Paper Title
Critical Success Factors of Lean Management in Public Sector: Evidence From Greece

Abstract
Many challenges have emerged in the public sector due to the recent global economic recession. Public organizations must revise their managerial practices in order to assure increased levels of efficiency and productivity, as well as waste reduction. In order to achieve this, the introduction of lean management tools and models is required. The main purpose of this study is to unveil the most Critical Success Factors (CSFs) in effective Lean Transformation of public service organizations. There is a research gap in the management literature regarding the successful implementation of lean practices in the public sector. This paper fills the gap by examining the direct effects of many CSFs on the effective implementation of a lean thinking approach using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). A quantitative research method was employed and a sample of 343 employees and top managers from operational departments was collected. The main findings proved that Training and Education, Top Management Commitment and Support, Effective Communication, Organizational Culture and Change Management are important in order to achieve a successful implementation of Lean Management principles in the public sector. As a result, several strategies are proposed to top managers in order to assure the most effective Lean Transformation possible. Keywords - Lean Management, Public Sector, Critical Success Factors, Lean Transformation, Quality.