A Study of Continuous Improvement Systems in a Nordic Tech Company : Assessment and Management Role

Sammanfattning

Continuous improvement (CI) plays a key role in enhancing process efficiency, which in turn strengthens an organization’s operations and increases stakeholder satisfaction, including that of suppliers and customers. Over time, CI practices can drive improvements in process performance. However, there has been limited research focusing on the impact of CI implemented through micro programs across various departments within a single company, a gap that our study addresses. This Nordic tech company has been actively working on rolling out a global CI program for several years. To assess the impact of CI on internal process performance and employee satisfaction, as well as the role of management support in this dynamic, we conducted a regression analysis. Our findings underline the positive impact of the CI system within this Nordic company on both internal process efficiency and employee satisfaction. Furthermore, management support was identified as a moderating factor that can enhance the relationship between the CI system and these outcomes. To test four hypotheses, a research model was developed, and a survey was distributed to 1,227 employees in the Nordic company, achieving a 22% response rate. Future research could explore similar studies in other companies within the region for comparison or examine financial metrics and analyze the impact of small versus large improvements, with a focus on ROI across different departments. Such studies could help organizations optimize the allocation of time and resources.