The Laboratory

Mission

The Lean & Quality Solutions Lab, a commodity science laboratory of the Department of Economics at the University of Messina, develops applied research in Lean Manufacturing, Total Quality Management and Innovation Management, Circular Economy and sustainability. Our goal is to create scientific knowledge that can be translated into concrete solutions for enterprises, institutions and territories.

Vision

To be a reference point in interdisciplinary research connecting quality, innovation and sustainability, contributing to the transition towards regenerative economic models and the advancement of Industry 5.0 with a human-centric approach.

Goals

Scientific research

Producing high-level research published in international class A and Scopus-indexed journals.

Technology transfer

Transferring knowledge and methodologies to the productive and institutional fabric of the territory.

Advanced training

Training PhD students and researchers in lean, quality and sustainability methodologies.

Research Areas

Five pillars of interdisciplinary research for quality, sustainability and innovation.

Industry 5.0 & Lean Manufacturing

Human-centric advanced technologies integrated with lean principles for efficient, resilient and sustainable production.

Industry 5.0 places human-machine collaboration, resilience and sustainability at its core, naturally integrating with Lean Manufacturing — a systematic approach aimed at reducing waste (muda) and maximizing customer value. The lab's research explores how advanced technologies (IoT, AI, digital twin) and lean principles can be combined in manufacturing and service contexts to create more equitable, lean and sustainable production systems.

Total Quality Management & Innovation Management

Integrated quality and innovation management for continuous organizational improvement.

TQM is a management philosophy that involves all levels of the organization in the pursuit of quality. The lab's research focuses on the evolution of quality models, ISO certification systems, and the integration of quality with environmental and social sustainability.

Circular Economy

Regenerative economic models for the transition to sustainable systems.

The circular economy represents a paradigm shift from the linear take-make-dispose model. The lab studies circular transition models for enterprises and territories, with particular attention to Italian historical small towns and industrial parks.

Sustainable Local Development

Territorial development strategies based on local resource enhancement.

Sustainable local development focuses on enhancing endogenous territorial resources. The lab collaborates with Local Action Groups (GAL) in Sicily to promote development strategies based on agriculture, tourism, culture and social innovation.

Healthcare Sustainability

Application of lean and quality methodologies in the healthcare sector.

The application of lean and quality methodologies in healthcare aims to improve the efficiency of clinical and organizational processes, reducing waste and waiting times, while increasing care quality and patient safety.