Title: Innovation by small group activity and organisational learning – an empirical study on quality control circle activity

Authors: Ken Kitazawa; Hiroshi Osada

Addresses: Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training (JILPT), 4-8-23, Kamishakujii, Nerima-ku, Tokyo, 177-8502, Japan. ' Tokyo Institute of Technology, 3-3-6 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-0023, Japan

Abstract: The research analysed the organisational factors of creating innovation focusing on quality control circle (QCC) based on literature-based analysis, interviews and quantitative analysis. As a result of analysis on 156 excellent QCC cases, seven cases to create innovation were found. The interviews with the one of cases and quantitative analysis were conducted for analysis on the difference between the case circles and the other. As a result of analysis in terms of members' diversity and motivation and across-organisational QCC's activities, it was found that the seven cases created innovations through promoting effective organisational learning.

Keywords: small group activity; small groups; quality control circles; QCCs; organisational learning; capability; diversity; across-organisational activity; motivation; learning behaviour; organisational factors; quantitative analysis; case circles; breakthroughs; Japan; innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2012.046064

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2012 Vol.11 No.3, pp.233 - 249

Published online: 28 Aug 2014 *

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