Identification of the relationship between continuous improvement and organizational learning in the white goods industry on 1st and 2nd levels of the supply chain

Abstract

This paper aims to identify existing relations between continuous improvement and organizational learning in industries. A qualitative research was applied to three companies of the electro domestic production supply chain, final producer, supplier and its supplier. Two questionnaires were applied to the three companies, questioning employees in leading functions, production, quality and engineering. A semi structured questionnaire having open and closed questions, pursued to identify organizational abilities to the continuous improvement, characterizing the organization in reference to the Quality Management System, evidencing the different processes of organizational learning. A structured questionnaire having closed questions, measured in which of the 5 organizational maturity in continuous improvement levels each company was positioned, detailing abilities and constructive behaviors. Conclusion: maturity in continuous improvement has positive ties with the organizational learning. Companies with good practices in organizational learning have better levels of maturity in continuous improvement.