THE STATE OF LEAN PRACTICES IN CROATIAN COMPANIES

The lean methodology has evolved from a set of tools to a complete methodology for process improvement. The benefits of lean have been demonstrated numerous times, and its implementation has been explored in many contexts - across industries, countries, and within companies of different sizes. Although the main benefits of lean remain the same (business improvement via waste and cost reduction), the implementation differs depending on the specifics of the company and its environment. Flexibility is possible due to the nature of lean implementation. In this paper, we present the overview of perceived practices of lean implementation in the Croatian context. The current state of lean implementation research in Croatia is first identified through a literature review, followed by a qualitative study. This semi-structured interview study involved 17 different managers from 11 Croatian companies that work closely with implementing the lean methodology. The interviews explored how Croatian lean managers perceive the state of lean in Croatia, as well as the current state of lean in their respective companies. Lean is being implemented extensively in some companies, and the main issue that occurs is the way lean changes corporate culture. Workers understand lean principles, but it is still a challenge to accept lean culture as a way of working without constant supervision. The workload and responsibilities of lean change as the size of the company increases. Microenterprises are very flexible when it comes to changing tools based on production needs. SMEs, on the other hand, are more stable when it comes to tool selection, but the lean production responsibility falls on workers' shoulders as their additional workload. Larger companies have special departments dedicated to lean, which makes it easier to sustain the implementation. Based on the insights on Croatian lean practices, we offer suggestions for practitioners and future researchers in this field.