The impact of lean supply chain on productivity of Saudi manufacturing firms in Al-Qassim region

The objective of this study is to identify the contribution of the lean supply chain (LSC) to manufacturing firms in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Out of the population of the study, 150 firms were selected from the Al-Qassim region to encompass the sample of the study. Four variables include waste elimination, cost reduction, manufacture–supplier relationship, and manufacture–customer relationships were constructed as predictors of productivity. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to collect the study variables. A total of 75 questionnaires were distributed in the sample, of which 69 were returned. All of them were valid for the statistical analysis. The results of the study confirmed the hypotheses that the constructed predictors could predict the productivity of the manufacturing firms in the Al-Qassim region. That is, there were statistically significant impacts of LSC dimensions on the productivity. The study contributes to the body of supply chain (SC) literature by providing evidence on the positive impact of LSC on productivity in an Arabian context, particularly in KSA. However, the study was conducted in one industrial region in the KSA, therefore the generalization of the findings may not be applicable to other firms in the same country or other countries.

Artykuł przedstawia wpływ wyszczuplenia łańcuchów dostaw w regionie Al-Qassim na produktywność. Dla celów badawczych przyjęto cztery zmienne: usuwanie odpadów, redukcję kosztów, relację producenci-dostawcy oraz relację producenci-klienci. Badaniem objęto 69 firm i poddano je analizie statystycznej. Otrzymane wyniki potwierdziły sformułowaną przez autorów hipotezę. Oznacza to, że występuje znaczący wpływ stopnia, w jakim zastosowano wyszczuplenia łańcuchów dostaw na produktywność. Badanie stanowi przyczynek do dalszych badań w tym obszarze.