Components of sustainable improvement systems: theory and practice
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold: to evaluate the importance of the factors reported in the literature as enablers of Continuous Improvement (CI) programmes and to determine the perception of managers of different companies in the Basque Country and Navarre (Spain) regarding the relevance of these factors to their improvement programmes.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 15 elements have been considered to be key issues for the sustainability of CI programmes. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 36 companies in order to assess how the companies value the factors and how the factors are applied and measured.
Findings
The findings regarding the application and evaluation of such factors have revealed that companies are focused on the agents associated with the achievement of results. Other factors, such as management commitment or the promotion of team working, are highly scored and applied, but few companies evaluate them or take actions to improve their application.
Originality/value
This paper analyzes the application of some factors considered to be enablers or key factors for the sustainability of continuous improvement systems. Furthermore, it examines the mechanisms or indicators which are used by some companies to measure the application of those factors.
Keywords
Citation
Jaca, C., Viles, E., Mateo, R. and Santos, J. (2012), "Components of sustainable improvement systems: theory and practice", The TQM Journal, Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 142-154. https://doi.org/10.1108/17542731211215080
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited