Lean in pharma: Through the lenses of bibliometrics

Abstract

Given the success of lean management practices in both manufacturing and service contexts and the increasing awareness of its relevance in process industries, the purpose of this study is to investigate the extent of research on lean implementation in the pharmaceutical industry. The research reveals the most influential journals and authors, the collaborative networks in the field, the structure of the research community, and how the concept of lean in pharma has evolved throughout the main themes in the literature body. The Study finds a fragmented research landscape with no strong network of authors consistently studying lean in the pharmaceutical sector. It also revealed a diverging body of knowledge related to the implementation of lean in the pharmaceutical industry and a broad spectrum of themes with no specific focus on a specific tool, method, or concept of lean management. Research was conducted through a bibliometric analysis using the Bibliometrix package in R.