Development of a framework for utilising Lean Six Sigma’s intangible impacts in creating organisational innovation climate

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework that illustrates the role of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in creating organisational innovation climate by investigating the relationship between LSS’s intangible impacts and organisational innovation climate factors.

Design/methodology/approach A self-administrated survey questionnaire was distributed among 145 public sector officials to get their opinions on the relationship between various observable elements of LSS’s intangible impacts and organisational innovation climate factors, where a response rate of 73.8% was achieved. The collected data were demographically, descriptively and statistically analysed. Accordingly, a house-of-pillars-based framework that illustrates the role of LSS’s intangible impacts in creating innovation climate in an organisation was developed.

Findings Results from this study indicated that LSS’s intangible impacts on organisational structure and hierarchy, culture, change adaptability, utilisation of staff and staff’s behavioural aspects are positively related to many of organisational innovation climate factors such as trust and openness, challenge and involvement, support for ideas and freedom and autonomy.

Research limitations/implications The findings of this study are based on the data collected from public sector organisations in the UAE and are supported by relevant literature. However, this study can provide useful guidance for further research for the generalisation of the results to wider scopes in terms of sectors and geographical domains.

Practical implications The findings of this study will provide UAE public sector officials with a clear roadmap on how to use LSS for promoting innovation and fostering its implementation in practice. This study will also encourage professionals in public sectors to integrate LSS into their innovation strategies to enhance organisational innovativeness and improve service quality.

Originality/value It is one of the first studies that explores LSS’s intangible impacts and assesses their relationship with organisational innovation climate factors. Hence, this study offers valuable insights for both academics and practitioners and is expected to lay a foundation for a better understanding of how LSS’s intangible impacts can be used in creating organisational innovation climate.