Critical failure factors for continuous improvement methodologies in the Irish MedTech industry

A structured model for continuous improvement methodology deployment and sustainment: A case study

This research focuses on designing a clear methodology for problem-solving. It investigates the application of a defined 'Lean' methodology for the proactive application of process improvement activities using a phased digitized measurement and monitoring system. This case study in a Medtech organisation utilized the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) model to develop a Lean system and structure to support managing the process improvement or project management element of a Continuous Improvement (CI) framework. The results from the pilot of this study delivered financial gains and demonstrated how a robust structure and methodology to measure improvement activity and success provided a strong, sustainable foundation for customer satisfaction, efficiency, cost reduction and employee engagement improvement. It also highlighted the importance of focusing on proactive process improvement as part of a CI framework. The study provides valuable insights into the effective implementation of Lean principles and process improvement via a sustainable model, thereby contributing to the body of knowledge in this field. This study demonstrated how the developed model supported process improvement activity underpinning the development of a wider continuous improvement culture to support Lean deployment and sustainment and that systems can drive behaviour. Additionally, this application in the healthcare manufacturing sector adds to the sparse application in the literature from this sector.

Pharma 4.0: A deep dive top management commitment to successful Lean 4.0 implementation in Ghanaian pharma manufacturing sector

The primary aim of this study is to assess the significance of top management commitment in the context of Lean 4.0 implementation within the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Ghana. The study seeks to understand and evaluate the overall effectiveness and achievements associated with adopting Lean 4.0. Employing a positivist mindset, the research utilizes an explanatory quantitative research design and a survey technique. Data collected from 181 employees of pharmaceutical companies in Ghana undergo analysis using SmartPLS (version 4) and IBM SPSS version 26. The study employs a combination of descriptive statistics to summarise data characteristics and inferential statistics to test various hypotheses related to Lean 4.0 adoption. The analysis reveals that the successful integration of lean methods and Industry 4.0 technologies requires meticulous management. Simultaneously, individual implementations of lean principles and Industry 4.0 technologies positively impact business performance. Surprisingly, the study does not observe a substantial positive influence of Lean 4.0 on corporate performance, suggesting that immediate improvements in efficiency or profitability may not result from the adoption of this framework. This research contributes to the field by highlighting the need for careful management in integrating lean methods and Industry 4.0 technologies. It also emphasizes the positive impacts of lean principles and Industry 4.0 technology on business performance. The unexpected finding regarding the lack of immediate improvements in corporate efficiency or profitability with Lean 4.0 adoption prompts considerations of initial implementation challenges or the organization's need for time to adapt to this integrated approach.

The Effect of Medical Device Regulations on Deploying a Lean Six Sigma Project

This paper investigates the differences in timelines involved in Lean Six Sigma (LSS) project deployment in a regulated industry versus in an unregulated one. Two case studies utilising Lean Six Sigma methods—in order to compare the transfer of manual manufacturing lines within a medical device and electronics manufacturing site—are discussed and utilised. This research aims to show the effects of regulatory procedures on LSS project implementation and timelines. This study particularly highlights how a regulatory environment can be a barrier, or bottleneck, to project management, continuous improvement, and engineering changes in the MedTech or medical device manufacturing industry. The results of this study represent an important first step towards a full understanding of the influence of regulations on operations in medical devices and, by extension, on pharmaceutical manufacturing industries on a global scale. The research limitations are that the data collected were from two specific case study comparisons alone.

A Review of Lean Methodology Application and Its Integration in Medical Device New Product Introduction Processes

The purpose of this study is to review the Lean tool application and its utilisation in medical device design and the new product introduction process to establish the benefits and best practices for its integration with existing new product introduction processes. A review of the literature on the current state of medical device New Product Introduction (NPI) processes is completed along with a comprehensive review of the literature on the history and development of Lean NPI. The review indicates that Lean can be combined with the predominant NPI execution tools, Stage-Gate and Concurrent Engineering within the medical device industry to achieve a best-in-class continuous improvement methodology within the NPI process. This integration eliminates waste, focusses on customer value, and ultimately reduces cost and lead time to market. This review highlights for the first time the main challenges and issues with Lean in the medical device sector NPI processes, identifying possible future strands of research. Limitations of the current review are that despite the heavy emphasis placed on Lean manufacturing processes, comparatively little emphasis is placed on the use of Lean in the medical device NPI process. Future longitudinal case studies on case study application of Lean in medical device NPI processes would be useful. This study has implications for identifying best practices for Lean in NPI in the device industry, improving what is considered state-of-the-art for the introduction of devices into the public domain.

An empirical study into the use of 7 quality control tools in higher education institutions (HEIs)

Purpose

The main purpose of this study is to revisit Ishikawa's statement: “95% of problems in processes can be accomplished using the original 7 Quality Control (QC) tools”. The paper critically investigates the validity of this statement in higher education institutions (HEIs). It involves analysis of the usage of the 7 QC tools and identifying the barriers, benefits, challenges and critical success factors (CSFs) for the application of the 7 QC tools in a HEI setting.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey instrument was developed, and as this is a global study, survey participants were contacted via social networks such as LinkedIn. Target respondents were HEIs educators or professionals who are knowledgeable about the 7 QC tools promulgated by Dr Ishikawa. Professionals who work in administrative sectors, such as libraries, information technology and human resources were included in the study. A number of academics who teach the 7 basic tools of QC were also included in the study. The survey link was sent to over 200 educators and professionals and 76 complete responses were obtained.

Findings

The primary finding of this study shows that the diffusion of seven QC tools is not widespread in the context of HEIs. Less than 8% of the respondents believe that more than 90% of process problems can be solved by applying the 7 QC tools. These numbers show that modern-quality problems may need more than the 7 basic QC basic tools and there may be a need to revisit the role and contribution of these tools to solve problems in the higher education sector. Tools such as Pareto chart and cause and effect diagram have been widely used in the context of HEIs. The most important barriers highlighted are related to the lack of knowledge about the benefits and about how and when to apply these tools. Among the challenges are the “lack of knowledge of the tools and their applications” and “lack of training in the use of the tools”. The main benefits mentioned by the respondents were “the identification of areas for improvement, problem definition, measurement, and analysis”. According to this study, the most important factors critical for the success of the initiative were “management support”, “widespread training” and “having a continuous improvement program in place”.

Research limitations/implications

The exploratory study provides an initial understanding about the 7 QC tools application in HEIs, and their benefits, challenges and critical success factors, which can act as guidelines for implementation in HEIs. Surveys alone cannot provide deeper insights into the status of the application of 7 QC tools in HEIs, and therefore qualitative studies in the form of semi-structured interviews should be carried out in the future.

Originality/value

This article contributes with an exploratory empirical study on the extent of the use of 7 QC tools in the university processes. The authors claim that this is the first empirical study looking into the use of the 7 QC tools in the university sector.