Developing a Value Chain Framework with a Continuous Improvement Approach
Keywords:
Value Chain, Continuous Improvement, Cost and Time ManagementAbstract
The primary aim of this study is to develop a value chain framework grounded in the continuous improvement approach. Cost and time management assist water and wastewater companies in enhancing the processes and activities related to water supply, treatment, sewage management, and water distribution, ensuring a sustainable and enduring provision over time. To achieve this, the present research adopts a qualitative approach utilizing Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis method to identify the key components and dimensions of the value chain from a continuous improvement perspective. The research employs Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis approach. The statistical population of the study includes managers and experts in the water and wastewater sector, selected through purposive sampling. A total of 18 participants were carefully chosen. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Based on the interview analysis conducted using MAXQDA software, the model's themes were identified. The analysis revealed 123 initial themes categorized into 25 first-level subthemes and five second-level theme categories. The thematic analysis conducted to construct the value chain framework with a continuous improvement approach identified the following core components: sustainable organizational infrastructure, integrated process efficiency, digital technological transformation, human resource empowerment, and socio-environmental sustainability. This framework, by focusing on these five key components—sustainable organizational infrastructure, integrated process efficiency, digital technological transformation, human resource empowerment, and socio-environmental sustainability—represents a systematic effort to enhance competitiveness, organizational flexibility, and sustainable value creation. Each of these components, as derived from the qualitative findings and interviews, holds a central role in realizing the philosophy of continuous improvement and institutionalizing value addition throughout the entire chain of activities.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Maryam Khorshidi (Author); Hossein Adab; Hossein Moinzad, Jalal Haghight Monfard (Author)
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