The digitization of business processes in industry are current challenges, especially for manufacturing companies. They correspond to an older but timeless topic: lean management. Lived lean management is a holistic attitude towards value-added processes. "Lean" is not limited to the use of individual tools.

Process consulting for manufacturing companies therefore has its particular challenges: In addition to social systems, which are traditionally the focus of process consulting, this also involves pronounced competence in dealing with technical systems, as the logic at the human-machine interaction level differs enormously from the pure interaction level social system.

The reorganization of production processes, for example, therefore requires both: Competence at the level of the social system - in the case of the example, transparent participation processes - but also competence in dealing with technical systems. In this area of tension, Achim Lülsdorf is our expert for organizational consulting in the field of technical systems. Even looking back at early industrialization, this was recognizable as a latent conflict. And today, the integration of both system types is not just a challenge, but a great opportunity.

Imagine that a company decided to carry out a "Waste-StreamAnalysis". While the selection of methodical tools is often rather easy, conflicts and friction points pose a challenge, especially in "traditional" manufacturing companies. This can already be the case when department heads are supposed to enable the provision of personnel for cross-functional teams, but instead in a subtle way Change forms of resistance (silo thinking). The system for evaluating employees is also often not effective in lean processes. No wonder, given that they are tied to goals designed to contribute to departmental goals. The examples show that when implementing lean strategies, regardless of whether they take place in the digital or analogue space, the corporate structure/culture should also be addressed in addition to the purely technical components.