A Grey-DEMATEL Approach for Analyzing the Challenges for Lean 4.0 in SMEs

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are rapidly contributing to economic growth. With the ever-demanding growth in the market and changes occurring in the market, not a single company can be left behind in terms of the improvement of its processes. In this chapter, the focus is to understand how the case company evaluates the challenges that it faces in incorporating the amalgamated process of Lean principles in the Industry 4.0 scenario. Lean manufacturing broadly focuses on the fact that there are limited wasteful activities in the process. In addition to that if we were to consider the Industry 4.0 scenario, where emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cyber-physical spaces, big data, and other associated technologies could be studied. The complicated challenging situations that the SMEs need to consider while developing their products is what we are considering to evaluate for the company. The real-life condition of the cement industry is taken into account, and the criteria for a Lean 4.0 setup in manufacturing are evaluated using the Grey-DEMATEL technique.