Implementing process improvement initiative : the role of visualisation and standardisation methods

Purpose: Due to the difficulties organisations face in implementing process improvement initiatives (PIIs), this research explores how visualisation and standardisation of business processes help organisations achieve PIIs to improve organisational performance. Design/methodology/approach: A multi-staged case study strategy that analyse qualitative data and performs a process modelling analysis of quantitative data. Findings: The paper makes two main contributions to existing knowledge. Firstly, it explains how taking the visualised and standardised methods on PIIs can reduce service delivery times and enhance organisational performance. Secondly, it demonstrates how adopting these dual methods offers a better chance of increasing organisational performance than using only a single method. Research limitations/implications: Although the paper considers the flexibility in the standardisation of business processes as it gives scope for innovation and creativity on the part of the process, it did not consider if flexibility is possible without breaking the standardised working way. Hence, future research can consider this. Also, future research can hypothesise the BPM model and test for statistical generalisability. Originality/value: The research offers new insight into how and when both visualisation and standardisation of PIIs can benefit organisations.