Complex and lean or lean and complex? The role of supply chain complexity in lean production

Research on Lean indicates that its association with performance improvement, although compelling, is not uniformly positive. Prior researchers have posited plants implementing may become too lean or only implement selected aspects without fully embracing Lean’s synergistic prescriptions. We explore another potential reason for lower-than-expected sometimes associated Lean: supply chain complexity. Using survey data from 209 manufacturing in seven countries across three industry groups, we test two alternative mechanisms by which complexity influence improvements expected moderation and mediation. find that, while has very little moderating impact this relationship, it mediates the relationship between performance. While majority of significant mediating effects are negative, serving as a tax effect performance, our analysis reveals some positive effects, highlighting difference dysfunctional strategic Our results indicate managers should reduce internal upstream to improve In particular, reducing number inputs plant must manage widest largest realizing Further, highlight importance complexity, developing strategies accommodate