Process improvement represents a critical activity within organisations- it’s a means of adapting operational processes, improving efficiency, and more effectively meeting customer requirements. However, limited research has been undertaken in exploring the practices and role of process improvement in the resource-constrained Small Enterprises (SE). The following research is based on exploratory case studies with 11 Engineering oriented SMEs. Findings, based on a Grounded Theory design, identify process improvement within this context as a multi-level practice. In conflict with previous literature, process improvement in this context is not simply a means of improvement, an outcome or specific tools and techniques, but a means of winning business and improving employee attitudes

This study shows an effective process improvement practices within small- and medium-sized enterprises to be consistent with organisational learning concepts and enabling the firms to translate individually identified improvement opportunities into organisational level changes results in sustained benefits…

This paper argues against this by firstly exploring the nuances of these three areas. Based upon a systematic literature review of operations management journals, insight is developed by exploring the three terms individually and then in combination, resulting in the presentation of a number of research propositions to guide further research. To extend our understanding of operational improvement, organisational learning is identified as a common theoretical perspective employed within each of the three forms of improvements. Organisational learning is subsequently utilised to underpin the relationship between the three terms, highlighting the need for both operational and strategic improvement, drawing upon strategic management literature. These are presented in the form of a conceptual model, in addition to further research propositions.

This paper presents the contemporary view of process improvement, the knowledge-based view. It follows the trend that’s shifting from a resource-based view, to one where knowledge is seen as the key resource to sustained competitive advantage. Our commentary first maps the evolution of process improvement thinking, then solidifies this contemporary view by exploring the crossover between the process improvement literature and knowledge-based literature. The paper closes with a synthesis of the “knowledge-based view of process improvement” by suggesting four dimensions- knowledge as a resource, as capability building, a process, and in its application.