Application of lean and agile management techniques to engineer-to-order projects

Engineer-to-order (ETO) projects, characterized by high customization, long lead times, and significant customer involvement, face unique management challenges that conventional project management approaches often struggle to address. This thesis explores the potential of lean and agile management techniques to be applied to ETO projects. The research begins with a literature review of lean management principles and agile methodologies, as well as the definition and characteristics of engineer-to-order production. The study reviews current academic perspectives and identifies key perspectives and limitations in applying these approaches. Building on the initial theoretical foundation, the thesis describes the results of the systematic literature review. Through analysis of the collected academic corpus, the research identifies the most popular pure and hybrid strategies, describes the potential benefits along with potential challenges of the application of lean and agile methodologies to ETO projects.