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Empirical examination of critical failure factors of continuous improvement deployments: stage-wise results and a contingency theory perspective

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  • Vijaya Sunder M
  • Anupama Prashar

Abstract

Organisations implement various Continuous Improvement (CI) practices such as Total Quality Management, Lean, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma (LSS) for improving their processes. Drawing from the success and failure stories of these structured CI practices, scholars enumerated Critical Success Factors and Critical Failure Factors (CFFs). This study empirically examines the occurrence of various CFFs across different stages of CI deployment. Further, from a contingency theoretic perspective, this study investigates their associations with contextual variables by collecting survey data from 213 business units from the USA, the UK, China, and India. Principal Component Analysis is used to group CFFs across five CI deployment stages leading to an empirically refined framework for CI. Crosstab analysis using the chi-square likelihood ratio presented associations of CFFs with contextual variables. Findings reveal significant differences in the occurrence of CFFs across countries. There is evidence that LSS is less prone to failures when compared with TQM, Lean and Six Sigma. The occurrence of CFFs has been relatively lower in smaller and medium-sized enterprises operating in the service sector. Findings also reveal that lessons learned from each CI deployment cycle, contribute to organisational learning, and thence, leading to success at the strategic CI level of maturity.

Suggested Citation

  • Vijaya Sunder M & Anupama Prashar, 2020. "Empirical examination of critical failure factors of continuous improvement deployments: stage-wise results and a contingency theory perspective," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(16), pages 4894-4915, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:tprsxx:v:58:y:2020:i:16:p:4894-4915
    DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2020.1727044
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    Cited by:

    1. Tortorella, Guilherme Luz & Narayanamurthy, Gopalakrishnan & Sunder M, Vijaya & Cauchick-Miguel, Paulo A, 2021. "Operations Management teaching practices and information technologies adoption in emerging economies during COVID-19 outbreak," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    2. Sunder M, Vijaya & Ganesh, L.S., 2021. "Lean additives in a service factory: A design science approach," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    3. Henao, Rafael & Sarache, William, 2022. "Sustainable performance in manufacturing operations: The cumulative approach vs. trade-offs approach," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    4. Sonal Khurana & Sunil Luthra & Abid Haleem & Anil Kumar & Bisma Mannan, 2022. "Can sustainability be achieved through sustainable oriented innovation practices? Empirical evidence of micro, small and medium scale manufacturing enterprises," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(6), pages 1591-1615, December.
    5. J. Vicente Tébar-Rubio & F. Javier Ramírez & M. José Ruiz-Ortega, 2023. "Conducting Action Research to Improve Operational Efficiency in Manufacturing: The Case of a First-Tier Automotive Supplier," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 427-459, June.

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