{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,22]],"date-time":"2026-01-22T20:36:06Z","timestamp":1769114166222,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":59,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2014,5,27]],"date-time":"2014-05-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1401148800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2014,5,27]]},"abstract":"\n Purpose<\/jats:title>\n \u2013 Despite the abundant literature in the private sector, a significant gap was detected in the public sector where there were only a few academic efforts to appraise or assess the implementation of the Japanese approach. The likely reason for this lack of literature is the low implementation of Kaizen that has been evidenced over the years in the public sector. Public organizations have a large number of recommendations at their disposal which are vague, abstract and even contradictory. Accordingly, the assessment of the implementation of Kaizen represents a theoretical gap, the filling of which is both necessary and vital to the body of knowledge that represents the application of continuous improvement in a public setting. Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to evaluate the design, management and implementation of Kaizen projects in local governments through the analysis and comparison of empirical data with regard to a theoretical conceptual scheme found in the literature. <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title>\n \u2013 A qualitative study was conducted using a case study strategy. The case studies were conducted in three Town Halls (two in Spain and one in Mexico) with active and sustained implementation of Kaizen projects. It was verified throughout that the selected cases applied Kaizen projects for at least five years in their work processes and public services. <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Findings<\/jats:title>\n \u2013 As a result of the empirical work the authors proposed a new specific and individualized framework for the public sector called: \u201cKaizen projects conceptual schemes (KPCS), based on the cycle Plan-Do-Check-Act in order to form a theoretical and practical guide that can serve as a base for local governments seeking to implement Kaizen in their management. <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title>\n \u2013 The study focussed on three Town Halls (two Spanish and one Mexican), so is not possible to generalize the results. <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Practical implications<\/jats:title>\n \u2013 El KPCS may represent an instrument of evaluation, management, development and improvement to any Kaizen effort initiated in the public sector. <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Social implications<\/jats:title>\n \u2013 The study focussed on public service. <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Originality\/value<\/jats:title>\n \u2013 As far as the authors are aware, this is one of the first paper to propose a framework of Kaizen in public organizations within both academic and practitioner ambits.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/bpmj-03-2013-0040","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,5,6]],"date-time":"2014-05-06T11:16:53Z","timestamp":1399375013000},"page":"392-411","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["Assessing the design, management and improvement of Kaizen projects in local governments"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Manuel","family":"F. Su\u00e1rez-Barraza","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jos\u00e9","family":"\u00c1. Miguel-D\u00e1vila","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Aoki, K.\n (2008), \u201cTransferring Japanese Kaizen activities to overseas plants in China\u201d, International Journal of Operation & Production Management, Vol. 28 No. 6, pp. 518-539.","DOI":"10.1108\/01443570810875340"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bateman, N.\n (2005), \u201cSustainability: the elusive element of process improvement\u201d, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 261-276.","DOI":"10.1108\/01443570510581862"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bateman, N.\n and \n David, A.\n (2002), \u201cProcess improvement programs: a model for assessing sustainability\u201d, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 22 No. 5, pp. 515-526.","DOI":"10.1108\/01443570210425156"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b4","unstructured":"Bhatia, N.\n and \n Drew, J.\n (2007), \u201cApplying Lean production to the public sector\u201d, The McKinsey Quarterly, Vol. 3, pp. 97-98."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b5","unstructured":"Bodek, N.\n (2002), \u201cQuick and easy Kaizen\u201d, IIE Solutions, Vol. 34 No. 7, pp. 43-45."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bradley, J.\n and \n Willett, J.\n (2004), \u201cCornell students participate in lord corporation's Kaizen projects\u201d, Interfaces, Vol. 34 No. 6, pp. 451-459.","DOI":"10.1287\/inte.1040.0103"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Brunet, A.P.\n and \n New, S.\n (2003), \u201cKaizen in Japan: an empirical study\u201d, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 23 No. 12, pp. 1426-1446.","DOI":"10.1108\/01443570310506704"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cohen, S.\n and \n Bailey, D.\n (1997), \u201cWhat makes teams work: group effectiveness research from the shop floor to the executive suite\u201d, Journal of Management, Vol. 23 No. 3, pp. 239-290.","DOI":"10.1177\/014920639702300303"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b9","unstructured":"Deming, W.E.\n (1986), Out of the Crisis, MIT\/CAES, Cambridge, MA."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Eisenhardt, K.M.\n (1989), \u201cBuilding theories from case study research\u201d, The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 14 No. 4, pp. 532-550.","DOI":"10.5465\/amr.1989.4308385"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Eisenhardt, K.M.\n and \n Graebner, M.\n (2007), \u201cTheory building from cases: opportunities and challenges\u201d, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 50 No. 1, pp. 25-32.","DOI":"10.5465\/amj.2007.24160888"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b15","unstructured":"Gaster, L.\n and \n Squires, A.\n (2003), Providing Quality in the Public Sector, Open University Press, Maiden Head."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b16","unstructured":"Glaser, B.G.\n and \n Strauss, A.L.\n (1967), The discovery of Groundey Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research, Aldine De Gruyter, New York, NY."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b12","unstructured":"Hino, S.\n (2006), Inside the Mind of Toyota, Productivity Press, New York, NY."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b13","unstructured":"Imai, M.\n (1986), Kaizen-The key to Japan's Competitive Success, Random House, New York, NY."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b14","unstructured":"Imai, M.\n (1997), Gemba Kaizen, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b17","unstructured":"Ishikawa, K.\n (1962), What is Total Quality Control? Japanese Way, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliff, NJ."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b18","unstructured":"Juran, J.M.\n (1973), \u201cThe Taylor system and quality control\u201d, Quality Progress, Vol. 6 No. 5, p. -."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b19","unstructured":"Kano, N.\n (1993), Task, Achievement QC Story for QC Circles, JUSE Presss, Tokyo."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kolesar, P.\n (2008), \u201cJuran's lecture to Japanese executives in 1954: a perspective and contemporary lessons\u201d, Quality Management Journal, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 45-49.","DOI":"10.1080\/10686967.2008.11918191"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b21","unstructured":"Kume, H.\n (1985), Statistical Methods for Quality Improvement, AOTS, Tokyo."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b22","unstructured":"Laraia, A.\n , \n Moody, P.\n and \n Hall, R.\n (1999), The Kaizen Blitz: Accelerating Breakthroughs in Productivity and Performance, The Association for Manufacturing Excellence, New York, NY."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b23","unstructured":"Liker, J.\n (2004), The Toyota Way, Simon & Schuster Inc, New York NY."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b24","unstructured":"Liker, J.\n and \n Meier, D\n (2006), The Toyota Way Fieldbook, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"McAdam, R.\n and \n Saulters, R.\n (2000), \u201cQuality measurement frameworks in the public sector\u201d, Total Quality Management, Vol. 11 Nos 4\/5\/6, pp. 652-656.","DOI":"10.1080\/09544120050008020"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b26","unstructured":"Melnyk, S.\n , \n Calantone, R.\n , \n Montabon, F.\n and \n Smith, R.\n (1998), \u201cShort-term action in pursuit of long-term improvements: introducing Kaizen events\u201d, Production & Inventory Management Journal, Vol. 39 No. 4, pp. 69-76."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b27","unstructured":"Miles, M.B.\n and \n Huberman, M.\n (1994), Qualitative Data Analysis, Sage Publications Inc, Thousand Oaks, CA."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b28","unstructured":"Monden, Y.\n (1998), Toyota Production System, Engineering & Management Press, Norcross, GA."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Montabon, F.\n (2005), \u201cUsing kaizen events for back office processes: the recruitment of frontline supervisor co-ops\u201d, Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, Vol. 16 No. 10, pp. 1139-1147.","DOI":"10.1080\/14783360500235876"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Newitt, D.J.\n (1996), \u201cBeyond BPR & TQM \u2013 managing through processes: is kaizen enough?\u201d, Industrial Engineering, IEE Savoy Place, Institution of Electric Engineers, London, pp. 1-38.","DOI":"10.1049\/ic:19960785"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b31","unstructured":"Oakeson, M.\n (1997), \u201cMakes dollars & sense for the Mercedes-Benz in Brazil\u201d, IIE Solutions, Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 32-35."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b32","unstructured":"Ohno, T.\n (1978), The Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-scale Production, Productivity Press, Portland, OR."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b33","unstructured":"Ohno, T.\n (2007), Workplace Management, Gemba Press, Mukilteo, WA."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b34","unstructured":"Osono, E.\n , \n Shimizu, N.\n and \n Takeuchi, H.\n (2008), Extreme Toyota, Radical Contradictions That Drive Success at the World's Best Manufacturer, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pedersen, E.\n and \n Huniche, M.\n (2011), \u201cDeterminants of lean success and failure in the Danish public sector: a negotiated order perspective\u201d, International Journal of Public Sector Management, Vol. 24 No. 5, pp. 403-420.","DOI":"10.1108\/09513551111147141"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b36","unstructured":"Pollitt, C.\n (2006), \u201cTen ways to make quality improvement unsustainable\u201d, 4th Quality Conference for Public Administration, Tampere, September 27-29, pp. 95-106."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b38","unstructured":"Radnor, Z.\n and \n Boaden, R.\n (2008), \u201cLean in public services- panacea or paradox?\u201d, Public and Money Management, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 3-7."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b37","unstructured":"Radnor, Z.\n , \n Walley, P.\n , \n Stephens, A.\n and \n Bucci, G.y.\n (2006), Evaluation of the Lean Approach to Business Management and its Use in the Public Sector. Research Findings, Scottish Executive, Edinburgh."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b39","unstructured":"Sawada, N.\n (1995), \u201cThe Kaizen at Toyota production system\u201d, CHU-SAN-REN Quality Control Course Nagoya, No. 6, pp. 1-38."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b40","unstructured":"Sheridan, J.\n (1997), \u201cKaizen Blitz\u201d, Industry Week, Vol. 246 No. 16, pp. 19-27."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b42","unstructured":"Shingo, H.\n (2007), Kaizen and the Art of Creative Thinking, Enna Products Corporation, Enna, WA."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b41","unstructured":"Singh, J.\n and \n Singh, H.\n (2009), \u201cKaizen philosophy: a review of literature\u201d, The IUP Journal of Operations Management, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 51-72."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Speller, S.\n and \n Ghobadian, A.\n (1993), \u201cChange for the public sector\u201d, Managing Service Quality, Vol. 3 No. 5, pp. 29-32.","DOI":"10.1108\/EUM0000000003189"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b44","unstructured":"Stewart, T.A.\n and \n Raman, A.P.\n (2007), \u201cLessons from Toyota's long drive\u201d, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 85 Nos 7-8, pp. 74-83."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b45","unstructured":"Strauss, A.\n and \n Corbin, J.\n (1994), \u201cGrounded theory methodology: an overview\u201d, in \n Denzin, N.\n and \n Lincoln, Y.\n (Eds), Handbook of Qualitative Research., Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, pp. 273-285."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b46","unstructured":"Su\u00e1rez-Barraza, M.F.\n (2007), El KAIZEN: La filosof\u00eda de Mejora Continua e Innovaci\u00f3n Incremental detr\u00e1s de la Administraci\u00f3n por Calidad Total, Panorama, M\u00e9xico, DF."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b47","unstructured":"Su\u00e1rez-Barraza, M.F.\n and \n Miguel-D\u00e1vila, J.A.\n (2011), \u201cImplementaci\u00f3n del Kaizen en M\u00e9xico: Un estudio exploratorio de una aproximaci\u00f3n gerencial japonesa en el contexto Latinoamericano\u201d, INNOVAR, Journal of Administrative and Social Sciences, Vol. 21 No. 41, pp. 19-37."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Su\u00e1rez-Barraza, M.F.\n and \n Ramis-Pujol, J.\n (2010), \u201cImplementation of Lean-Kaizen in the human resource service process: a case study in a Mexican public service organization\u201d, Journal of Manufacturing Technology of Management, Vol. 21 No. 3, pp. 388-410.","DOI":"10.1108\/17410381011024359"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Su\u00e1rez-Barraza, M.F.\n and \n Ramis-Pujol, J.\n (2012), \u201cAn exploratory study of 5S: a multiple case study of multinational organizations in Mexico\u201d, Asian Journal on Quality, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 77-99.","DOI":"10.1108\/15982681211237842"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Su\u00e1rez-Barraza, M.F.\n , \n Ramis-Pujol, J.\n and \n Kerbache, L.\n (2011), \u201cThoughts on Kaizen and its evolution: three different perspectives and guiding principles\u201d, International Journal of Lean six Sigma, Vol. 2 No. 4, pp. 288-308.","DOI":"10.1108\/20401461111189407"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Su\u00e1rez-Barraza, M.F.\n , \n Smith, T.\n and \n Dahlgaard-Park, S.\n (2009), \u201cLean-Kaizen public service: an empirical approach in Spanish local governments\u201d, The TQM Journal, Vol. 21 No. 2, pp. 143-167.","DOI":"10.1108\/17542730910938146"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Swartling, D.\n and \n Olausson, D.\n (2011), \u201cContinuous improvement put into practice: alternative approaches to get a successful quality program\u201d, International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 337-351.","DOI":"10.1108\/17566691111182870"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Swiss, J.E.\n (1992), \u201cAdapting total quality management (TQM) to government\u201d, Public Administration Review, Vol. 52 No. 4, pp. 7-18.","DOI":"10.2307\/3110395"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Thong, J.\n , \n Yap, C.\n and \n Seah, K.\n (2000), \u201cBusiness process reengineering in the public sector: the case of the housing development board in Singapore\u201d, Journal of Management Information Systems, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 245-270.","DOI":"10.1080\/07421222.2000.11045634"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Van Aken, E.\n , \n Farris, J\n , \n Glover, W.\n and \n Letens, G.\n (2010), \u201cA framework for designing, managing, and improving Kaizen event programs\u201d, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 59 No. 7, pp. 641-667.","DOI":"10.1108\/17410401011075648"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Watson, G.\n and \n DeYong, C.\n (2010), \u201cDesign for Six Sigma: caveat emptor\u201d, International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 66-84.","DOI":"10.1108\/20401461011033176"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b57","unstructured":"Womack, J.P.\n and \n Jones, D.T.\n (2003), Lean Thinking \u2013 Banish Waste and Create Wealth in your Corporation, Simon & Schuster, London."},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b58","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yasin, M.\n , \n Wafa, M.\n and \n Small, M.\n (2001), \u201cJust-in-time implementation in the public sector. an empirical examination\u201d, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 21 No. 9, pp. 1195-1204.","DOI":"10.1108\/EUM0000000005925"},{"key":"key2020123119485575500_b59","unstructured":"Yin, R.\n (1994), Case Study Research, Design and Methods, Sage Publications, Thousands Oaks, CA."}],"container-title":["Business Process Management Journal"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emeraldinsight.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1108\/BPMJ-03-2013-0040","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/BPMJ-03-2013-0040\/full\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/BPMJ-03-2013-0040\/full\/html","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,24]],"date-time":"2025-07-24T23:14:33Z","timestamp":1753398873000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emerald.com\/bpmj\/article\/20\/3\/392-411\/256534"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2014,5,27]]},"references-count":59,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2014,5,27]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1108\/BPMJ-03-2013-0040"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1108\/bpmj-03-2013-0040","relation":{},"ISSN":["1463-7154"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1463-7154","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2014,5,27]]}}}