Barbara Savage

Modeling continuous improvement evolution in the service sector:a comparative case study

Purpose This paper aims to make a contribution to existing knowledge regarding how service-based organisations establish and sustain incremental performance improvement. Alongside a review of existing continuous improvement (CI) evolution theory, the longitudinal study draws a comparison between two units of analysis within a leading UK financial service provider. Design/methodology/approach Adopting an interpretive philosophy and inductive nature, the study uses a multi-qualitative methodological design. The multi-embedded case study, conducted over a three-year period, allows for an intensive review and in-depth exploration. The longitudinal time horizon makes use of a narrative enquiry, reflecting upon behaviour and allowing the researcher to gain access to deeper organisational realities. A thematic analysis of empirical data offers insight into the evolution of CI over almost a decade of activity. Findings The findings establish that there are numerous obstacles faced and a wide variety of methods, tools and techniques that may be blended together under the auspices of a formalised CI programme. The challenge is in sustaining, embedding and associating value from CI within the everyday life of the infinitely complex structures and prevailing cultures of organisations; ideally involving all staff, emphasising on CI in all things, at all levels, all the time, forever. Originality/value Evidenced through a thematic narrative, the paper answers the call for existing frameworks of CI evolution to be tested within the private and service sectors. The research offers an application and reflection upon the Bessant et al.’s (2001) maturity model against the CI evolution in a real world scenario.

The impact of middle management commitment on improvement initiatives in public organisations

Purpose – Top management commitment is considered a significant factor in improvement programmes, and many papers have been written about the role of top management commitment in implementing a quality management system. However, not considering other management levels’ commitment, such as middle management, may lead to issues in achieving organisational development. Public organisations that work through vertical structures may face a lack of middle management commitment, which might have a negative impact on lower and non-management staff commitment to improvement programmes. In this regard, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of middle management’s commitment towards improvement initiatives in public organisations. Design/methodology/approach – Empirical research with a mixed-method design used semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire to explore the current practices of continuous improvement (CI) and examine employees’ views from different management levels of the implications of ...

Enhancing Black Belts via academic mastery

Purpose – In May 2010, a new collaborative initiative was launched between the Portsmouth Business School and Hewlett Packard, wherein trained Black Belts (BB) were enabled to pursue an MSc in strategic quality management. Five years on from its commencement, the purpose of this paper is to explore the development and impact of this initiative. Design/methodology/approach – Inductive, exploratory, multi-viewpoint participant-observer case study that triangulates the academic, student and employer reactions to the programme. Findings – The paper evaluates how the academic dimension provided by the MSc has impacted on candidates’ work as BB. Practical implications – Employee engagement and enthusiasm has been increased, as has the depth and breadth of the knowledge base among the participating BB, who are then applying these new skills in their improvement projects to make them more sustainable as well as financially valuable. They have been able to transfer knowledge to team members. Originality/value – Th...

Observations on quality in the PhD supervision experience

The PhD is a key step in academic development and the training of the next generation of researchers. However, in this age of control and regulation, it remains an outpost of individualism and variation. This paper sets out to explore the issues that surround the supervisory activity and attempts to draw some tentative conclusions about points that may enhance the likelihood of a good outcome for both student and supervisor. It also considers the identification of indicators that may provide early warning of problems. This paper is based on the personal experiences of the author with over 19 years of PhD supervision, supplemented by her observations of the experiences of colleagues and their students. These observations will be contrasted with the findings of other researchers. As such, the paper is presented as a starting point for discussion and future research.