Investigating the main problems in implementing Lean in supply chains of service companies

In order to embrace the Lean principles, supply chains of service companies (SCSCs) likely have to modify how they manage operations. In this paper, we investigate which could be the main problems that managers of SCSCs may encounter in modifying how they manage operations to be more in line with the Lean approach next to presenting a new framework for the defining characteristics of Lean in service companies. This study generates theory from observations in supply chains of service companies, exploiting the process of inductive construction of theory (Handfield and Melnyk, 1998). The methodology in this paper is the analytical conceptual research (Wacker, 1998). The study highlights four main areas of problems within the supply chains of service companies and some messages for managers willing to implement Lean in such environment.