An exploratory study of employees’ involvement in 5s quality practices of Malaysia Armed Forces

Abstract

Organizations are adapting to new and demanding changes in the digital economy. One of the ways to respond to the challenges is through quality improvement. In a military context, organizations such as the Military Armed Forces of Malaysia (MAF) has deployed, among others, the 5S quality management tool. Many believe that the success of quality management depends largely on the "people" of the organization. This study explores employees' perception of 5S practices within MAF and seeks to find answers to the main question, "how would MAF improve employees' involvement in 5S practices?". Data were collected from MAF personnel through interviews to meet the research objectives. Results from the qualitative study reveal five perceived important elements that would drive employees' active participation in 5S. We discuss the implications for military managers and future directions of research.

Keywords

• 5s
• quality management
• military
• quality practices
• employee involvement