Effects of key enabling technologies for $\textit{seru}$ production on sustainable performance

Abstract

Demand uncertainty, economic globalization, and environmental deterioration force factories to innovate their manufacturing systems for achieving sustainable performance. $\textit{Seru}$ production, which is the latest manufacturing mode developed in Japan, attracts broad attention from both academia and practitioners. The overwhelming majority of existing works on $\textit{seru}$ production focus on economic performance unilaterally, while neglecting the environmental and social performance. This paper investigates the effects of key enabling technologies for $\textit{seru}$ production on sustainable performance. Firstly, four key enabling technologies for $\textit{seru}$ production are identified through systematic review, and an evaluation indicator system of sustainable performance in the context of $\textit{seru}$ production is developed. Then, the hypotheses about the effects of the identified key enabling technologies for $\textit{seru}$ production on sustainable performance are proposed on the basis of previous research achievements, theoretical analysis, and practical observations. Finally, the hypotheses are tested through structural equation modeling. Except for two hypotheses which are not supported and one which is indirectly supported, all other hypotheses are verified. The research results show that the four key enabling technologies for $\textit{seru}$ production have different effects on the three dimensions of sustainable performance. The achievements of this work are of significance to improve the comprehensive understanding of $\textit{seru}$ production, as well as to develop practical methods to implement sustainable operations.