ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
The role of a modern manager in shaping resilient supply chains using Lean Management tools
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1
Dyrektor Instytutu Logistyki, Akademia Wojsk Lądowych, Poland
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Wydział Ekonomiczny w Opolu, Uniwersytet WSB Merito we Wrocławiu, Poland
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Wydział Finansów i Rachunkowości, Uniwersytet WSB Merito we Wrocławiu, Poland
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Director of the Office of a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Office of a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Poland
A - Research concept and design; B - Collection and/or assembly of data; C - Data analysis and interpretation; D - Writing the article; E - Critical revision of the article; F - Final approval of article
Submission date: 2025-10-07
Final revision date: 2025-12-02
Acceptance date: 2025-12-30
Publication date: 2025-12-31
Corresponding author
Adam Izaak Busławski
Wydział Ekonomiczny w Opolu, Uniwersytet WSB Merito we Wrocławiu, Fabryczna, 53-609, Wrocław, Poland
SLW 2025;63(2):189-202
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ABSTRACT
The research niche of this article is the relationship between Lean Management tools and supply chain resilience under uncertainty. The purpose is to synthesise how specific Lean instruments - value stream mapping (VSM), 5S, Kanban, just-in-time (JIT), Kaizen and Six Sigma - contribute to visibility, flexibility, collaboration and robustness in logistics and transport enterprises and to clarify the manager’s role in building a continuous improvement culture. The paper adopts the following research hypothesis (H1): consistent use of Lean tools, supported by managerial leadership and digital enablers, improves supply chain resilience by reducing process variability and enabling faster operational response to disruptions. The methodology combines a narrative literature review with a descriptive analysis of selected practical observations and reports from logistics companies in Lower Silesia and the Opole region (2022–2024). The synthesis indicates that flow oriented tools (VSM, 5S, Kanban and JIT) shorten lead times and improve resource utilisation, while Kaizen and Six Sigma support quality and error reduction, translating into higher delivery reliability and lower damage rates. The conclusions emphasise that a modern manager’s engagement, employee involvement and KPI based monitoring are essential to sustain Lean, while digitalisation (TMS, IoT, analytics and AI/automation) enables real time visibility and quicker process adaptation.
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