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The aim of this paper is to propose a classification of the barriers of continuous improvement and identify the different profiles of companies based on it. First, a literature review was done in order to identify the main barriers; second, some of them were included in a survey based on experts' opinions; third, a survey was conducted among people responsible for implementing continuous improvement; and finally factorial and cluster analysis were applied. Based on the results, two main factors were identified: 'pre-implementation barriers' and 'during implementation barriers'. Additionally, four clusters were analysed 'informal companies', 'disoriented companies', 'unaware companies' and 'slightly-hindered companies'. As many companies still struggle when implementing continuous improvement, the results of this study can help all them to focus on the most important aspects in order to guarantee the sustainability of the continuous improvement system. From a theoretical point of view, this work contributes to the continuous improvement field by analysing the nature of the main barriers companies can find when implementing these initiatives. Thus, not only does this study provide a hierarchy of the most important barriers, but also classifies them. As far as authors are concerned, this is the first attempt to categorise continuous improvement barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Continuous improvement is a means of promoting and working through business excellence. However, due to the complexity of the implementation process, many companies fail. Some authors consider that this is partly due to the lack of studies which develop and validate theoretical constructs in order to push theory in the CI field. Therefore, this study aims at identifying and better understanding the factors that could act as enablers when implementing a CI initiative by designing and analyzing a new theoretical construct. Design/methodology/approach: After conducting a rigorous literature review and consulting a group of experts, Rasch Measurement Theory was used in order to validate the construct and rank the enablers. Findings: After validating the construct, a hierarchy of priority was obtained, being the following enablers the most important ones: establishing clear objectives, training, recognizing the achievements and learning from the CI process itself and motivation. Practical implications: Identifying the key enablers could help those companies that are about to start with the implementation process. Additionally obtaining a general classification could help managers to make good decisions and handle these enablers, fostering the most important ones. Originality/value: This paper provides additional evidence regarding the main enablers that an organization that decides to implement CI can foster. Additionally, as far as authors are concerned, this is the first paper that defines a theoretical construct concerning continuous improvement enablers. Going one-step further, this paper obtains a hierarchy of priority, identifying the main enablers according to managers' opinions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The aim of this study is to provide a literature review on continuous improvement, analysing the evolution of the field by combining quantitative and qualitative analysis. More than 1000 articles have been reviewed. The articles have been collected through the prestigious database Web of Knowledge (Thomson Scientific). The results show an increasing interest in the field of continuous improvement over the past 30 years. The most discussed topics have been ‘implementation of continuous improvement systems’ and ‘methodologies’. Other findings from the study are: the existence of regional differences in research on continuous improvement, the predominance of the case study and the survey as research methodologies, and the positioning ofTotal Quality Management and Business Excellenceas the lead scientific publication in continuous improvement areas. The present review adds value to other studies on the same topic due to the number of items used (1090), the time period covered (1980–2011), the prestigious database used (Web of Knowledge) and the combination of different analysis (quantitative and qualitative). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]