The Effect of Kaizen Implementation on Employees’ Affective Attitude in Textile Company in Ethiopia

Authors: Meseret Teshome

Abstract:

This study has the objective of assessing the effect of kaizen (5S, Muda elimination and Quality Control Circle (QCC) on employees’ affective attitude (job satisfaction, commitment and job stress) in Kombolcha Textile Share Company. A conceptual model was developed to describe the relationship between Kaizen and Employees’ Affective Attitude (EAA) factors. The three factors of Employee Affective Attitude were measured using questionnaire derived from other validated questionnaire. In the data collection to conduct this study; questionnaire, unstructured interview, written documents and direct observations are used. To analyze the data, SPSS and Microsoft Excel were used. In addition, the internal consistency of similar items in the questionnaire instrument was measured for their equivalence by using the cronbach’s alpha test. In this study, the effect of 5S, Muda elimination and QCC on job satisfaction, commitment and job stress in Kombolcha Textile Share Company is assessed and factors that reduce employees’ job satisfaction with respect to kaizen implementation are identified. The total averages of means from the questionnaire are 3.1 for job satisfaction, 4.31 for job commitment and 4.2 for job stress. And results from interview and secondary data show that kaizen implementation have effect on EAA. In general, based on the thesis results it was concluded that kaizen (5S, muda elimination and QCC) have positive effect for improving EAA factors at KTSC. Finally, recommendations for improvement are given based on the results.

Keywords: Kaizen, job satisfaction, job commitment, job stress.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1474501

References:

[1] Gebrehiwot, B. A. (2008) Determinants of the Performance of Garment Industries in Ethiopia: Applied Development Research. Ethiopian Development Research Institute.
[2] Usitc, U. S. I. T. C. (2007) Sub-Saharan Africa: Factors Affecting Trade Patterns of Selected Industries. First Annual Report.
[3] Hagos, A. M. (2011) Implementation of continuous Improvement (Kaizen) Tools and Its Challenges in Garment. Mekelle University.
[4] https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/3608/ 2, accessed date June 20, 2016.
[5] Jamal, M. (1990) Relationship of job stress and type-a behavior to employee's job satisfaction, organizational commitment, psychosomatic health problems, and turnover motivation. Human Relations, 43(8), 727-738.
[6] http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Comp-De/Continuous-Improvement.html 3, accessed date June 22, 2016
[7] Robert V. Krejcie, D. W. M. (1970) Determining Sample Size For Research Activities. Educational And Psychological Measurement, 30, 607-610.
[8] Rodwell, J. J., Kienzle, R., & Shadur, M. A. (1998) The relationships among work-related perceptions, employee attitudes, and employee performance: the integral role of communication Human Resource Management 37 (3&4), 277-293.
[9] http://nla.org.za/webfiles/conferences/2015/T+M%20Papers/Monday,%2012%20October/M305%20The%20PPECB%20laboratory%20goes%20green%20and%20lean.pdf 4 accessed date June 22, 2016.
[10] Hunt, B. (1981) Measuring results in a quality circles pilot test. The Quality Circles Journal, 4, 26-29.
[11] Steel, R. P., Mento, Anthony J., Dilla, Benjamin L., Ovalle, Nestor K. 2d, & Lloyd, Russell F. (1985) Factors influencing the success and failure of two quality circle programs. Journal of Management, 11, 99-119.
[12] Novelli, L., Jr. & Mohrman, Susan A. (1982, August) Beyond testimonials: An evaluation study of a quality circle program. Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, New York
[13] Rafaeli, A. (1985) Quality circles and employee attitudes. Personnel Psychology. Personnel Psychology, 38, 603-615.
[14] Khot, D. (2010) The Effect of Lean on Employees' Affective Attitude in a modular home building manufacturer. Agriculture and Mechanical College Louisiana State University.
[15] Bagot, D. L. (1978) Correlates of Job Stress and Job Satisfaction for Minority Professionals in Organizations: An Examination of Personal and Organizational Factors. Group Organization Management, 30-41.
[16] Harrison, J. K., & Hubbard, R. (1998) Antecedants to organizational commitment among mexican employees of a U.S.firm in Mexico. The journal of Social Psycology, 138(5), 609-623.
[17] Gamble, J., & Huang, Q. (2008) Organizational commitment of chinese employees in foreign-invested firms. International Journal of Human Resource Management 19(5), 896-915.
[18] Jun, M., Cai, S., & Shin, H. (2006) TQM practice in maquiladora: Antecedents of employee satisfaction and loyalty. Journal of Operations Management, 24, 791-812.
[19] Malikeh Beheshtifar, H. A.-N. M. N.-M. (2012) Investigation Of Perceived Organizational Support On Employees’ Positive Attitudes Toward Work Interdisciplinary Journal Of Contemporary Research In Business Vol 4, No 8.
[20] http://journal-archieves26.webs.com/432-442.pdf accessed date June 22, 2016.
[21] SHRM, T. S. F. H. R. M. (2012) Employee job satisfaction & Engagement.
[22] Nunnally, J.C., 1978. Psychometric methods. New York: McGraw.