Continuous Improvement Practices Research Articles

Enablers and inhibitors of digitalization as part of continuous improvement

Purpose To deal with an increasingly competitive environment, organizations are combining continuous improvement (CI) practices with digitalization to accrue their benefits on operational performance and achieve operational excellence. The purpose of this study was to identify the enablers and inhibitors of digitalization as part of CI projects. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods sequential explanatory research design consisting of an online survey and semi-structured interviews was used to examine how digitalization technologies have been incorporated by organizations in their CI projects. Findings Key enablers of digitalization were found to be leadership capabilities, strategic direction, stakeholder involvement, system compatibility, data quality and giving employees room to experiment. Knowledge of digitalization was found to affect all these enablers. Research limitations/implications The empirical findings are based on a nonprobability sample of Dutch CI practitioners, limiting their generalizability. Practical implications The empirical findings highlight the need for organizations to adopt a structured approach to implementing digitalization as part of their CI projects, starting by ensuring that the necessary knowledge and skills are either present or accessible to the organization. Originality/value The empirical findings show that enablers of digitalization in the context of CI are strongly interlinked, and thus require a holistic approach.

Relationship of knowledge sharing and innovation intention on the continuous quality improvement in university setting

This study assessed the changed knowledge sharing system and innovative intention towards continuous quality improvement in one university system in the Philippines. This descriptive study was participated by 261 faculty members of five schools of a university system. It made use of a modified questionnaire as its primary data gathering instrument, having an excellent remark of its 0.925 Cronbach’s Alpha. The data were encoded, tallied and interpreted using different statistical tools such as frequency distribution, ranking, weighted mean and F-Test, Shapiro-Wilk Test, Spearman rho, and were further analyzed and interpreted through PASW version 26 using 0.05 alpha levels. From the results, it was concluded that there has been a strong response of the university towards knowledge sharing system and its teachers possess a strong innovative intention. Further, there is a strong positive presence of continuous quality improvement practices regarding the different processes of the university system. Moreover, there is a high relationship regarding knowledge sharing system, innovative intention, and continuous quality improvement. The results of the study imply a need to develop a continuous quality improvement plan.

Improving Efficiency in Hospital Pharmacy Services: An Integrated Strategy Using the OCTAGON-P Framework and Lean 5S Management Practices.

Background Hospital pharmacy departments have a critical role in the healthcare system, as they aim to provide excellent patient services while also ensuring cost-effectiveness. Lean methodologies are well-known for improving efficiency and quality in various industries, but their impact on healthcare, particularly in hospital pharmacy settings, has not been thoroughly investigated. Aim This quality improvement (QI) study aimed to assess the impact of implementing the sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain (5S) methodology using the innovative orientation, coordination, training, awareness, governance, observation, normalization, and promotion (OCTAGON-P) framework on the operations of Mediclinic Parkview Hospital (MPAR) Pharmacy in Dubai, UAE. Methods The QI project spanned a period of six weeks, from December 18th, 2023, to January 28th, 2024. Throughout this period, a new novel OCTAGON-P framework's eight crucial elements were methodically integrated. Simultaneously, an extensive preparation processencompassing the five stages of the 5S methodwas carried out. Results The findings indicated a notable enhancement in organization, orderliness, cleanliness, medication storage, and workspace standardization. The significant improvement of 217% in terms of organization highlighted the effectiveness of resource arrangement. The orderliness of the workspace saw an increase of 800%, indicating a transformation in the systematic organization. Additionally, cleanliness improved by 138%, demonstrating a significant advancement in maintaining a spotless environment. The standardization of processes experienced a boost of 300%, reflecting a solidified approach to consistent operational methods. These refinements resulted in an overall improvement of 90% from the initial baseline of 20% on the 5S checklist scores. Efficiency gains were observed, with outpatient medication retrieval times reduced by 50%, inpatient times by 40%, emergency prescription serving by 16.7%, and pediatric prescription serving by 11%. The inpatient medication return process saw a 67% improvement. Patient counseling time increased by 23.3%, indicating a more patient-centered approach. Prescription verification and medication expiry checks increased by 50% and 200%, respectively, enhancing the quality of care. Inventory management efficiency improved by 36%, and medication label printing time decreased by 70% with the additional label printers. Installing extra medication label printers was done through the OCTAGON-P framework, specifically in the "orientation" and "coordination" phases. These two initial phases focused on leadership's 5S orientation, management support, and securing additional resources. Therefore, the OCTAGON-P framework provided a structured approach that promoted continuous improvement and sustained lean practices. Conclusion This research study presented the remarkable effectiveness of the OCTAGON-P framework in structurally implementing the 5S methodology into hospital pharmacy operations. The findings underscored the potential of lean 5S to enhance and optimize operational efficiency and overall quality within the critical environment of hospital pharmacy settings. Consequently, these improvements can conclusively result in the provision of superior and enhanced patient care, which is truly fundamental and central to the mission and objectives of any healthcare institution.

Improvement of enterprise risk visualization: risk mapping

The object of the study is the risks that disrupt the accomplishment of any enterprise's missions. Therefore, mastering these risks is a significant asset for organizations and the overall health of the enterprise. Thus, working comprehensively on organizational risk prevention enables the enterprise to formulate a strategy aimed at guarding against all risk factors. Simultaneously, it identifies areas where more targeted actions need to be undertaken, potentially leading to positive changes within the company. To achieve this and allow for a robust and reliable assessment for better governance of harmful elements in the enterprise, we have used the risk mapping method. It is a data visualization tool aimed at highlighting vulnerabilities in various processes and activities that an organization faces, even allowing for informed decisions to prevent and cope with risks. Risk mapping is defined as the approach of identifying, evaluating, prioritizing, and managing risks inherent in an enterprise's activities. It even delves into a thorough investigation of all managerial, operational, and support processes that activities require implementing. This mapping technique is based on an objective, structured, and documented description of existing risks. The assessment allows for a more detailed analysis of initial and residual risks at all levels of the enterprise, thereby facilitating the development of a prioritized action plan accompanied by an analysis of its funding. This obligation is part of a continuous improvement approach to the quality of life and working conditions, even engaging in a sustainable management process. As a case study, we have chosen to focus on the SAIDAL Group of Constantine. Through this case study, we aim to illustrate the practical implications and benefits of using risk mapping as a strategic tool for risk management in a complex organizational context. Now, having a risk map not only promotes a proactive approach to risk mitigation but also contributes to broader goals of continuous improvement and sustainable risk management practices: a necessity for any enterprise.

Impact of Team Creativity and Continuous Improvement on Time-To-Market in Retail Industry

This study investigates the relationship between team creativity and continuous improvement practices on the time-to-market performance within the dynamic context of the retail industry. Through a comprehensive analysis of data collected from retail organizations, this research reveals the significant positive impact of fostering team creativity and implementing continuous improvement initiatives on reducing time-to-market for products and services. The findings underscore the strategic significance of nurturing a creative and innovative team culture while concurrently embracing continuous improvement methodologies to enhance the speed and efficiency of bringing retail offerings to market. This study contributes valuable insights for retail practitioners and decision-makers aiming to optimize their time-to-market strategies in an ever-evolving industry landscape.

A comparative analysis of the profile and treatment outcomes of tuberculosis patients managed at the community and primary health care facilities in Botswana

BackgroundSuccessful treatment of Tuberculosis (TB) is necessary for mitigating and averting millions of deaths annually. This study compared the profiles and measured the association between patients, health system-related factors, and TB treatment outcomes of patients managed through the community tuberculosis care model with those managed in primary health care settings. MethodsA retrospective multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in six districts in Botswana. Patient’s records were reviewed using a data extraction sheet, and data not captured on registers were obtained using a structured questionnaire. ResultsThree hundred and twenty-four TB patients were sampled. Most participants (84 %; n = 273) were receiving community-based DOT. Patients with moderate TB knowledge (OR 5.3,955 CI 1.01–27.7), good perception of TB care (OR 11, 95 % CI 1.29–94.0), were more likely to enroll for community DOT and achieve treatment cure. Those in businesses (OR 3.85 95 %CI 1.10–22.6), always had treatment available (OR 3.66, 95 % CI 1.12–11.4), never drank alcohol (OR 2.11, 95 %CI 1.06–4.19), used their vehicle (OR 2.11.95 %CI 0.99–4.48) were likely to enroll for community DOT. ConclusionA patient-specific education program and continuous improvement practices to increase patient TB knowledge and satisfaction should be implemented at all levels to improve treatment outcomes.

Quality of internal auditing in federal educational institutions: an analysis of the perception of internal audit members and senior management

PurposeThis paper aims to analyze the factors that influence the quality of internal audits in Brazilian federal educational institutions.Design/methodology/approachThe study consisted of a survey whose target participants were members of the internal audits and members of the senior management of Brazilian Federal Educational Institutions. The analyses included descriptive statistics of the sample, exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis.FindingsThe results showed that the internal audit functions, continuous improvement practices and relationship between internal and external auditors as factors had a positive impact on the internal audit quality dependent variable. The internal audit functions and continuous improvement practices as factors influenced both models that were created (audit members and senior management), whereas the relationship between internal and external auditors was only relevant to senior management. Organizational support and internal audit autonomy, on the other hand, were not statistically significant.Originality/valueConsidering the recent Brazilian research on internal auditing in Educational Institutions, this study differs from others in that it covered all the Universities (63), Federal Institutes (38), Federal Centers of Technological Education (2) and Colégio Pedro II. Another relevant issue refers to the target audience, addressing both the members of the internal audits (supply side) and the Senior Management (one of the main parties impacted by the work of the internal audits).

Structural equation model: Organizational performance among state universities and colleges in Philippines

Purpose: This study identifies the best model fit for organizational performance among state universities and colleges (SUCs) in Region XII, Philippines, influenced by innovation strategy and quality management practices. Research methodology: The study design was descriptive-correlative. Since the design is descriptive, it provides a comprehensive explanation of organizational performance among SUCs in Region XII. Furthermore, the Mean and latent variable analysis (LAVAAN) using the r-studio package were the statistical measures employed to evaluate the hypothesis. Results: The findings indicate that SUCs effectively fulfill their instructional, research, and extension functions, and their organizational performance is influenced by both innovation strategies and quality management practices. The developed model revealed a positive relationship between technological innovation, continuous improvement practices, and organizational performance. However, a negative relationship was observed between management innovation and support. Limitations: This study was limited to SUCs in Region XII. The variables for organizational performance were limited to performance in instruction, research, and extension, while predictors of these performances revolved only in innovation strategy and quality management. Contribution: The intended implementation of the model among SUCs aims to enhance their performance and align it with the mandates of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Overall, this study's output will contribute to the pool of knowledge, particularly in the field of educational management. Novelty: The study not only provides a comprehensive understanding of organizational performance among SUCs but also develops a model that best fits organizational performance, which has not been done in previous studies.

A theoretical and practical approach to quality improvement education

Quality Improvement (QI) knowledge and skills are required at all levels of physician training. System improvement efforts need to include understanding of health disparities and design of interventions to reduce those disparities, thus health equity needs to be integrated into QI education. Payors, accreditation bodies and health systems’ emphases on QI result in the need for QI curricula that meet the needs of diverse learners. This article presents a theoretical background and practical tools for designing, implementing, and evaluating a QI educational program across the spectrum of physician training with an emphasis on competency-based education and a goal of continuous practice improvement. Practice-based learning and improvement and systems-based practice are two core domains of competencies for readiness to practice. These competencies can be met through the health systems science framework for studying improvement in patient care and health care delivery coupled with QI science. Curricula should incorporate interactive learning of theory and principles of QI as well as mentored, experiential QI project work with multidisciplinary teams. QI projects often develop ideas and implement changes but are often inconsistent in studying intervention impacts or reaching the level of patient outcomes. Curriculum design should incorporate adult learning principles, competency based medical education, environmental and audience factors, and formats for content delivery. Key QI topics and how they fit into the clinical environment and teaching resources are provided, as well as options for faculty development. Approaches to evaluation are presented, along with tools for assessing learner's beliefs and attitudes, knowledge and application of QI principles, project evaluation, competency and curriculum evaluation. If the goal is to empower the next generation of change agents, there remains a need for development of scientific methodology and scholarly work, as well as faculty development and support by institutions.

Design and Implementation of a Track n trace 2D Multi Scanner Bulk Code Reader for Pharmaceutical Packaging

With various compliance initiatives surrounding the traceability of medical drugs coming into prominence and with federal regulations becoming more stringent, there is a need to efficiently manage the supply chain process involving drug packaging. To enable traceability of the drugs being packaged, many manufacturers are implementing barcoding of product labels which contains a minimum of the attributes namely GTIN, lot number, serial numbers, expiry date, manufacturing dates, etc., to enable traceability of the packaged item. Currently, manufacturers are looking for ways to keep their supply chain moving at an efficient and optimal process. One of the challenges was to build automated equipment providing a well-defined and properly structured framework for functioning, designing, and implementing of Track N Trace Counterfeit Risk Management (CRM) application to increase the speed of the aggregation with the child-to-parent aggregation and generation of online case labels after the required child's Quantity in Multi carton aggregation station. Track N Trace Counterfeit Risk Management (CRM) allows the manufacturers to establish the parent-child relationship during packaging their drugs. Also, various guidelines US Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), EU regulation (Falsified Medicines Directive-FMD), Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA), Indonesia's National Agency of Drug and Food Control (NADFC), India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade - DGFT, and Australia TGA will need to be integrated into one single source of equipment that can meet with their barcoding regulation for tracking of drugs packed. Machine Vision systems are finding themselves in use in the pharma machinery and the "multi-carton" equipment that has been built for implementation for pharmaceutical packaging uses the vision systems architecture. We aimed to build a counterfeit risk management software solution that ensures compliance with various regulatory agencies by building a common framework that can be extensible for any further changes to the guidelines and/or additional regulatory guidelines from other countries. Lots of design architecture work has been refined through continuous process improvement practices and we developed a software tool that improves efficiency and requires minimal changes to the current manufacturing/packaging supply chain lines.

A Practical Guide to the Kaizen Approach as a Quality Improvement Tool.

A Practical Guide to the Kaizen Approach as a Quality Improvement Tool.

Is Your Organization “Accreditation Ready” Every Day?

External, third-party evaluations are undertaken across every industry, including healthcare, to assess performance against an established set of standards. The formality, rigour, timing and outcomes associated with these evaluations vary, and models throughout the world are evolving to meet changing needs. This is aligned with the historic shift from periodic pre-determined accreditations to healthcare organizations being "accreditation ready" every day. Accreditation Canada's continuous quality improvement model empowers and enables organizations to foster a culture and practice of continuous quality improvement.

Practice and effective analysis of continuous quality improvement in nosocomial infection prevention and control

Practice and effective analysis of continuous quality improvement in nosocomial infection prevention and control

517 Understanding Distinctions in the Implementation of Learning Health System (LHS)

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The LHS concept has been promoted as a means for health systems to improve quality, safety, efficiency and equity. NAMs definition has been widely adopted, but is broad and has led to variation in how LHS is operationalized. Drawing on a taxonomy developed through a review of literature, we developed a tool that shows how LHSs are implemented in practice. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The LHS Implementation Assessment Tool (LHS-IAT) will indicate which forms of work are being carried out by a health system that purports to operate a LHS. LHS-IAT is based on the LHS Consolidated Framework (LHS-CF); which was developed through a qualitative analysis of LHS literature. LHS-CF contains 38 primary elements’ and 56 secondary elements’ that have been associated with the LHS construct. These elements are organized into 5 bodies of work• (e.g.; translating evidence into practice) and 4 enabling conditions• (e.g.; supportive culture). LHS-IAT assesses whether a health system operating as an LHS is implementing each of the key elements in LHS-CF. The usefulness of LHS-IAT will be demonstrated by applying the tool to 5 LHSs that have been described in the literature. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: LHS-IAT produces a quantitative profile for any given health system operating as a LHS; each LHS element is assessed as either emphasized; otherwise present; or absent. With this information, we create profiles for each implementation of LHS, using spider graphs. Systems that emphasize different elements will have different shapes for their spider graphs. Based on our initial coding of publications, we expect at least 4 distinct profiles within our sample, reflecting differences in emphasis on factors such as: continuous improvement practices, adoption of internally and externally tested interventions, research conducted to address patient care issues prioritized by institutional leaders, investigator-initiated research, clinician-engaged research, and engagement of patients and families. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The LHS-IAT will show differences in how health systems are translating the LHS concept into practice. This will allow for a shared language for those studying and/or implementing LHS. With the ability to map out an approach, health system leaders will have a tool to clarify intent and gain consensus as to which LHS model they want to implement and invest in.

Improving Care and Service Delivery for Autistic Youths Transitioning to Adulthood

Approximately 100 000 autistic youths turn 18 each year, a rough approximation for the number entering adulthood. Population outcomes among autistic young adults are poor across indicators of physical health, mental health, employment, postsecondary education, community participation, independence, financial security, and access to needed community services. There is little evidence that we have moved the needle on these population-level outcomes over the past 15 years, despite growing attention to the needs of this group and an outpouring of investment in the development of patient-level clinical interventions. The focus on developing evidence-based treatments has not yet been matched by a corresponding investment in implementing interventions at a scale that can reach this growing population or in systems-level strategies for improving policy and program performance.1Historically, autism was conceptualized as a pervasive developmental disorder because difficulties typically manifest pervasively across domains of physical and behavioral health, motor and speech development, and social and emotional development. Thus, delivery of physical health care and health care transition in this population are almost always inextricably intertwined with other developmental domains and a need for communication and coordination with the patient, his or her family, and a myriad of other health and community service providers.2Recommendations for improving care coordination are commonplace in this field and targets for research and practice. However, few specific measures of care coordination exist beyond general questions asked of parents in health care surveys. Implementing continuous improvement practices is impossible without clear metrics to measure progress. A promising direction for measuring care coordination in a way that could inform iterative improvement cycles is the adaptation of social network measures.3 This is a priority of the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) research node at Drexel University.Medicaid plays a key role in the coordination of care and delivery of services. Poor employment prospects among autistic youth result in Medicaid being among the only potential insurers for this group. Hallmark Medicaid programs, including Section 1115 waivers and other programs that vary by state, can deliver a robust service array to eligible autistic youth. However, a thorough, population-level understanding of the pathways needed to navigate Medicaid during the transition of these youths to adulthood has not been established. There may be specific and modifiable aspects of Medicaid eligibility criteria that differentially affect access for aging autistic youth. The identification of Medicaid services used by enrolled autistic young adults will be a substantial advancement for AIR-P and may reveal avenues to boost the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery.Across insurers, new service models for transition-aged youth with mental health and chronic health conditions, including peer support and service navigation, are being pilot tested. The adaptation of these innovative models to help autistic youth will be a key goal for AIR-P. Furthermore, among the most critical advancements needed to improve care delivered to autistic youth is reworking the connections between research and practice so that they are both more bidirectional (research informs practice and vice versa) and more efficient (innovation to scalable implementation cycles are faster). Robust networks that foster close connections among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from the outset of innovation are poised to make much-needed headway for developing and implementing this burgeoning evidence base in a timely manner to truly move the needle on population-level outcomes.

ВПЛИВ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ ШТУЧНОГО ІНТЕЛЕКТУ НА ЕФЕКТИВНІСТЬ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ БІЗНЕСУ

Current challenges have accelerated the implementation of modern business concepts. Among the many practices of continuous business processes improvement is digitalization. Attention is focused on the benefits of digitalization in companies, which is to improve the processes quality, reduce their passage time, quickly fulfil orders, and hence increase customer loyalty. The concept of artificial intelligence is analysed, its three main types are identified: artificial narrow intelligence, general artificial intelligence, artificial superintelligence. Artificial narrow intelligence is focused on solving a narrowly defined, structured task; general artificial intelligence which is aimed at solving any problem, can respond to different environments and situations. Artificial superintelligence will be able to surpass people in absolutely everything, such as coping with creative tasks, decision-making and maintaining emotional relationships. The advantages of using artificial intelligence (accuracy in data processing, the ability to quickly analyse a large amount of information that will facilitate timely decision-making) are revealed. The main threats to the use of artificial intelligence (jobs disappearance, mass unemployment, loss of control over artificial intelligence – robots’ uncontrollability by humans) are also indicated. The most common technologies of artificial intelligence in enterprises (data science, machine learning, robotization) are considered. The business entities experience in the implementation of various artificial intelligence tools in operational activities, in the medical, legal, space, banking, educational spheres of activity, is presented. It was emphasized in the educational field that the annual increase in artificial intelligence is expected to reach 45% by 2030. It is also highlighted that artificial intelligence contributes to business development and global economic activity. The world's key players in the artificial intelligence market are considered, the top 10 world IT corporations are presented, the growth of their key performance indicators after the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies in goods and services is investigated.

Challenges and barriers to connecting World Class Manufacturing and continuous improvement processes to Industry 4.0 paradigms

Abstract This paper exposes the difficulties in integrating “Industry 4.0 Practices” and “World-Class Manufacturing” due to the rapid expansion of production systems and the increasingly complex data monitoring. The applied methodology was to study multiple cases with the aid of a semi-structured questionnaire. The analysis comprised responses of 15 large companies with different expertise from five countries and three continents. The results show that when a company’s strategy is linked to Industry 4.0 practices and the World-Class Manufacturing method, they boost productivity by monitoring the shop floor, applying analytical tools, and spreading the organisational culture aimed at improving processes. The results also indicate that human resources are essential in this integration. The conclusion indicates robust barriers to the increasing progress of these procedures, such as the costs associated with the use of technologies, the lack of knowledge of the applied methods and tools, the lack of trained and qualified human resources, and the resistance of people to the use and application of the newly adopted practices. The continuous improvement practices do not keep up with the speed of development that the Industry 4.0 practices propose, requiring studies directed to “World-Class Manufacturing” and “Industry 4.0 practices”. Although there is a coexistence of improvement and innovation in world-class manufacturers, the literature has not yet provided a complete understanding of how this coexistence can be achieved at the manufacturing level. Therefore, the paper presents the main actions to overcome these barriers.

Lean practices toward a balanced sustainability in higher education institutions: a Brazilian experience

PurposeAs few studies have explored the causal relationship between both the triple bottom line (TBL) of sustainability and the lean practices in higher education institutions (HEIs), the purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationships between lean practices and sustainable practices in Brazilian HEIs.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted with 454 public and private HEIs workers in Brazil. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equations modeling were used for data analysis.FindingsThe results support the hypotheses of the study that HEI lean practices are positively related to environmental, economic and social practices in HEIs.Practical implicationsHEI managers must evaluate the use of lean practices in the organizational processes, to identify their weaknesses and to improve the aspects that influence a balanced TBL of sustainability practices.Social implicationsThe findings highlight the importance of leadership as a support for the workers, as a continuous improvement practice on a daily basis and a focus on the student as a basic principle of HEI success.Originality/valueThis article provides new measurement and structural models to analyze Lean thinking practices as the predictors of sustainability practices. The work could assist any HEI in prioritizing its strategies and actions and to contribute to excellence in decision-making. This study could contribute as a source of empirical data for transferability in other contexts for HEIs.

Continuous improvement and business sustainability in companies of an emerging market: Empirical analysis

Purpose: The article analyses the impact of continuous improvement (system and teams) on business sustainability dimensions (social, environmental, operational and financial) as a competitive strategy to create value for all stakeholders in emerging economy context.Design/methodology/approach: The data collected is from 120 companies of different sizes and 13 different industrial sectors such as food, energy, health, financial services, and logistics in Colombia. The design of multivariate logistic regression is to identify the critical aspects of the continuous improvement practices that significantly affect the dimensions of business sustainability.Findings: The analysis shows that from continuous improvement aspects (system and teams), employee involvement, human talent maintenance, training, and evaluation accompanied by feedback impact business sustainability. These elements impact financial and operational dimensions significantly but in the environmental and social aspects with less intensity.Research limitations/implications: Research is limited to the general sustainability analysis applying resource-based strategy in Colombia. Practical implications: Generate overall awareness of the importance of the equilibrium of sustainability dimensions in strategic planning and implementation in emerging economies.Originality/value: This work applies an empirical study to establish the impact of continuous improvement (system and teams) on each of the business sustainability dimensions (social, environmental, operational and financial) in companies of emerging economies.

Factorial Analysis of the Critical Success Factors of Continuous Improvement (CI) Techniques in the Companies from Sohar Industrial Estate, Oman

Purpose: The research objectives were to analyze the role of continuous improvement (CI) techniques in manufacturing in Oman in the CI process and to investigate the crucial factors of CI and the application techniques of CI that have been implemented by the manufacturing companies during the CI process. Design/methodology/approach: A survey questionnaire was developed with the baseline of CI practices used by manufacturing companies in Oman and a convenient sampling method was used to collect the data. 146 completely filled-in questionnaires were collected from 75 manufacturing units out of the entire Public Establishment database. The data was tabulated, compiled. The robustness was tested along with the ranking tests and the factor analysis using SPSS and AMOS. Findings: The results reveal that the Omani manufacturing companies using structured CI programs had lesser product recalls, leading to increased overall sales, decrease in processing time. Further, it is also revealed that the CI culture and Employee Performance Measurement and Review are instrumental in translating into company savings. Research limitations/implications: This research was limited to Sohar Industrial estate only. As there are nine industrial estates in Oman, the research can be undertaken to study the CI practices adoption in all the other industrial estates as well. Social implications: Countries from all over the world are facing numerous challenges due to COVID-19. The paper will help the manufacturing companies in decision making towards the process improvement. Originality/Value: There are not many studies on continuous improvement practices within the Omani manufacturing industry and this paper examines the status of CI implementation in manufacturing companies in Oman.