Contextual effects on the LSS implementation in networked service environments

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the contingency effects that contextual factors of a networked service environment have on the phased Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation frameworks. Design/methodology/approach This paper employs the critical realism (CR) case study research methodology to examine the contingent and causal relationships between contextual configurations of business networks, the DMAIC or PDCA phases in an LSS implementation agenda, and business management functions. The authors conducted a single case study on the basis of challenges they met in kicking off lean transportation in the Port of Houston. Findings The key finding from the study is a mid-range theory regarding the contingency effects of contextual factors of service business networks on the phased LSS implementation frameworks. The authors found that when there are complexity and dynamics of contextual factors at the field layer, management should focus more on tasks in early LSS phases to emphasize influencing. When there is no centralized authority in the network and the value-system is loosely coupled, management needs to execute more tasks as described in the define, measure and analyze phases with the purpose of both influencing and orchestrating. When individual actors have goals not aligned well with the goal of the business network and have unmatched operations capabilities, these factors should be considered as early as possible in these LSS phases. When a business network has complicated business processes with high unpredictability and uncertainty and individual actors’ value-creation systems are not well embedded in the entire value-creation system, PDCA will be the preferred core structure of an LSS implementation agenda. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the LSS research stream by introducing a causal/contingency model that prescribes the contingency effects of three contextual configurations on LSS implementation. It also contributes to the emerging discipline, business network management, regarding how to use LSS frameworks in strategic planning. It also contributes to the CR school of problem-driven case study by using a strategic initiative framework as a platform and each phase in the framework as a unit. This conceptualization of the entity of interest helps explore the interactions among three theoretical constructs: contextual configurations, phased LSS implementation agenda and management functions. Practical implications Managerial implications of this study are twofold. One is the procedure of analyzing the impacts of contextual factors on the causal relationships between LSS implementation phases and network management functions. The entire procedure represents the agenda-setting process of LSS implementation, the most daunting and challenging managerial task in LSS projects. Another one is the guideline on how to determine whether DMAIC or PDCA is appropriate for the LSS agenda when used in a networked environment. Originality/value This paper would serve as an excellent resource for both academicians and LSS practitioners in initiating, orchestrating and managing an LSS project in a networked service environment. This study represents the first effort to explore the impact of contextual factors of business networks on lean transformation.

The Effect of Ethical Climate, Organizational Culture, on Organizational Performance in Tax Service Offices Mediated by Strategic Service Management

“…The quantitative method focuses on collecting data according to the problem and population size and data analysis. This research Wang et al (2018) is a testing hypothesis that aims to explain the nature of the relationship between two or more variables Cooper and Schindler (2014) This study also tested the hypothesis, Ethical Climate Al-Halbusi et al (2020) Organizational Culture Kumar and Sharma (2018b) on Organizational Performance Chen et al (2020) mediated by Strategic Service Management Wang et al (2019) In this study, using a descriptive and verification approach Hair et al ( 2015) Hoffman (2015) Descriptive approach is a method in examining the status of human groups, objects, conditions, and systems of thought. The purpose of descriptive research is to make a systematic, factual, and accurate description, picture or painting of the facts, characteristics and relationships of the phenomena being investigated.…”

“…This study tries to develop theories about Ethical Climate, which is carried out for the development of human resources, especially the ethical climate Munir et al (2018) Kia et al (2019) Mulki and Lassk (2019) Al-Halbusi et al (2020) Teng et al (2020) many opinions from developing experts on Ethical Climate, especially to pay attention to the habits and full responsibility of each individual. Likewise with the theory of Organizational Culture, because Organizational Culture is the process through which individual employees identify their culture and take steps to achieve their career goals, which are influenced by training, promotions, transfers, and work performance Tarifa-Fernández et al (2019) Meanwhile Jensen (2017) Pistoni and Songini (2017) Wang et al (2019) said that Strategic Service Management called Strategic service management is a business strategy that aims to optimize the aftersales service provided by the company, by synchronizing spare parts estimates and service resources, service partners, labour technicians, and service prices.…”

Impact of Hoshin Kanri on lean management: a case study in the food retail industry

“…(1) Vision, strategy, long-and medium-term goals (2) Cascade goals and objectives (3) Catchball and cross-functional management (4) Means/ends and targets (5) Objectives linked to daily work (6) Review and control (7) Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Source(s): Adapted from Nicholas (2016) HK cannot be radically separated from other theories of strategic thinking, such as management by objectives (Drucker, 1954) or methodologies like Deming's PDCA cycle, TQM (Babich, 1996;Wang et al, 2020), or quality function deployment (QFD) (Pun et al, 2000). For instance, QFD defines high-level strategies aligned with customers' needs, whereas HK facilitates the execution of these strategies by connecting all levels (strategic, tactical and operational) and monitors their execution through Deming's PDCA cycle; joint implementation is thus recommended.…”

“…This alignment benefits successful implementation of LM (Albliwi et al, 2014;Netland, 2016;Shokri et al, 2021). Additionally, one of the main pillars of HK is the PDCA continuous improvement cycle (Wang et al, 2020), which has strong potential for connection with other methodologies such as LM that use the PDCA cycle as a reference. Quality management systems such as LM are very easy to fit into Impact of Hoshin Kanri on lean management this approach and complement it (Mulligan et al, 1996;Nicholas, 2016;Tennant and Roberts, 2001a, b).…”

Research of the TQM evaluation in a service company

“…View of customer is critical to assessing the service quality because customer owns various perceptions for the service factors [19,18]. If we want to assess suppliers, we should care about sustainability criteria as the criteria play a pivotal role in the suppliers' overall efficiency and effectiveness [17].…”