Purpose - This paper identifies the most influential determinants of healthcare employees' problem-solving capabilities, attitudes towards kaizen initiatives, and, clarifies how these determinants are related to social outcomes. Design/methodology/approach - Drawing on the input-process-outcome framework, applied to kaizen initiatives, the determinants of the input and process factors are embodied in hypotheses concerning the direct effect of input and process factors on social outcomes and the indirect effects of input factors on social outcomes resulting from process factors. The hypotheses are tested through multiple regressions using data from 105 kaizen initiatives drawn from two hospitals. Findings - Of the 14 determinants investigated, goal clarity, team autonomy, management support, goal difficulty and affective commitment to change are the most influential determinants of kaizen capabilities and/or employees' attitude. Goal clarity, goal difficulty, team autonomy and management support are also found to influence social outcomes directly and/or indirectly through affective commitment to change, internal processes and/or an action orientation. Practical implications - The results support healthcare practitioners to understand how to establish 'focused kaizen' actions to leverage specific determinants that positively influence social outcomes. Originality - This study provides an original contribution to the literature concerning effective kaizen initiatives in healthcare operations by empirically testing a comprehensive model of the relationship between kaizen initiative determinants and social outcomes. Unlike previous studies, which are mostly anecdotal or focused on one or few determinants, this research adopts a holistic view, and investigates, a pluralist set of determinants on social outcomes through a systematic and quantitative approach.

The social benefits of kaizen initiatives in healthcare: an empirical study

Bortolotti, Thomas;Medina Suni, Hebert Alonso;Romano, Pietro
2018-01-01

Abstract

Purpose - This paper identifies the most influential determinants of healthcare employees' problem-solving capabilities, attitudes towards kaizen initiatives, and, clarifies how these determinants are related to social outcomes. Design/methodology/approach - Drawing on the input-process-outcome framework, applied to kaizen initiatives, the determinants of the input and process factors are embodied in hypotheses concerning the direct effect of input and process factors on social outcomes and the indirect effects of input factors on social outcomes resulting from process factors. The hypotheses are tested through multiple regressions using data from 105 kaizen initiatives drawn from two hospitals. Findings - Of the 14 determinants investigated, goal clarity, team autonomy, management support, goal difficulty and affective commitment to change are the most influential determinants of kaizen capabilities and/or employees' attitude. Goal clarity, goal difficulty, team autonomy and management support are also found to influence social outcomes directly and/or indirectly through affective commitment to change, internal processes and/or an action orientation. Practical implications - The results support healthcare practitioners to understand how to establish 'focused kaizen' actions to leverage specific determinants that positively influence social outcomes. Originality - This study provides an original contribution to the literature concerning effective kaizen initiatives in healthcare operations by empirically testing a comprehensive model of the relationship between kaizen initiative determinants and social outcomes. Unlike previous studies, which are mostly anecdotal or focused on one or few determinants, this research adopts a holistic view, and investigates, a pluralist set of determinants on social outcomes through a systematic and quantitative approach.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
IJOPM2018 Kaizen week sanità.pdf

non disponibili

Tipologia: Versione Editoriale (PDF)
Licenza: Non pubblico
Dimensione 424.17 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
424.17 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11390/1127136
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 30
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 24
social impact