Determinants of lean success and failure in the Danish public sector : A negotiated order perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of lean implementation in Danish public sector organisations. It is proposed to structure the paper around a theoretical model based on a negotiated order perspective. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on interviews with 29 managers and employees from Danish public sector organisations who have been involved in the planning and implementation of lean projects over the past few years. Findings – The paper identifies a number of factors within the structural context and the negotiation context which are deemed important for the fate of lean projects in the public sector. Originality/value – The qualitative study brings new insights into the debate on the barriers and success factors in the lean transformation process in the public sector.