University Report: Lean Implementation Strategy at Sonae MC Case Study

This report examines the implementation of lean processes at Sonae MC, a company operating hypermarkets and supermarkets. The case study focuses on how Sonae MC minimized waste, maximized customer satisfaction, and reduced costs through lean methodologies. The implementation involved organizational and cultural changes, as well as modifications to standard processes. Key factors for success included top-management leadership, a simple implementation concept, employee openness to change, the contagion effect of sharing results across stores, and employee acceptance of the methodology. The report also details the people-centered approach, including extensive employee training programs and the generation of enthusiasm among employees. Furthermore, it highlights the use of audits to assess the benefits of lean implementation, ensuring continuous improvement and proactive employee engagement. References include sources detailing the implementation process and outcomes.

Running Head: SONAE MC
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SONAE MC
Contents
Implementation process of lean…………………………………page 3-4
References……………………………………………………..page 5
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SONAE MC
According to Casecentre, the Sonae MC has implemented lean process in its stores
(hypermarkets and supermarkets). The process focuses mainly on minimising waste and
maximising customer satisfaction it also reduces the cost of the company.
The implementation of lean is a complex process:
(1) the changes are done in organisation as well as in culture of the company;
(2) it requires changes in the standard process which the company is following and managing
the change in the key factor of lean implementation.
According to Bit stream (2016) at Sonae MC, Lean becomes successful due to following
factors:
(1) Leadership: The main factor for lean implementation to be successful is the involvement
of top-management in the process. At Sonae MC, top-management participated throughout
the process with made the implementation success throughout the stores;
(2) Concept simplicity: The method to implement was simple which made it easy to be
accepted throughout the stores. Various teams across the stores implemented the new
methodologies;
(3) Openness to change: For their employees Sonae MC created a positive environment that
resulted in more participation of people at work;
(4) Contagion effect: changes made at one store and the results what they have achieved were
communicated to different stores, which created a healthy competition among the employees
at Sonae MC. As a result in continuous improvement initiative were taken by the employees
of the organisation, &;
(5) People: acceptance of the methodology by the employees at the ground level enables the
change to take place successfully.
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SONAE MC
A People-Centered Process
The implementation of lean requires four conditions to become successful, they are as
follows:
1) According to Authorzilla (2011) to get people aware about the implementation technique
of lean and lean process training of 35 hours was imposed on employees. This was necessary
to enable and empower employees. Instructions were provided to employees about the basic
of lean methodology. At the initial stage partial training was theoretical and rest was on the
job training that went very well. Till 2014 training of 22000 employees for for more than 2
million hours has been completed and the content of training is increasing day by day as well
as complexity.
2) While implementation of lean generating enthusiasm and positive approach in employees
helped the organisation. As this methodology is a continuous improvement process that
includes every employee at work every-day, everywhere, everybody and their opinion are
welcomed (Bit stream 2016).
3) Companies imply specific principles, attitudes and tools to make things easy at work on
regular basis. The company (Sonae MC) obtained good results due to its alternative driver
approach that included many people in the change (Bit stream 2016).
4) To know the benefit which the company is having audits were done on the second year of
Lean implementation to evaluate the growth by the lean Institute. After that lean institute
make the audit random where any store can be audited in the period of 9 months. That also
helps Sonae Mc employee to become more attentive and proactive during the work.
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SONAE MC
References:
Bit stream (2016), Sonae Mc: The Road Model of Kaizen (online), Available 23 March 2019
from: file:///C:/Users/PC-DE0310/Downloads/Campos.C_2016(1).pdf
Authorzilla (2011), Implementation process of lean Sonae MC (online), Available 23 March
2019 from https://authorzilla.com/9Y38a/sonae-mc-when-lean-comes-to-service-cat-lica-
porto-business.html
The Case Center (no date), Sonae MC: When Lean Comes to Service (online), Available 23
March 2019 from https://www.thecasecentre.org/educators/products/view?id=102892
Sonae MC (2019), Sonae Homepage (online). Available 23 March 2019 from
https://www.sonae.pt/en/
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