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Article
Publication date: 14 October 2019

Therese Kahm and Pernilla Ingelsson

The purpose of this paper is to present the results from a study that investigates first-line healthcare managers’ views on their role and the conditions that influence their…

441

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the results from a study that investigates first-line healthcare managers’ views on their role and the conditions that influence their ability to drive improvement work based on Lean.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was sent to all first-line managers in a healthcare organization to investigate their views on their role, conditions and ability to create change according to Lean. The results from four of the questions are presented, which focus on how crucial they consider their role to be for managing improvement work based on Lean, what work tasks their time is spent on, what factors they consider to be important to their ability to drive change and what factors best describe what Lean provides.

Findings

The results show that first-line managers claim that their role is crucial in improvement work, but when they defined their work tasks, the time spent on improvements was not frequently described. Time, support from coworkers, and a clear vision and clear goals were the three factors that they considered to be most important to their ability to drive improvement work. Considering their leadership, Lean contributed to the structure with tools and supportive methods.

Originality/value

The questions can be used separately or as part of the entire questionnaire before and along a Lean process to obtain a better understanding of how to create a sustainable Lean approach in healthcare. Understanding the factors that first-line managers consider supporting their ability in improvement work and what they consider Lean provides is important in creating a development force in Swedish healthcare.

Details

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, vol. 32 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0952-6862

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Article
Publication date: 4 May 2020

Therese Kahm and Pernilla Ingelsson

The purpose of this paper is to present the supportive conditions that the first-line health-care managers claim that they need from their own managers and what they experience as…

457

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the supportive conditions that the first-line health-care managers claim that they need from their own managers and what they experience as their own roles and responsibilities in relation to their coworkers when applying Lean principles and practices.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey with a Web-based questionnaire was designed and used in a Swedish health-care organization two years after the initiation of Lean to investigate the managers’ views on their role, conditions and ability to create change according to Lean. The result from two of the questions will be presented where one focuses on the relationship to the first-line managers’ own manager and the second on the relationship to their coworkers.

Findings

The results show that to initiate improvement, work based on Lean first-line managers ask for own managers who are assured about Lean, include them in discussions and ask for follow-ups and results about Lean. Concerning first-line managers’ relation to their coworkers they experience themselves as responsible for leading toward creating a culture where problems and mistakes are viewed as possibilities to improve, for encouraging that new work procedures are tested and for creating commitment and inspiration in relation to their coworkers.

Originality/value

The questions can be used separately or as part of an entire questionnaire before and along the Lean process to highlight organizational issues such as shared responsibility and supportive relations when developing health care.

Details

International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, vol. 12 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-669X

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