Lean methods in digital export operations : case AGCO Power
Rauhala, Alina (2025)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052917871
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052917871
Tiivistelmä
Lean has gained authority in the business world for several decades as the success solution for all fields and areas of pursuit. Lean methods are implemented in many organizations and field of production, at least on some level. The digital era of work has however provided challenges among lean implementing businesses and methods on lean in digital office work have been tracked less than in traditional tangible work.
The main objective of this thesis was to discover problem areas in the light of a lean implementation in the export department of the commissioner AGCO Power. Hypothesis of the research was that digital work entails some areas which can be streamlined in order to achieve a better flow of work.
The case company AGCO Power is specialized in development and manufacturing of diesel engines for agricultural machinery as well as custom transmission and powerline component production and engine part supplying to its customers globally. The thesis covers AGCO Power’s production side export operations which mainly consist of order handling, shipment planning, invoicing and customer service.
Research was conducted as a literature review of the main themes in lean as well as a primary data collection at the commissioner. Data was collected through three areas: value stream mapping, profiling the task demand and conducting semi-structured interviews on a digital platform.
The key findings of the research were that overall, lean implementations are more successful when goals are aligned towards organizations internal objectives and employees are engaged and made knowledgeable of lean as a practical theory. Research findings from the primary data collection suggested that main problem areas for a successful implementation of lean practices at the commissioner are unleveled workload, interruptions to the flow of work and communication.
The implications of these findings are in further developments of these problem areas for the commissioner to begin lean applications in the digital office work.
The main objective of this thesis was to discover problem areas in the light of a lean implementation in the export department of the commissioner AGCO Power. Hypothesis of the research was that digital work entails some areas which can be streamlined in order to achieve a better flow of work.
The case company AGCO Power is specialized in development and manufacturing of diesel engines for agricultural machinery as well as custom transmission and powerline component production and engine part supplying to its customers globally. The thesis covers AGCO Power’s production side export operations which mainly consist of order handling, shipment planning, invoicing and customer service.
Research was conducted as a literature review of the main themes in lean as well as a primary data collection at the commissioner. Data was collected through three areas: value stream mapping, profiling the task demand and conducting semi-structured interviews on a digital platform.
The key findings of the research were that overall, lean implementations are more successful when goals are aligned towards organizations internal objectives and employees are engaged and made knowledgeable of lean as a practical theory. Research findings from the primary data collection suggested that main problem areas for a successful implementation of lean practices at the commissioner are unleveled workload, interruptions to the flow of work and communication.
The implications of these findings are in further developments of these problem areas for the commissioner to begin lean applications in the digital office work.