Continuous Improvement Activities Research Articles

Optimizing Production Line Efficiency through a Standardized Work Tool: A Case Study

Lean methodology focuses on enhancing flow and resource efficiency by prioritizing customer value, eliminating waste, reducing variation, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement involving everyone in the organization. Implementing lean creates conditions that empower all employees to contribute to continuous improvement activities within the value stream. This approach not only lowers production costs, enabling reinvestment and employee engagement but also emphasizes professional development. This paper aims to maximize efficiency in seal production within a manufacturing industry by implementing lean tools such as standardized work and Kaizen. Standardized Work is a systematic method for producing parts or services centred on human motion. As a tool for ensuring quality, it defines efficient, safe work methods and helps eliminate waste, serving as the foundation for every operation. Once implemented, standardized work ensures that the same methods are repeated consistently, avoiding unnecessary motions, maintaining quality, ensuring safety, and preventing equipment damage. The consistent application of these methods improves product quality through standardized processes and procedures. By incorporating lean tools like defined worksheets and Kaizen, the production of seals in manufacturing industries can achieve significant productivity enhancements.

Supplier selection using the integrated MEREC – CoCoSo methods in a medical device company

The medical device industry is a rapidly developing industry that includes various dynamics. Developed technologies show continuous improvement depending on diagnosis and treatment applications in health services. To keep up with this change and survive in an increasingly competitive environment, medical device manufacturers must be engaged in continuous improvement activities. This situation, necessary for many companies producing in the industrial field, gains even more importance in the medical device sector when the direct impact of product safety and quality on human life is considered. In companies producing medical devices, the legal requirements of the product being a medical device are followed by the notified bodies and authorized authorities within the framework of standards and regulations within the scope of quality processes. Increasing costs and liabilities with MDR 2017/45 have pushed medical device manufacturers to question their methods. In this study, it was determined that customer requests could not be met in a company producing medical devices, and it was observed that delivery times increased. In evaluating the reasons for the increase in delivery time, it was determined that supplier selection could have been carried out more effectively. For this purpose, six suppliers and six criteria were selected because of the company's sector knowledge and the evaluations of the company managers. The Combined Compromise Solution (CoCoSo) method, one of the new generation multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, is proposed for ranking the suppliers in the supplier selection problem. Method The removal effects of criteria (MEREC) weighting method was used to weight supplier selection criteria. In this study, a new generation supplier selection method application in medical devices has been carried out. Considering the inadequacy of the studies on supplier selection in medical devices, the relevant research will contribute to the literature.

Standardization of Sample Handling Methods to Reduce the Rate of Inadequate Sampling

Purpose: The predominant approach for mitigating inadequate sampling rates has primarily involved bolstering the volume of education. This study aimed to curtail inadequate sampling rates through the implementation of continuous quality improvement (CQI) activities, tailoring effective methods to the unique needs of each institution.Methods: We developed a sample handling guidebook and implemented QI activities to address this issue.Results: These measures resulted in a 4.7% decrease in inadequate sampling rates, concurrently improving knowledge of sample handling and overall nurse satisfaction. We addressed the root causes of inadequate sampling before laboratory pre-processing by: 1) focusing on systematic rather than erratic errors through CQI activities, 2) revising the sample handling guide, and 3) delivering face-to-face education based on the specific needs of the nursing department. These changes resulted in an additional 0.6% decrease in the inadequate sampling rate.Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the implementation of CQI activities based on evidence derived from a multifaceted causal analysis significantly reduced the inadequate sampling rate compared to previous studies.

The accreditation paradigm: a comparative analysis of accreditations for management programmes

PurposeThe present paper concerns the domestic and international accreditations of business schools to find the commonalities in various accreditation standards. The study also addresses cost involvement and comparisons between various accreditations.Design/methodology/approachThe research examined the requirements, methods and preparations for many national and international accrediting authorities. The accreditation criteria, history and guidelines were collected from secondary data sources. The content analysis was used to draw conclusions about the similarities and differences between the data sources and identify any differences and similarities between various accreditations.FindingsThe study found commonalities across accreditation standards and cost analyses, helping institutions achieve suitable accreditations. To unify the administrative procedure at the institutional level and reduce duplicates for schools seeking multiple accreditations, similarities in all accreditation requirements are analysed. The comparison helps organisations determine which accreditation standard best suits their needs and goals. Schools with limited budgets might compare accreditation costs to determine which are worth pursuing.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited to comparing a few accreditation bodies related to management education. In future research, the study may be extended to other areas. The use of the approach developed in this study for evaluating accreditation agencies of different streams, such as engineering, science and medicine, will be the study's future implications.Practical implicationsThe research indicates that schools can streamline accreditation by identifying commonalities, aligning procedures, comparing standards and conducting cost assessments. These insights aid efficient accreditation and inform accrediting bodies' framework enhancements. Standards facilitate global performance comparisons.Originality/valueThis is likely the first study to compare Indian and international accreditations using the accreditation frameworks and cost analyses using comparative analysis. The study recommends strategies for achieving academic benchmarks through continuous improvement activities and success in international competition.

화재대응 모의훈련평가시스템 개발에 관한 연구

This study developed a simulated fire response training evaluation system based on the Internet of Things to acquire training participants' initial response skills through realistic and practical fire response training, and continuously improve the response activities of training participants based on a quantitative and objective training evaluation system. With the goal of minimizing the scale of fire damage through rapid and accurate response in the event of an unexpected fire accident by establishing a research process for this purpose, developing a fire response training evaluation system based on the overall technical investigation required for research After the operation test, the evaluation system was installed in the test place, and fire response simulation training was conducted for 20 occupants. Prior to training, the evaluation system smartphone app was used to input the training date and time, and after explaining how to use the evaluation system device to the participants, the training was conducted and the results were analyzed.
 As a result, the fire response simulation training evaluation system developed in this study can produce the behavior of fire smoke and measure the time required for each response step of training participants through the system device as a quantified value, enabling quantitative training evaluation. was derived.
 Through this system development and operation experiment, 1) it is possible to implement a fire training situation similar to an actual fire situation using the fire initial response training evaluation system, and 2), it is possible to evaluate fire training quantitatively by response stage, based on the results As a result, future training feedback and continuous improvement activities are possible, and 3) training participants can learn accurate response behaviors, and evaluation can be objectively and quantitatively measured.

The Implementation of Quality Management System ISO 9001 with SWOT Analysis

As a strategic step of the local government in continuous improvement activities, this study aimed to describe the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat analysis in the implementation of QMS ISO 9001: 2015 in elements of planning in Pemerintah Negeri Rutong Kota Ambon by Planning, Implementation (Do), Evaluation (Check) and Monitoring (Action). This study used a qualitative methodology with the researcher as the main instrument. Data sources for the study were team management and documentation and it was conducted in Pemerintah Negeri Rutong Kota Ambon. Analyzing the data using descriptive qualitative analysis, verifying the accuracy of the data during in-depth interviews with the employees of state institutions to triangulate the data with the source. The results showed that the SWOT analysis of the implementation of QMS ISO 9001: 2015 is updated. in a growth strategy phase that offers tremendous opportunity and potential for improvement. Each PDCA element of QMS ISO 9001: 2015 implementation has opportunities, threats, weaknesses and strengths that can be used for the continuous improvement of Pemerintah Negeri Rutong Kota Amboni. A SWOT analysis with the following criteria can be used to implement the strategy: socio-cultural, economic, environmental, special program of integrated economy and development of tourist villages.

Nursing Students’ Experiences of Havruta Learning in an Online Research Methodology Course

Background: This study explored students’ experiences of Havruta learning in an online research methodology course and identified ways to improve course quality. Method: Participants were 168 nursing students who enrolled in a research methodology course in 2020, and their responses to open-ended questions collected after the Havruta learning sessions were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Havruta learning had a positive effect on academic achievement, including the development of self-directed learning attitudes, and strengthened basic skills for evidence-based practice (EBP), such as critical thinking, communication, and collaboration, as well as EBP competency. Additionally, areas of improvement related to the instructional design, orientation, and class content of the course were identified. Conclusion: Havruta Learning can be used as an effective teaching and learning method to cultivate the core competencies required by university students. Moreover, continuous course quality improvement activities are required to improve students’ satisfaction and academic achievement.

Experience and satisfaction: Exploring students’ perceptions of private and public higher education services

Higher education institutions (HEIs) operate in a dynamic environment driven by increasing competition, reduced funding and the deteriorating South African economy. Understanding the needs of students as customers puts pressure on HEIs to provide a unique customer experience to gain a competitive advantage, as both private and public HEIs compete not only for funding but also for prospective students. This study takes a business perspective of higher education by examining how students relate higher education service providers’ (academic and administrative staff) attitudes towards them, to their perceptions of service experience and satisfaction using a sample of 411 students and 428 employees from private and public HEIs in SA. Convenience random sampling was used to identify and select research participants. SPSS Version 22 was used to perform descriptive and inferential statistical analysis, and structural equation modelling was used to test seven (7) hypotheses. The study results highlighted important issues relating to customer-oriented behaviour in the HE industry. Students are more likely to have positive higher education experiences and be satisfied with services when higher education service providers are customer-focused and have a positive attitude towards students. This study recommends that HEIs ensure that their frontline employees (academics and administrators) are customer-focused and empowered to drive continuous improvement activities to enhance the overall customer experience and student satisfaction while maintaining academic integrity.

Improve Productivity and Quality Using Lean Six Sigma: A Case Study

Continuous improvement activities are widely deployed, applying the DMAIC cycle in the Lean Six Sigma method combined with 5s activities and industrial engineering tools such as Man-Machine chart statistics tools in DFSS (Design For Six Sigma). The results of the improvement activity must be approved and operated by the machine operator, measuring the loyalty of operators, users and system maintainers after kaizen against satisfaction criteria, technicality, usefulness and convenience are needed. This study proposes a model that com- bines the PLS - SEM method to measure user loyalty and implement a training program for users on incorrect performance results to improve CDIO stan- dards. The result is a reduction of workers at the processing line from 4 people on two shifts to 2 people, and the amount of money brought in is 10,224 USD per year. Defect of negative outside diameter decreased from 31.2% to 4.5% based on the amount of waste reduction of USD 980 per year. In terms of productivity increased from 15 units per hour per person to 30 units.

DEVELOPMENT OF LEAN PROCESS MANAGEMENT AT ENTERPRISES OF SOCIAL SPHERE

The article describes the logic of the development of the Lean Manufacturing concept at Russian enterprises: from a focus on the main process to projects in office activities. An approach to the implementation of projects using lean production methods in social organizations is described. The directions of activity of foreign managers in projects to improve office processes are given on the example of Daimler AG. The tasks for each of the described areas and means for their implementation are considered. The basic requirements for organizing group work and holding meetings in the “ShopFloor Management” (SFM) format are listed. An example of an integrated system of indicators in the areas of “Safety”, “Quality”, “Cost”, “Delivery”, “Motivation”, “Ecology” contains typical requirements for indicators. An approach to changing the role of a manager in relation to employees, through changing his model of behavior and organizing group work at an information stand, is described. Examples of the design of some sections of the infoboard are presented and the principles of working with them are described. An example of the design of individual task cards is given. The author compares the approach to lean management proposed by him with the methods proposed by McKinsey for the implementation of continuous improvement activities in public sector organizations.

Audit of the Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit notification and contact tracing system during the first wave of COVID‐19

ObjectiveTo conduct a real‐time audit to assess a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activity to improve the quality of public health data in the Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) Public Health Unit during the first wave of COVID‐19. MethodsA real‐time audit of the Notifiable Conditions Information Management System was conducted for positive cases of COVID‐19 and their close contacts from SLHD. After recording missing and inaccurate data, the audit team then corrected the data. Multivariable regression models were used to look for associations with workload and time. ResultsA total of 293 cases were audited. Variables measuring completeness were associated with improvement over time (p<0.0001), whereas those measuring accuracy reduced with increased workload (p=0.0003). In addition, the audit team achieved 100% data quality by correcting data. ConclusionUtilising a team, separate from operational staff, to conduct a real‐time audit of data quality is an efficient and effective way of improving epidemiological data. Implications for public healthImplementation of CQI in a public health unit can improve data quality during times of stress. Auditing teams can also act as an intervention in their own right to achieve high‐quality data at minimal cost. Together, this can result in timely and high‐quality public health data.

Design and implementation of a novel doctor of pharmacy curriculum

Introduction: The University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy has a rich tradition of transforming curricula to graduate pharmacists who are equipped to serve the current and future healthcare needs of the public. Description of programme: This paper describes the process of the design, build, and implementation of a three-year, year-round, competency-based, integrated, Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum with a pass/no pass grading policy. Evaluation: A variety of data streams are in place to collect data on courses, teaching, and student performance as part of continuous quality improvement activities. Future Plans: In addition to traditional evaluation metrics of the curriculum the school will implement a career outcomes project to track students’ career and employment placements. The results of the evaluation and assessment activities will be shared in future manuscripts.

A valid and reliable scale for measuring middle managers’ trustworthiness in continuous improvement

Sustaining continuous improvement activities is one of the biggest challenges that companies face. In order to foster operator participation in continuous improvement activities, this paper aims to present and validate a scale for measuring middle manager trustworthiness. Firstly, we combine the available literature with two concept mappings, one with operators and another with supervisors, and an expert panel (consisting of experienced academics, practitioners and consultants) to identify the specific middle manager behaviors that are essential to convey trustworthiness. Secondly, an empirical analysis with 211 operators from three different companies located in three different countries (i.e., Peru, Honduras and Spain) served to define, debug and test the reliability and the convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity of the scale. The validated scale presents middle manager trustworthiness as a reflective-reflective second-order construct formed by four critical dimensions: human qualities; training and development; technical and managerial competencies; team building. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first to present a valid and reliable scale for measuring middle manager trustworthiness in continuous improvement activities. The proposed scale can be used as a guideline for companies which aim to foster operators’ trust and participation in continuous improvement activities and for those activities to be sustainable over time.

Sustaining continuous improvement upon temporary workers’ shoulders: a tale of survival &amp; tribalism (WITHDRAWN)

Long-term committed workers are expected to play a key role in the continuous improvement of operating routines, a fundamental activity preceding the creation of competitive advantages at the operations level. However, global uncertainty and market instabilities are increasingly pushing firms to increase the use of temporary labor to bypass current operational challenges related to production costs and flexibility. Although this strategy could have benefits at first sight, conventional wisdom in operations suggests it might be also hindering the successful deployment of continuous improvement practices. We therefore explore whether firms can sustain continuous improvement processes while relying on temporary labor by using an Insider Econometric approach on daily panel data (1793 observations across 9 lines gathered over two years). The results are mixed. We find temporary workers can positively contribute to continuous improvement activities especially when they are trained. However, this positive contribution turns negative as the number of temporary workers increases. We resort to evolutionary psychology to argue how continuous improvement outcomes are shaped by differences in hierarchical groups and tribal-like behaviors that aim to protect individuals’ own interests. Overall, our findings questions established theory by offering a nuanced perspective of temporary workers in continuous improvement.

Accreditation and ranking of higher education institutions (HEIs): review, observations and recommendations for the Indian higher education system

PurposeThe higher education system has been entrusted globally to provide quality education, especially to the youth, and equip them with required skills and capabilities. The visionaries and policymakers of the countries around the world have been working relentlessly to improve the standard of the higher education system by establishing national and global accreditation and ranking bodies and expecting measuring performance through setting up accreditation and ranking parameters. This paper focuses on the review of Indian university accreditation and ranking system and determining its efficacy in improving academic quality for achieving good position in global quality accreditation and ranking.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed exploratory research approach to know about the accreditation and ranking issues of Indian higher education institutions to overcome the challenges for being globally competitive. The accreditation and ranking parameters and score of leading Indian universities was collected from secondary data sources. Similarly, the global ranking parameters and scores of these Indian universities with top global universities was explored. The performance gaps of Indian university in global academic quality parameter is assessed by comparing it with scores of global top universities. Further, each domestic and global accreditation and ranking parameters have been taken up for discussion.FindingsThe study identified teaching and learning, research and industry collaboration as common parameter in the accreditation and ranking by Indian and global accreditation and ranking body. Furthermore, the study revealed that Indian accreditation and ranking body assess leniently on parameters and award high scores as compared to rigorous global accreditation and ranking practice. The study revealed that “research” and “citations” are important parameters for securing prestigious position in global ranking, this is the reason Indian universities are trailing. The study exposed that Indian academic fraternity lack prominence in research, publication and citations as per need of global accreditation and ranking standards.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation of this study is that it focused only on few Indian and global accreditation and ranking bodies. The future implication of this study will be the use of methodology designed in this study for comparing accreditation and ranking bodies’ parameters of different continents and countries in different economic development stages i.e. emerging and developed economies to know the disparity and shortcomings in their higher education system.Practical implicationsThe article is a review and comparison of national and global accreditation and ranking parameters. The article explored the important criteria and key indicators of accreditation and ranking that would provide an important and meaningful insight to academic institutions of the emerging economies of the world to develop its competitiveness. The study contributed to the literature on identifying benchmark for improving academic and higher education institution quality. This study would be further helpful in fostering new ideas toward setting up of contemporary globally viable and acceptable academic quality standard.Originality/valueThis is possibly the first study conducted with novel methodology of comparing the Indian and global accreditation and ranking parameters to identify the academic quality performance gap and suggesting ways to attain academic benchmark through continuous improvement activity and process for global competitiveness.

Problem-solving step analysis for increasing tire static balance levels: a case study

One of the company's efforts in implementing the commitment to customer satisfaction is carried out through continuous improvement activities. All indicators are evaluated to determine the level of quality stability against process variations that will impact non-compliance with predetermined product specifications. One of the quality problems found in the tire manufacture industry is the out-percentage of tire uniformity, which suddenly increases, one of which is the value of static balance. This study analyses the process variation factors that occur to take corrective and preventive actions through a series of Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA). Refers to the analysis result, it was found that there was a problem with the rubber film gauge variation at the manufacturing step of the steel breaker, one of the material components in the tire construction. Two main factors cause rubber film thickness variation: rubber sticky with roll calendar, Radial Run Out (RRO) Roll Calendar out standard, and viscosity compound variation with 12 root problems found. The results of the improvements that have been made can effectively improve rubber film thickness variation, increase the Cpk level of steel breaker material from 0.82 to 1.91 and reduce the out percentage ratio of static balance by 54.65%.

CBA-Based Evaluation Method of the Impact of Defects in Residential Buildings: Assessing Risks towards Making Sustainable Decisions on Continuous Improvement Activities

Evaluating the impact of defects in buildings and ranking the most impactful ones enables construction companies to better choose which paths to take in light of continuous improvement activities to support more sustainable decisions regarding the design and operation of buildings. As a result, the risks of the different choices are more clearly identified while assessing all tangible and intangible aspects of residential building defects in a structured way. Although recent studies on managing construction defects in residential buildings have focused on monetary losses associated with maintenance activities based on the defect’s frequency and severity, these studies do not take into account the levels of customer satisfaction. To address this gap, this paper proposes a novel evaluation method of the impact of defects to support decision-making in managing defect occurrences in residential buildings. The goal is to rank the defects’ impact based on a combination of some critical aspects: frequency of occurrence, financial considerations on repairing such defects, the impact that these defects have on customer satisfaction, and the cost and complexity of preventing and minimizing these defect occurrences through continuous improvement activities. The method consists of a structured set of steps that use data from technical assistance departments and customer satisfaction surveys, where information about the users’ level of satisfaction and the occurrence of defects is available. In this paper, data obtained from a construction company were used to test and validate the proposed method. The method also examines the challenges and barriers associated with the technique and points out that difficulties in acquiring reliable data are a bottleneck for making conscious and sustainable decisions to address construciton defects. Moreover, the case study results highlight essential capabilities needed by companies to correctly assess the impact of defects, such as correctly logging data in a structured database and having skilled personnel to verify defects users might have complained about. The paper ends by proposing a set of guidelines to use the method and stressing that structured methods for decision-making are crucial to analyze construction defects in a structured way while also incorporating the user’s perspective. The proposed method is expected to improve sustainable managerial decisions where economic, environmental, social, and technical risks can be accounted for to enhance the quality of projects from the customer’s perspective. Such analysis can help optimize and prioritize the use of resources and minimize the economic impact of activities on the construction company.

Light for a Potentially Cloudy Situation: Approach to Validating Cloud Computing Tools

Light for a Potentially Cloudy Situation: Approach to Validating Cloud Computing Tools

Quantification of Pre-Analytical Quality Indicator in a Clinical Laboratory

Introduction: Quality in laboratory medicine have a significant role in ensuring the adequate and complete total testing process. Clinical laboratory and testing process is an integral part of modern medicine as it has a direct effect on the patient. As per the requirement of certification or accreditation bodies, different laboratories use different ways of developing quality indicators (QI), which helps to monitor, progress and maintain the quality of the laboratory services.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: A cross sectional retrospective study carried out in the Hematology Laboratory of a tertiary care hospital. Data of pre-analytical quality indicators was collected for months from August 2015 to January 2016. Pre-analytical quality indicators analysed for sample collections were clotted sample, hemolyzed sample, incompletely filled form, wrong labelled sample, insufficient sample volume and patient waiting for sample collection after registration in the laboratory- turnaround time (TAT). Turn around time for patient waiting for sample collection is 15 minutes from the registration of the request form.&#x0D; Results: The overall sample received during the six months was 2,03,337 among these pre-analytical errors found in 1067. The highest rate indicators were clotted sample 589 (0.28%), followed by insufficient sample volume 376(0.18), incompletely filled form and wrongly labelled sample 67(0.03%), Hemolyzed sample 35(0.017%). 94.49 % of the patient waiting time for the sample collection from registration was within the Turnaround time (TAT).&#x0D; Conclusion: The development of a quality indicator for clinical laboratory medicine helps to improve quality in processing and testing of samples. Quality indicator plays a vital role in continuous improvement activities of clinical practice, which are aiming to deliver quality result and reducing the errors.&#x0D; Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.20(3) 2021 p.525-529

Mapping the path to certification of metal laser powder bed fusion for aerospace applications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify and define the certification lifecycle of laser powder bed fusion for aerospace applications from equipment acquisition and installation to production, part acceptance and continuous improvement activities. Design/methodology/approach A top–down systems engineering approach is performed consisting of concept development, requirements engineering and systems architecting. This approach is taken from the perspective of a production organization. Findings A certification roadmap is proposed that references industry requirements at the relevant phases of the roadmap. Each phase of the roadmap acts as a decision gate for progression to the next. Originality/value Qualification and certification of metal laser powder bed fusion is currently a challenge within the aerospace industry. From an aerospace point of view, the qualification and certification of this relatively new manufacturing process should not have to be any different from traditional manufacturing processes, although with extensive quality control and regulatory oversight. This paper proposes a means for fulfilling these requirements chronologically and provides guidance on ensuring such quality control throughout the manufacturing system lifecycle. This roadmap provides insight into the qualification and certification of laser powder bed fusion for aerospace applications and provides value for future industrial feasibility studies.