The 5S Method and Its Strategic Determinants Within the Organization of Production Plants

Racing for the global advantage, companies have been paying increasing attention to workplace design, employee safety, workplace satisfaction, labor productivity and product quality. One of the methods that can help them achieve these goals is the 5S method, which is also considered a management tool for better organization and management of the workplace. Although the 5S method is applicable to a wide range of workplaces, using published research results, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of its challenges and benefits in manufacturing companies. They are analyzed and synthesized in a new way and special attention is paid to the method steps and its implementation. The paper points to a wide scope of the method application as companies have to meet various standards and present certificates that guarantee the safety and quality of manufactured products. Since managers are constantly trying to find ways to obtain and maintain them, one of the objectives of this paper is to provide an overview and critical evaluation of existing published research results that show the impact of the method application on increasing the product quality, the production process, health and safety. The methods from the qualitative methodological framework were used and research results that contribute to the scientific discourse related to the results that can be achieved by applying the 5S method in the organization of production plants were presented.