Mitigating the Impact of Functional Dominance in Cross-Functional Process Improvement Teams

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manoj K. Malhotra ◽  
Sanjay Ahire ◽  
Guangzhi Shang
Keyword(s):  
Process Improvement ◽  
Process Improvement Teams ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Functional Process

Participatory Improvement at a Global Bank: The Diffusion of Quality Teams and the Demise of a Six Sigma Initiative

2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Strang ◽  
Dong-Il Jung
Keyword(s):  
Process Improvement ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
Employment Growth ◽  
Team Formation ◽  
Clerical Workers ◽  
Team Projects ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Process Improvement Teams ◽  
Workplace Restructuring ◽  
Functional Process

This paper traces the diffusion of cross-functional process improvement teams in a multinational bank's Six Sigma program. Rates of team formation were high where clerical workers received low wages relative to managers and professionals, experienced weak wage growth, were less likely to rise into supervisory positions, and formed a shrinking proportion of bank employment; and where managerial and professional wage gains and employment growth were strong. These conditions did not provide a stable basis for participatory improvement, however, and team formation faltered in more stratified work-places over time. We argue that team projects are most useful to managers where recent or ongoing workplace restructuring has marginalized the position of clerical staff. In the long run, quality teams prove ephemeral due to tension between their participatory ethos and the technocratic project they embody.

The impact of organisational culture, organisational structure and technological infrastructure on process improvement through knowledge sharing

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1443-1472
Author(s):  
Sergio J. Chión ◽  
Vincent Charles ◽  
José Morales
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Process Improvement ◽  
Textile Industry ◽  
Organisational Culture ◽  
Organisational Structure ◽  
Technology Infrastructure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
General Managers ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediator role that knowledge sharing plays between organisational culture, organisational structure, and technology infrastructure and process improvement in a knowledge management context in manufacturing enterprises operating in the food, beverage and textile industry. Design/methodology/approach An empirical study is conducted with a sample of 200 food, beverage and textile companies. Data are obtained by means of a survey questionnaire applied to general managers in each of the sample firms. The impact of the factors organisational culture, organisational structure and technology infrastructure on process improvement via knowledge sharing is assessed. Structural equation modelling and maximum likelihood estimation are applied to find the direction and strength of the relationships. Findings The main findings indicate the significant relationships between knowledge sharing and process improvement, between organisational culture and knowledge sharing, and between organisational structure and knowledge sharing. The relationship between technology infrastructure and knowledge sharing is found not to be significant. Research limitations/implications The findings of the present study are limited to the food, beverage and textile industry. Future research could incorporate data from other manufacturing sectors or service companies. Practical implications This study provides practical guidance for general managers who wish to implement process improvement programmes. Originality/value Several authors have noted that there are few research studies concerning the interaction between each phase of knowledge management and total quality management practices. This study is interested in knowledge sharing and its impact on process improvement in a knowledge management context.

scholarly journals Six Sigma in Health Literature, What Matters?

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8795
Author(s):  
Ana-Beatriz Hernández-Lara ◽  
Maria-Victoria Sánchez-Rebull ◽  
Angels Niñerola
Keyword(s):  
Process Improvement ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Waste Reduction ◽  
Societal Impact ◽  
Prisma Statement ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health Field ◽  
Alternative Metrics

Six Sigma has been widely used in the health field for process or quality improvement, constituting a quite profusely investigated topic. This paper aims at exploring why some studies have more academic and societal impact, attracting more attention from academics and health professionals. Academic and societal impact was addressed using traditional academic metrics and alternative metrics, often known as altmetrics. We conducted a systematic search following the PRISMA statement through three well-known databases, and identified 212 papers published during 1998–2019. We conducted zero-inflated negative binomial regressions to explore the influence of bibliometric and content determinants on traditional academic and alternative metrics. We observe that the factors influencing alternative metrics are more varied and difficult to apprehend than those explaining traditional impact metrics. We also conclude that, independently of how the impact is measured, the paper’s content, rather than bibliometric characteristics, better explains its impact. In the specific case of research on Six Sigma applied to health, the papers with more impact address process improvement focusing on time and waste reduction. This study sheds light on the aspects that better explain publications’ impact in the field of Six Sigma application in health, either from an academic or a societal point of view.

scholarly journals How to Make a Sustainable Manufacturing Process: A High-Commitment HRM System

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jihye Park ◽  
Dawoon Jung ◽  
Pyoungsoo Lee
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Process Improvement ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Empirical Investigation ◽  
Sustainable Manufacturing ◽  
Manufacturing Flexibility ◽  
Manufacturing Enterprises ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between high-commitment human resource management (HCHRM) practices and process improvement activities (i.e., manufacturing flexibility) by utilizing the theory of social exchange. We conducted an empirical study to discover the links between social exchange theory and process management from an HRM perspective. For the empirical investigation, we used data from 601 manufacturing enterprises provided by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy in South Korea. The research is conducted based on employees’ capabilities for process management as a mediator in the analysis of the impact of the HCHRM system on manufacturing flexibility (i.e., internally-driven and externally-driven flexibility). The results of the study show that the HCHRM system ultimately explains manufacturing flexibility through enhancement of employees’ capabilities.

Effect of knowledge management on software product experience with mediating effect of perceived software process improvement: An empirical study for Indian software industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-272
Author(s):  
Mitali Chugh ◽  
Nitin Chanderwal ◽  
Rajesh Upadhyay ◽  
Devendra Kumar Punia
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Empirical Study ◽  
Software Development ◽  
Process Improvement ◽  
Software Process ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Software Process Improvement ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Software Product ◽  
The Impact

The software development industry is characterised by swift innovation and competition. To survive, software engineering (SE) organisations need to develop high-quality software products in a timely fashion and at low cost. Knowledge-based approaches to software development are extremely supportive to acquiring new knowledge and leveraging existing knowledge from software projects; this enables constant improvement of software development practices. In this empirical study of Indian SE organisations, we study the impact of managing knowledge for perceived software process improvement (PSPI) and its effect on software product quality. Information technology (IT) in knowledge management (KM) is an important facilitator for any SE organisation desiring to exploit evolving technologies for management of their knowledge assets and for carrying out various KM processes of knowledge capture, storage, retrieval and sharing. Surveys collected from Indian SE organisations were analysed to propose a model using a structured equation modelling (SEM) technique. Our findings reveal that the relation between KM and quality of software product is positively mediated by PSPI. These findings reinforce an arena that is of growing importance to researchers and practitioners and which has seen only a limited number of empirical studies to date in the context of Indian SE organisations.

Branding Innovation

2012 ◽  
pp. 238-248
Author(s):  
Neslihan Aydogan-Duda
Keyword(s):  
Process Improvement ◽  
Knowledge Economy ◽  
Competitive Ability ◽  
Patent Infringement ◽  
Branding Strategy ◽  
Patent Rights ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Innovative Output

The impact of innovation on the competitive ability of firms is obvious. R&D activities are expensive, time consuming, and risky. Hence, protecting the rights to any innovative output is extremely important. Given this context, the author delves into understanding how branding works to help companies to benefit from the fruits of their innovation. Patent rights are important; however, as it is discussed in the literature, owning patent rights might not suffice. Business and process improvement without branding could face problems in the 21st knowledge economy. Companies should see brand as a “patent” through which customers emotionally connect and choose their products and services over competitors. Just as patents are designed to provide exclusivity in a market, brand offers that, tacitly, if properly executed. Branding can establish a self-sustaining relationship between customers and the producers thereby helping companies to be protected from patent infringement. In this study, the author shows evidence to the lack of any viable branding strategy on innovation by the few Turkish firms that have filed patents. This explains the lagging of the Turkish companies in internationalizing their brands.

scholarly journals The Effect of Team Dynamics on Software Development Process Improvement

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 13-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rory O’Connor ◽  
Shuib Basri
Keyword(s):  
Software Development ◽  
Process Improvement ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Software Process ◽  
Software Process Improvement ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Team Dynamics ◽  
Software Development Process ◽  
Software Development Teams ◽  
The Impact

This article identifies the effect of team dynamics in the context of software development teams and its impact on software process improvement (SPI) activities in very small companies, in order to understand the relationship between these two variables. Most software development work is done by teams of software engineers working together in a collaborative manner to execute a software development process. Although there is much literature examining software process and how to improve it, less attention has been paid to the issues of team-working and specifically the impact of team dynamics on the software development process. Team dynamics is the term used to define how people work and interact together in teams. Teamwork is more effective with the existence of positive team dynamic, as it encourages a better working environment with satisfied, fulfilled employees who will in turn be more productive. This paper presents the results of a research study of team dynamics in very small software development companies and its impact on the software development process and software process improvement activities.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document