Date of Conferral
2-7-2024
Date of Award
February 2024
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Business Administration
Advisor
Meridith Wentz
Abstract
Although middle managers’ commitment to lean implementation affects successful improvement outcomes in the United States, most senior leaders in manufacturing attempting to implement lean in the United States fail to achieve expected improvement outcomes. Grounded in the self-determination theory of motivation, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between middle managers’ competence, relatedness, autonomy, and level of lean implementation. Participants were 77 midlevel managers in manufacturing organizations in the midwestern United States. Data were collected using the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction at Work Scale. The results of the multiple regression analysis indicated the model could statistically significantly predict the level of lean implementation, F(3, 73) = 4.521, p < .01, R2 = .157. Relatedness was the only significant predictor (p = .043, beta = .270). A key recommendation for senior manufacturing leaders is to foster an environment where employees fully internalize tasks and feel that their assignments are consistent with their core beliefs. The implications for positive social change include the potential for middle managers to improve work-life balance, job satisfaction, emotional health for manufacturing employees, and job sustainability within their communities.
Recommended Citation
Hopf, Andrea K., "The Relationship Between Middle Managers’ Self-Determination and Lean Implementation in Manufacturing" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 15383.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/15383
