Testing the S-Curve Theory in OEM for Lean Operations: A Study on Organizational Transformation in the VUCA World

By V. Kamala, Vijaya Sunder M, V Raja Sreedharan, Kaoutar Chargui, Tarik Zouadi, Tortorella Guilherme Luz
IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management | May 2023

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ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10115456

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V. Kamala., Sunder M, Vijaya., Raja Sreedharan, V., Kaoutar Chargui., Tarik Zouadi., Guilherme Luz, Tortorella. (2022). Testing the S-Curve Theory in OEM for Lean Operations: A Study on Organizational Transformation in the VUCA World IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10115456.

IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 2022

Abstract

As the world is becoming more VUCA, only a few studies focus on exploring the plant performance and mapping its pattern in real time. The existing study shows that plant performance can be linked to an S-curve theory. This is mainly due to market turbulence, demand for continuous improvement, and the introduction of emerging technologies. Taking this idea, in this article, we focus on testing the S-curve in the lean deployment of an OEM. The study proposes integrating lean tools with decision-making techniques to achieve productivity benefits. The proposed method uses VSM to portray the changeover activities and standardize them using the SMED technique to reduce the changeover time alongside other continuous improvement suggestions. This provides real-time active solutions for decision making, prediction, and planning of resources. It also assists the industrial units in getting better insights into their productivity improvization and market evaluation trends. The study proposed an IoT-driven ecosystem for effective decision making in the OEM environment. Finally, the study is tested in an automotive OEM that has reduced changeover time by > 75% and an overall productivity increase of 27.31%. Such an ecosystem contributes to organizational transformation and promotes innovation in OEM.

Vijaya Sunder M is an Assistant Professor of Operations Management (Practice) and Programme Director of the Operational Excellence for Leaders Programme at the Indian School of Business (ISB). He also serves on the advisory board of ISB’s Executive Fellow Programme in Management and Executive Education. Previously, he was Chair of the Experiential Learning Programme (2022-2025), Academic Director of the Centre for Business Innovation (2023–2024), and a BAT Research Fellow (2021–2023).

He holds a PhD in Operational Excellence from IIT Madras and brings over 18 years of industry experience from global corporations. He has served as Head of Business Process Excellence at the World Bank Group, Assistant Vice President at Barclays, and Quality Leader at American Express and Citi.

Professor Sunder’s research focuses on operational excellence, project management, behavioural operations, and human-AI collaboration. He has authored three books and published scholarly research in leading journals, including Production and Operations Management, Journal of Operations Management, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, International Journal of Production Economics, International Journal of Production Research, Journal of Business Research, and IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management. His articles have also appeared in Harvard Business Review, California Management Review, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Management and Business Review, and Rotman Management. His teaching case studies, published by Harvard Business Publishing, are among the bestsellers.
Professor Sunder has received several prestigious honours, including ASQ’s Global Crosby Award, IAQ’s

Walter E. Masing Award, and recognition as one of PEX Network’s (IQPC) Top 50 Operational Excellence Thought Leaders worldwide. In 2025, he was featured in Business Mint’s 50 Under 50 Brightest Minds of India for his contributions to the field of Operational Excellence. He is also a recipient of IIT Madras Best Researcher Award in 2018, the Quality Champion Award (Gold category) by the Quality Control of India (QCI), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India in 2022, and the Financial Times Responsible Business Education Award (Runner-up) in 2022.

At ISB, he teaches PGP, Executive MBA, and PhD courses such as Business Process Excellence, Operational Excellence, Digital Transformation in Services, Project Management, and Operations Management. He has won multiple “Professor of the Year” – Best Teacher: Teaching Excellence Awards for the PGP core and elective courses for the Class of 2021 (one award), Class of 2023 (two awards), Class of 2024 (one award), Class of 2025 (three awards), and the AMPH Class of 2024 (one award).

A TEDx speaker and sought-after keynote presenter, Professor Sunder has trained over 10,000 business executives worldwide and is widely known for his innovative and experiential pedagogies.

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