A Structural Framework to Achieve Operational Excellence by Adopting Sustainable Lean Six Sigma and Industry 4.0 Technologies

It is widely accepted that achieving operational excellence remains a top priority for manufacturing industries, and in this aspect, Sustainable Lean Six Sigma (SLSS) emerged to be a promising approach for balancing flexibility, productivity, and customer demand. As SLSS gains traction, it becomes essential to identify key Sustainable Lean Six Sigma Enablers (SLSSEs) and prepare a comprehensive framework for its successful implementation. To address this, an in-depth literature review was conducted in this study, followed by the development of a structural framework using a hybrid methodology that combines the Robust Best Worst Method (RBWM) and Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM), informed by expert insights. The ISM process involved analyzing the interrelationships between selected SLSSEs, while the fuzzy-MICMAC approach was employed to determine their driving and dependence powers. The study findings revealed that four low-intensity SLSSEs were removed in the framework's development process, however, the most critical enablers were identified as top management involvement, vision, and the government policies, research and sustainable product development initiatives, and funding for SLSS implementation. This is one of the unique studies that provides a holistic view of key enablers and serves as a valuable roadmap for researchers and practitioners to implement the SLSS strategies.