The Mediating Effect of Strategic Project Selection in Process Improvement Program Success

Process Improvement Programs (PIPs) such as Total Quality Management, Six Sigma, JIT, and Lean have been the subject of much research over the last two decades. Most research on PIPs examines one specific type of PIP and attempts to evaluate the impact of specific PIP practices on performance. While most scholars agree that PIP research is extremely important, they also agree that it is difficult to make valid assessments about PIPs because the content of PIPs is not clearly defined and changes over time. This research takes a more strategic program management perspective for the study of PIPs. The research empirically examined the fit between two PIP management factors: Strategic Project Selection (SPS) and Disciplined Project Management (DPM), and the impact of fit on performance. Using data collected from 53 supplier plants, regression analysis found that the relationship between DPM and Performance was mediated by SPS. This finding contributes to future theory development and suggests a viable strategy for PIP success: organizations that maintain a focus on DPM will achieve SPS and this will lead to program success.