The social benefits of kaizen initiatives in healthcare: an empirical study

Thomas Bortolotti, Stefania Boscari, Pamela Danese, Hebert Alonso Medina Suni, Nicholas Rich, Pietro Romano

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    37 Citations (Scopus)
    270 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Purpose
    The purpose of this paper is to identify the most influential determinants of healthcare employees’ problem-solving capabilities and attitudes towards kaizen initiatives, and clarify how these determinants are related to social outcomes.

    Design/methodology/approach
    Drawing on the input-process-outcome framework, applied to kaizen initiatives, the determinants of the input and process factors are embodied in hypotheses concerning the direct effects of input and process factors on social outcomes and the indirect effects of input factors on social outcomes resulting from process factors. The hypotheses are tested through multiple regressions using data from 105 kaizen initiatives drawn from two hospitals.

    Findings
    Of the 14 determinants investigated, goal clarity, team autonomy, management support, goal difficulty and affective commitment to change (ACC) are the most influential determinants of kaizen capabilities and/or employees’ attitude. Goal clarity, goal difficulty, team autonomy and management support are also found to influence social outcomes directly and/or indirectly through ACC, internal processes and/or an action orientation.

    Practical implications
    The results support healthcare practitioners to understand how to establish “focused kaizen” actions to leverage specific determinants that positively influence social outcomes.
    Original languageEnglish
    Article number605556
    Pages (from-to)554-578
    Number of pages25
    JournalInternational Journal of Operations & Production Management
    Volume38
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2018

    Keywords

    • Survey
    • Lean
    • Kaizen
    • social outcomes
    • Healthcare
    • OF-THE-LITERATURE
    • INTERRATER RELIABILITY
    • PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
    • LEAN THINKING
    • IMPLEMENTATION
    • MANAGEMENT
    • OPERATIONS
    • EMPLOYEES
    • BARRIERS
    • EVENTS

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