Towards the strategic adoption of Lean in Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry - An empirical study into the industry’s Lean status

Sep 4, 2026

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The paper examines the strategic adoption of Lean within the aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry, addressing the scarcity of direct literature that validates claims linking Lean initiatives to positive business performance. An industry-wide survey gathers data from firms across the MRO spectrum, and responses from leaders, professionals, and executives are synthesized with existing research to measure Lean adoption extent and assess suitability for mitigating MRO challenges. Results indicate Lean’s positive influence, with emphasis more on production-oriented functions than service-oriented ones.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatDOCX

Pages32

Reading Time11 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Lean in aviation MRO industry

MRO industry scope and roles

Motivation and research approach

Empirical research framework

Survey design and administration

Findings, discussion, and conclusions

Towards the strategic adoption of Lean in Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry: An empirical study into the industry’s Lean status Abstract: Purpose: Despite many Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) organisations alluding their positive business performances to the adoption Lean initiatives, there is a paucity of direct literature that validates this assertion. Thus, contained in this paper is an empirical study via the use of an industry-wide survey to establish and extent of Lean adoption and to verify its suitability in mitigating prevalent MRO challenges. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical study contained in this paper is facilitated by an industry-wide survey to collect data from several firms across the MRO spectrum. The analysed responses from industry leaders, professionals and executives synthesised with existing literature was used in ascertaining the extent of Lean adoption within the operational framework of the industry. Findings, The empirical study helped in validating the suitability of Lean in MRO context. However, it was also observed that the focus of its application was skewed towards its production-orientated functions more than its service-orientated functions. Nonetheless, this paper presents results of the positive influence of Lean in MRO context. Research limitations/implications: This empirical study presented in this paper was carried out within a framework of key characteristics of operation. Although this approach is sufficient in assessing the industry’s Lean status, further assessment can also be achieved within the context of relevant performance metrics which was not included in this paper. Originality/value: Apart from validating the suitability of Lean in MRO contexts, by establishing the extent of Lean adoption within the context of the operational framework, this paper provides a clearer insight as to how successful Lean implementation can be achieved via a holistic implementation strategy balanced between the product-centric and service-centric aspects of the industry. Keywords: Lean, Maintenance Repair Overhaul, Survey, Product-Centric. NOTATIONS MRO Maintenance Repair Overhaul OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer TAT Turn-Around-Time INTRODUCTION Lean production has been identified as one of the prevalent business strategies in the aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry [1]. In a business environment characterised by intense global competition, demanding production goals along with changing market forces, there has been significant pressure on MRO organisations to increase profit margins whilst optimising and streamlining business operations [2]. This has translated into the aviation MRO industry having to manage more effectively how it minimises overall maintenance costs, reduces aircraft turn-around times (TAT) and establish return-on-experience in the form of accurate job standards. Conversely, these continuously changing market forces also mean that MRO organisations have to contend with wildly varying asset types and configurations now more than ever before. It is therefore no surprise that many MRO organisations have turned to Lean as a solution to improve enterprise-wide productivity especially because of its universal appeal as a successfully tried and tested model in the automobile industry [3]. Lean philosophy itself can be described as a multi-dimensional approach that encompasses a wide variety of management practices, including just-in-time, quality systems, work teams, cellular manufacturing, supplier management, etc. in an integrated system [4]. The core thrust of Lean production is that these practices can work synergistically to create a streamlined, high quality system that produces finished products at the pace of customer demand with little or no waste [5]. Although the principles behind Lean are not in themselves new as they date as far back to Henry Ford’s production line; its adoption in the aviation MRO industry has

FAQs

What problem does the study address about Lean in the aviation MRO industry?

The study targets the lack of direct literature that validates claims that Lean adoption drives positive business performance in aviation MRO organizations.

How is Lean adoption assessed in the paper?

Lean adoption is assessed through an industry-wide survey that collects data from multiple MRO firms, and the responses are synthesized with existing literature to determine the extent of adoption.

What do the findings suggest about where Lean is applied within MRO contexts?

The study validates Lean’s suitability in the MRO context, but observes that application focus is skewed toward production-oriented functions rather than service-oriented functions.

Sep 4, 2026

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