Kögler, B. (2017). Factors influencing the success of Continuous Improvement A case study assessing the peculiarity of key success factors after the implementation and realization of pilot improvement projects in an organization [Master Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2017.51104
Continuous Improvement; Motivation; Leadership; Company Culture; strengths; weaknesses
en
Abstract:
KAIZEN, an old Japanese philosophy describing the infinitive process of modifying or changing something for the better, inherited and adopted by the rest of the world, and in the present days known as Continuous Improvement Process (CIP) has become an essential and important standard procedure in the automotive industry. The need for continuous improvement is strongly driven by the market economy, competition and by the customers using the products or services delivered. As continuous improvement needs to become a standard recurring procedure in an organization, driven mainly by the employed staff, the value of the results and the achievement of infinite existence are heavily dependent on the intrinsic selfmotivation of the employees. This thesis concentrates within the theoretical part on the analysis of determining factors which need to be in place to generate a useful breeding ground for the establishment of a sufficient improvement system within an organization to become a CIP-center of excellence. In this context analysis is done on the factors of company philosophy, personal factors of influence, leadership factors and cultural aspects. Subsequently, the current state on those CIP elements of a company is measured by the results generated in a survey against these defined key success factors of a center of excellence organization by the peculiarity of certain characteristics which are of significant importance. The main focus is set on the elements of motivation, leadership, teamwork, cultural aspects, customer orientation, the value of targets, training and coaching, freedom to act and a suitable system of reward and feedback. Whether the implementation of pilot CIP-projects, which were already completed in a certain department of the investigated organization, created a significant difference in the manifestation of those factors and how managers reflect the readiness for CIP implementation in their opinion against the view of their employees is also derived in greater detail within the practical part. The thesis is concluded by an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the observed organization against the key success factors of CIP. This result finally leads to suggestions for activities that could generate general mindset changes which would enable an improvement from the current status towards an environment that encourages all involved employees to perceive and care about continuous improvement in their daily work routine in future.
en
Additional information:
Arbeit an der Bibliothek noch nicht eingelangt - Daten nicht geprueft Abweichender Titel nach Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des Verfassers