices within business operations rather than considering the working situation from the workers perspective. The issues of work related injuries in lean production environments lack a coherent theoretical framework. This research work in lean production environments, has addressed certain issues however doubt and scepticism from the perspective of a range of disciplines, have emerged from the literature. In this research the possibility of identifying the levels of RSI risk has been through the development of the Lean Job Position Model. The proposal of this model has been to add and contribute to the aspects of work organisation in the lean production literature, not been previously considered. The model was applied in a lean manufacturing environment using direct observations semi-structured interviews, and a questionnaire in an action research content. The testing of the Lean Job Position Model showed that the use of Situational Strength as a strategic management method showed the key relationships that assisted the process of identifying the level of RSI risk in a lean manufacturing setting.