The quintessential elements of continuous improvement

Creating operational excellence and instilling a culture of continuous improvement is a utopia that most organizations never reach. Nonetheless, certain industries have witnessed much greater success than others in the quest for continuous improvement. The manufacturing industry, for instance, wholeheartedly embraced the quality movement many decades ago, which has led to continuously improving organizations. White collar environments, on the other hand, still struggle to achieve the desired outcomes of their business improvement or more recently their Six Sigma Lean e orts. What sets some industries apart from others, and what steps can white collar organizations take to replicate the success witnessed by their high performing peers in other industries?