Development of a methodology to assist manufacturing SMEs in the selection of appropriate Green Lean Six Sigma tools

Research has shown that integration of Lean, Six Sigma and Green makes a positive impact on the sustainable performance of organizations. Many businesses around the globe have already started to implement the two approaches ensuring their development is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. However, these companies have found their integration challenging. The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodology that can help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to select an appropriate tool for the company which will maximum benefits from adopting the tool. This study focuses on the selection of an appropriate Green Lean Six Sigma tool for manufacturing SMEs. The methodology contains a quantitative approach that can assist SMEs in identifying the appropriate tool. A literature review, collation of experts' opinions via a questionnaire and a case study are presented in this research. The findings revealed that the proposed methodology was effective in identifying the appropriate Green Lean Six Sigma tools for companies, according to the key performance indicators in the manufacturing SME sector. This methodology has proven to be useful for recommending the application of Green Lean Six Sigma tools in a company's attempt to become Greener, bridging the gap identified in the literature review.