IMPROVEMENT OF OPERATIONAL PROCESSES AS A BASIS FOR IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF LIGHT INDUSTRY ENTERPRISES

Abstract

The article examines directions for improving operational processes at light industry enterprises, which is critically important for ensuring competitiveness under modern conditions. The characteristic problems of the industry, typical of small and medium-sized manufacturing, have been identified, namely: a high level of equipment downtime, significant time expenditures for machine changeovers, a high rate of product defects, and excessive dependence on the human factor. The relevance of the study is intensified by the impact of military aggression, which has led to the disruption of logistics chains and resource shortages. Evidence of this can be found in contemporary publications on supply chain management in crisis conditions. Therefore, increasing operational efficiency without significant capital investment becomes a necessary condition for survival and further development of production facilities. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the necessity and feasibility of applying Operational Excellence methods to improve performance efficiency. The theoretical foundation is based on the principles of Lean Manufacturing, which focus on eliminating all types of waste (Muri, Muda, Mura), Total Quality Management (TQM), and Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED). Special attention is given to the method of work sampling, a statistical tool for measuring the structure of working time utilization and accurately calculating non-productive losses. To identify the most critical areas, the Theory of Constraints (TOC) is applied, which allows managerial efforts to be focused on the key “bottleneck” (constraint). The scientific results obtained reflect current trends in the activities of light industry enterprises that face typical problems such as equipment downtime, significant changeover costs, product defects, and dependence on the human factor. Prospects for further research are associated with the relevance of applying Operational Excellence methods (Lean, Kaizen, TPM, SMED) in combination with the Theory of Constraints (TOC) and work sampling to reduce time losses, create a foundation for systematic development, and ensure a reliable data base for decision-making. It is concluded that systematic improvement of operational processes combined with TOC and work sampling is a key factor in ensuring the competitiveness of enterprises under modern conditions.