Framework to Evaluate Continuous Improvement Process Efficacy: A Case Study of a Capital Goods Company

Abstract

<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> This document describes a continuous improvement process assessment system (CIPAS). A continuous improvement process (CIP) was developed to progress through the levels of continuous improvement (CI) defined by Bessant, Caffyn and Gallagher (2001), and the CIPAS was developed to measure this evolution. The CIP and the CIPAS were tested in a mature industrial small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) cooperative company (Basque Country, Spain) that works in the capital goods sector.</p><p><strong>Methodology/Approach:</strong> The study was developed according to an ‘action research’ strategy (Coughlan and Coghlan, 2002) over a period of two years. The action research team includes the authors and managers of several areas of the studied company.</p><p><strong>Findings:</strong> The assessment identified critical elements and related routines for the effective execution of the CIP in this company. In addition, the evaluation system allowed for a visualisation of the company’s CI maturity level progression.</p><p><strong>Research Limitation/implication:</strong> The assessment system was designed in an ad hoc manner for this CIP and this industrial company, but it may be possible to adapt these to other types of companies by using the steps followed and indicators defined as an example.</p><p><strong>Originality/Value of paper:</strong> The CIPAS is used to identify the key CI elements, to measure the evolution of CI routines, and to identify a CI maturity level of the company in which the CIP is applied. It can be applied to any type of company and serves to define future actions for its evolution.</p>

Continuous improvement of imperfect maintenance actions in PAS and PAR models

“…[37][38][39][40][41] However, this CI process needs to be monitored actively to ensure the success of the actions implemented. [42][43][44] Many case studies have already proven that several organizations have achieved significant improvements in their processes with the implementation of CI, such as, for example, Unzueta et al, 45 Khan et al, 46 Bhuiyan and Baghel, 47 Marin-Garcia et al, 48 and Singh and Singh. 41 Also, the use of CI tools is common in organizations from different sectors, such as the public, service, agricultural, automotive, construction, manufacturing, educational laboratory equipment, metal and machinery fabrication, and software development sectors.…”

“…With that, the improvements in maintenance effectiveness begin to appear when the inefficiencies present in the maintenance process are eliminated. Unzueta et al 45 and Jørgensen et al 62 claim that a high level of adoption of CI practices corresponds to a higher level of process performance. Therefore, the greater the number of inefficiencies eliminated from the maintenance process, the greater the degree of improvement in maintenance actions effectiveness.…”

“…Over the years, many CI models have been developed to help organizations implement and maintain CI in their processes. 45 Also, the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) methodology, widely used in the industrial sector, presents some pillars with the focus directed, specifically, to the improvement of maintenance activities, such as autonomous activities, professional maintenance, and people development. 63 Some of these works, such as Unzueta et al, 45 Upton, 64 Bessant et al, 65 Ljungstro¨m, 66 Wu and Chen, 67 McLean and Antony, 68 and De Felice et al, 63 provide good guidelines for the implementation of CI in maintenance processes and can be used as a reference by the maintenance manager to define and execute CI actions to reach the optimal maintenance effectiveness.…”

“…Over the years, many CI models have been developed to help organizations implement and maintain CI in their processes. 45 Also, the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) methodology, widely used in the industrial sector, presents some pillars with the focus directed, specifically, to the improvement of maintenance activities, such as autonomous activities, professional maintenance, and people development. 63…”

“…Some of these works, such as Unzueta et al, 45 Upton, 64 Bessant et al, 65 Ljungström, 66 Wu and Chen, 67 McLean and Antony, 68 and De Felice et al, 63 provide good guidelines for the implementation of CI in maintenance processes and can be used as a reference by the maintenance manager to define and execute CI actions to reach the optimal maintenance effectiveness.…”