Purpose This paper gives the background to the ISO 18404:2015 standard and explains its rationale. It aims to rebut the Oudrhiri et al . (2022) paper. Furthermore, this paper adds further evidence of the misplacement and unfitness for use of the standard, as evidenced in the previous work by...

Purpose – Identification of critical success factors (CSFs) for any continuous improvement initiative is important as it allows organisations to focus their efforts on these factors to ensure a success. The purpose of this paper is to present the CSFs for the effective implementation of Lean...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the quality initiatives implemented in UK manufacturing small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and to perform a comparative analysis of quality management practices within Six Sigma firms against the non‐Six Sigma manufacturing SMEs....

Purpose – To determine the critical success factors (CSFs) for continuous improvement projects in the public sector. Design/methodology/approach – Theoretical paper based on a literature review. Findings – It would appear that there are factors that are important in manufacturing...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the core themes derived from literature that contribute to the failure of continuous improvement initiatives in the manufacturing industry. Design/methodology/approach – The approach taken was to complete a systematic review of literature,...