Continuous Improvement Programs: Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically impacted companies from different sectors, and the continuous improvement (CI) programs were not left behind. The purposes of this research are to identify the success factors that make CI Programs successful regardless of the industry and how these factors may have evolved in the aftermath of disruptive events of the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this aim, the paper follows a structured approach, including a literature review of CI programs and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on several industrial sectors. Then, 18 semi-structured interviews with CI program experts from companies in Mexico were conducted during one month. The research team found that the CI program suffered small changes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and identified new success factors related to CI program success. These success factors are presented in an input-process-outcome framework.