Lean manufacturing has been widely adopted by many production companies. Apart from the operational
difficulty associated with conversion from a traditional, functional based operation, adoption of Lean
manufacturing involves significant organizational transformations. It requires formation of work teams,
comprised of multi-skilled workers. The work teams are preferably self directed and need to continuously
improve performance and production processes. Such changes can be challenging for organizations. This
paper reviews studies of human related and organizational factors in the context of Lean manufacturing, and
identifies gaps in research in this area. The paper presents the principles of lean manufacturing, the
organizational shifts required, and presents studies relevant to each of these shifts. The paper concludes with
implications for practitioners and suggestions for further studies.