This book gathers selected peer-reviewed papers presented at the 6th European Lean Educator Conference (ELEC), held in Milan, Italy, on November 11-13, 2019. The conference topics include the following: lean trainings in university and industry collaborations; lean product and process development; lean and people empowerment; emerging contexts for lean applications; measuring lean performance; lean, green and circular; continuous improvement initiatives; lean thinking in practice; organizational culture in lean journeys; and innovative training approaches to teaching lean management. The contributions explore the latest academic and industrial findings on and advances in lean education, and identify innovative methods that allow lean thinking benefits to be achieved in practice. As such, the book presents the outcomes of a fruitful exchange between academia and industry designed to help train the next generation of lean educators.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 8th European Lean Educator Conference ELEC 2022, which took place in Galway, Ireland, in November 2022; the event was sponsored by IFIP WG 5.7. The 28 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected for inclusion in the proceedings. They are organized in the following thematic sections: Lean & People; Lean in Healthcare; Lean 4.0; Lean in Manufacturing; Lean Learning in the Digital Era; Lean, Green & Sustainability; and Lean in Services.

This fascinating Research Agenda analyzes the key research topics within lean management. Exploring both contextual histories of these topics and potential avenues for future research, it provides a complete picture of lean management practices both past and present.

The book provides a comprehensive overview of the technologies and processes involved in renewable energy generation, with a specific focus on their role in improving the circular economy. It offers all the necessary information and tools to help readers select the most sustainable renewable energy solution for different conditions. Exploring real-life examples, the book delves into the practical applications of the circular economy in the renewable energy sector. It takes a multi-faceted approach, examining the circular economy from various perspectives and incorporating methods such as lifecycle assessment, sustainability assessment, multi-criteria decision-making, and multi-objective optimization modes. Furthermore, the book explores the concept of blockchain, hybrid renewable energy models, technologies, and implementation. It also investigates the critical factors and key enablers that influence sustainable development in this field. By doing so, it not only facilitates the transition to a circular economy but also highlights the shift in recent research, trends, and attitudes towards a more scientifically grounded approach. The primary objective of this book is to compile research specifically focused on the circular economy in renewable energy. By providing researchers and policymakers in the energy sector with the necessary scientific methodology and metrics, it enables the development of strategies for a sustainable transition. This book serves as a valuable resource for students, researchers, and practitioners seeking to deepen their understanding of energy planning and the current and future trends of biofuel as an alternative fuel.

Evidence of lean thinking implementation is found in various areas such as services, healthcare, and different industries like the automotive industry, aerospace industry, textile industry, food industry, and oil and gas industry. Such evidence points to the universality of lean thinking and how its use in different contexts increases its importance as an approach to continuous improvement. Lean Thinking in Industry 4.0 and Services for Society presents an insight into lean thinking as a philosophy that can identify problems and wastes in various areas, analyze them, and identify activities that could improve processes. Covering key topics such as industrial systems, lean safety, and lean sustainability, this reference work is ideal for industry professionals, business owners, managers, policymakers, researchers, scholars, academicians, practitioners, instructors, and students.

Environmental issues are a growing concern for our society, and should deserve increased attention, given the extremely negative climate changes which have been taking place. Emissions of greenhouse gases, excessive dependence on fossil fuels, growing consumption of power energy, and exacerbated consumption of materials are some of the problems that need to be addressed urgently. Some of these problems can be overcome through ingenious solutions based on automation. This book aims to make a contribution precisely in this sense, criticizing the current state of society in general and providing some solutions that can be used as a basis for the development of more environmentally friendly systems.