Empirical Study of the Impact of Lean Management, the International Automotive Standard IATF 16949 and Industry 4.0 on Operational Excellence: Key Success Factors and Barriers

Empirical Study of the Impact of Lean Management, the International Automotive Standard IATF 16949 and Industry 4.0 on Operational Excellence: Key Success Factors and Barriers

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© 2025 by IJETT Journal
Volume-73 Issue-4
Year of Publication : 2025
Author : Oumaima EL AFFAKI, Mariam BENHADOU, Abdellah HADDOUT
DOI : 10.14445/22315381/IJETT-V73I4P137

How to Cite?
Oumaima EL AFFAKI, Mariam BENHADOU, Abdellah HADDOUT, "Empirical Study of the Impact of Lean Management, the International Automotive Standard IATF 16949 and Industry 4.0 on Operational Excellence: Key Success Factors and Barriers," International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology, vol. 73, no. 4, pp.453-465, 2025. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/22315381/IJETT-V73I4P137

Abstract
Automotive organizations face several challenges due to the competitiveness and dynamic development that characterize the sector. To ensure their sustainability, automotive companies prioritize the optimization of operations and processes, the certification of quality management systems in accordance with the requirements of the international automotive standard IATF 16949, the transition to Industry 4.0, and the achievement of operational excellence. In this paper, an empirical study is carried out among automotive companies located in Morocco of different ranks and various fields of activity to evaluate the degree of impact of Lean Management, operational and managerial requirements dictated in the IATF standard, as well as the impact of Industry 4.0 on operational excellence. The present study also aims to evaluate the perception of the synergistic impact of Lean Management, IATF, and Industry 4.0 on operational excellence by automotive companies in Morocco, as well as the key success factors and the barriers that could constrain the approach's success. Following the analysis carried out, an original model specific to the automotive ecosystem has been developed, which would guide automotive organizations in their quest for operational excellence.

Keywords
Automotive sector, IATF 16949, Industry 4.0, Lean management, Operational excellence.

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