Building a framework for adopting lean principles to achieve sustainability in solar energy firms: Turkiye as a case study

Abstract

The two terms lean, and sustainability have become one of the most important terms in the field of business because of their role in developing the work in line with increasing profits on the one hand and taking into account the future on the other. Solar energy firms are witnessing great competition to meet energy requirements and suffering from a huge amount of waste, which negatively affects in achieving sustainability. Hence, this study aims to build a framework for solar energy firms to achieve sustainability dimensions through adopting lean principles. The framework will help to solve problems that the solar energy sector is facing. The method in the study included reviewing the literature to examine the founding of the relation between lean and sustainability and using a questionnaire that was directed to the responsible people in Turkish solar energy companies. The results of the survey were analyzed to (1) Discover what the people in charge in solar energy firms think about lean and sustainability; (2) Measure the possible relationship between lean principles and sustainability dimensions by applying a linear regression and non-linear regression test; (3) Using the results of the second point to build the framework. The final results indicated a high level of the relative importance of the two terms from the perspective of the people in charge in the solar energy firms. Besides, the study found a relationship between adopting the two principles of lean, pull, and flow and achieving economic, social resources, and technology dimensions of sustainability; this finding is represented in a framework.