Lean thinking in startup companies
Kyytsönen, Tuomas (2019-08-20)
Lean thinking in startup companies
(20.08.2019)
Julkaisu on tekijänoikeussäännösten alainen. Teosta voi lukea ja tulostaa henkilökohtaista käyttöä varten. Käyttö kaupallisiin tarkoituksiin on kielletty.
suljettu
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on:
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2019082625555
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2019082625555
Tiivistelmä
In the last decades, lean thinking, lean methods, and tools have spread from large corporation’s assembly lines through service production into the startup entrepreneurship communities. Although lean startup methods have notably raised their popularity within entrepreneur accelerator programs, universities’ curricula and entrepreneur literature, scientific research regarding lean applications in startups has remained relatively scarce.
The purpose of this study is to observe the occurrence of lean philosophy and methods in the startup field. In addition, the study aims to provide more knowledge about the associations between startups’ lean understanding and applied development strategies. In general, the research strives to bring new findings and research objects from the marginally researched lean startup environment.
The chosen research strategy was qualitative case study as it fits especially marginally studied research areas. This particular research strategy aims to build new theory from the chosen topic. The qualitative strategy for the study enabled research of complex business phenomenon in its own context. The empirical research part was executed by interviewing four Finnish, strongly technology- or online-marketing-oriented startup companies that have existed from 1,5 to 3 years.
The results indicated that the understanding of lean concept does not correlate with the maturity of lean within the studied startup companies. Instead, companies with more straight-forward business models and settled customer base were having more lean aspects in their business when compared to companies which were still seeking for their conclusive business model. Startup entrepreneurs could facilitate the unpredictable startup business already in the early phase by creating more clear internal structures and procedures. The results also suggested that lean as a traditional way is difficult to execute in an unsecure startup environment. However, by applying lean methods in specific business areas and by taking the business context into account, also startups’ business development processes can be facilitated notably.
The purpose of this study is to observe the occurrence of lean philosophy and methods in the startup field. In addition, the study aims to provide more knowledge about the associations between startups’ lean understanding and applied development strategies. In general, the research strives to bring new findings and research objects from the marginally researched lean startup environment.
The chosen research strategy was qualitative case study as it fits especially marginally studied research areas. This particular research strategy aims to build new theory from the chosen topic. The qualitative strategy for the study enabled research of complex business phenomenon in its own context. The empirical research part was executed by interviewing four Finnish, strongly technology- or online-marketing-oriented startup companies that have existed from 1,5 to 3 years.
The results indicated that the understanding of lean concept does not correlate with the maturity of lean within the studied startup companies. Instead, companies with more straight-forward business models and settled customer base were having more lean aspects in their business when compared to companies which were still seeking for their conclusive business model. Startup entrepreneurs could facilitate the unpredictable startup business already in the early phase by creating more clear internal structures and procedures. The results also suggested that lean as a traditional way is difficult to execute in an unsecure startup environment. However, by applying lean methods in specific business areas and by taking the business context into account, also startups’ business development processes can be facilitated notably.