Social Barriers to Implementing Continuous Improvement Initiatives

Abstract

Organizations report challenges in implementing continuous improvement or operational excellence initiatives as they strive for sustainability, yet few have considered the impact that social barriers have in creating resistance to implementation. Through a qualitative grounded theory method, this study highlights several contributions. First, social barriers are stronger than other challenges to implementing operational excellence. Second, these barriers include interpersonal (e.g., communication challenges, unwillingness to change, and workplace relationships) and organizational (e.g., employee treatment, cultural values, and formal organizational characteristics) issues. This article thus links sustainability to operational excellence and suggests that the greatest barriers to becoming more sustainable are likely social in nature. The study then concludes, in addition to these contributions, with a consideration of limitations and directions for future research.

Building and evolving a culture of excellence: a conceptual exploration

“…We define a culture of excellence, consistent with earlier research (Urick et al, 2017a(Urick et al, , 2017b(Urick et al, , 2018, as being possessed by organizations that value continuous improvement, waste reduction and problem-solving in managerial decisions related to people, processes and crafting visionary ideas to achieve long-term success and effectiveness. Khazanchi et al (2007) note the importance of cultural values to an organization's ability to improve and innovate their processes, which are crucial activities required in an organization that stresses excellence.…”

“…A culture being flexible allows for changes to be met not only with less resistance but also for new ideologies to be accepted with a more open mind – so long as they do not contradict the importance of people and continuous improvement in cultures of excellence. Change initiatives that organizations lead require a level of fundamental shifting by employees through both their ways of thinking and behaviors (Urick et al , 2018). This shift is one that can be very challenging for employees, yet in a culture that is accustomed to change, shifting ways of thinking and behaviors may not be met with insurmountable challenges.…”

“…Alternatively, Urick et al (2018) suggest that social barriers are the strongest in terms of moving to a culture excellence. Such social barriers include non-technical, non-process-oriented and non-tools-related obstacles that relate to how people interact.…”

“…Cultures of excellence often get positive results by using artifacts related to continuous improvement, waste reduction, problem-solving and quality tools and philosophies such as those suggested by lean, operational excellence and six sigma approaches to management. Urick et al (2018) provide some common elements of cultures that embrace these philosophies, and they are summarized as "elements of continuous improvement cultures" (adapted from Urick et al (2018)) and are shown below.…”