Incorporating decision-making process variability into Hoshin Kanri and A3

This study aims at proposing a methodology to address the variability inherent to the decision-making process that comprises the Hoshin Kanri (HK). This methodology is comprised by a four-step approach that takes into account the variance of senior managers’ perspective regarding the relationships among objectives, key performance indicators, and continuous improvement projects. Further, it incorporates the A3 report into the HK, whose deployment is weighted by the variability among managers’ perception about the importance of each decision. This methodology was applied in a market-leader Mexican auto parts manufacturing company that is undergoing a Lean Manufacturing (LM) implementation. Findings indicate that the proposed methodology facilitates the consolidation of different perspectives minimizing the possibility of managerial conflicts or the influence of a determined senior manager on others’ opinions during the deployment and prioritization. This research may be appealing to managers and practitioners who implement LM and wish to obtain a more assertive alignment and deployment of companies’ policies.