Process improvement and inflation: a missing connection

Matthews, RL ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6031-7016, 2025. Process improvement and inflation: a missing connection. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management. ISSN 1741-038X

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Abstract

Purpose: This paper explores the role of process improvement within the context of inflation to better understand the relevance of inflation within research on process improvement and operations management more broadly.

Design/methodology/approach: The work systematically surveys literature that draws upon inflation and process improvement individually, before identifying work that draws from both, specifically by referring to them in either their titles, abstract or keywords. Economics literature is drawn from to explore the concept of inflation before applying this within the context of literature related to process improvement. Real world examples are presented, that illustrate the mechanisms that contribute to and result in price inflation as seen by consumers, moving away from more broadly held views of what inflation is.

Findings: The results from literature provide limited evidence on the role of inflation within operations management literature. However, by applying the insight developed from the review of economics literature to process improvement, the research provides useful insight into theory and understanding of key concepts related to organisations’ ability and need to engage in improvement.

Originality/value: Given the very limited volume of studies exploring the overlap between inflation and process improvement, the work opens a fertile new seam of research, connecting operations and economics research. The work also suggests a need for operations management researchers to question established views of inflation within their work.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management
Creators:	Matthews, R.L.
Publisher:	Emerald
Date:	7 August 2025
ISSN:	1741-038X
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1108/JMTM-01-2025-0025 DOI 2453745 Other
Rights:	© Emerald Publishing Limited. This AAM is provided for your own personal use only. It may not be used for resale, reprinting, systematic distribution, emailing, or for any other commercial purpose without the permission of the publisher.
Divisions:	Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by:	Laura Borcherds
Date Added:	14 Aug 2025 09:27
Last Modified:	14 Aug 2025 09:27
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/54191

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