Digital technologies have created opportunities to build resilient, agile enterprises in the current volatile business environment but also pose challenges in terms of a lack of financial tools, relevant knowledge, and experts necessary to facilitate implementation for SMEs. Adopting lean principles enhances productivity by increasing efficiency, improving quality, and boosting agility. It also reduces raw material input costs and waste. The use of appropriate digital technologies increases the benefits of lean manufacturing practices.

An online training course on Lean Digital Transformation was organized from 11–14 November by the Department for Productivity Implementations, Ministry of Industry and Technology, Turkiye, and the APO Secretariat. Abdullah Başar, APO Director of Turkiye and Director General for Strategic Research and Productivity of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, in his welcome remarks, stressed how important it is for SMEs to adopt the latest lean methodologies and digital technologies to create value and remain globally competitive. The training course increased the capacity and expertise of the participants in integrating lean practices with digital technologies to help companies streamline processes, eliminate waste, and accelerate growth by combining the power of lean practices with cutting-edge digital technologies.

Thirty-six participants from 10 APO members completed the training course with guidance from two resource persons, one each from Turkiye and the UK. The resource persons provided in-depth knowledge on lean management and practices for SMEs as well as digital transformation (DX) concepts and approaches, opportunities and challenges for lean DX, integrating lean practices and DX into business processes in the manufacturing sector, and best practices for APO members based on presentations and case studies.