The complex pathways to social sustainability: Quantifying the effects of Kaizen and Gemba in the maquiladora industry
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study empirically examines the interrelationships among Kaizen (KAI), Gemba (GEM), and Social Sustainability (SOSU) in the Mexican maquiladora industry, addressing a gap in the literature on how continuous improvement programs support sustainability in the manufacturing industry. The variables are related through three hypotheses that are validated using a structural equation model evaluated with a partial least squares approach (PLS-SEM) and validated with data from 240 responses to a questionnaire administered to industrial professionals. The results confirm the hypotheses, revealing that KAI positively influences GEM (β=0.667, p < 0.001) and SOSU (β=0.287, p < 0.001), whereas GEM exerts a positive effect on SOSU through a curvilinear relationship that transitions from negative impacts at low levels of implementation to positive ones at advanced levels. The heterogeneous nature of these relationships-exponential between KAI-GEM, linear between KAI-SOSU and curvilinear between GEM and SOSU–reveals distinct mechanisms that require specific implementation strategies. In addition, a sensitivity analysis is reported, which indicates that only a minority of organizations (7.9–9.2 %) simultaneously achieve high levels of implementation in multiple dimensions, evidencing the potential for competitive differentiation inherent in the effective integration of these methodologies as pillars of SOSU.
Source: Results in Engineering
Language: English
Subfield: Management Information Systems
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,940
OpenAlex ID: W4415424484