[en] The purpose of this thesis is to develop a model for implementing an effective and efficient continuous improvement projects, aimed at increasing the performance of production processes. In particular, it aims to innovate in the way of deploying a Program Improvement in the company to make this process run as efficiently as possible. Although continuous improvement programs are some of the tools that are commonly used in industrial environments to increase the performance of their processes, it has become clear that there is a need to develop a continuous improvement model that will be implemented efficiently, and its results will remain over time (1). Also, it has been found that the model mentioned previously should serve to develop the foundations of an Organization which learns quickly and continuously (2) (3). Regarding the application environment, this research will focus on the automotive auxiliary industry. This sector is mature and is a major sector in the industry of the autonomous community of the Basque Country in which, companies have been applying for many years all kinds of continuous improvement programs. For this reason it has been considered that the different experiences developed in these companies can serve as a starting point, and that these factories can function as the scope of application of the developed model. We also have taken into account that the results of this study can serve as a reference for any industrial sector. This research has been addressed according to the research strategy of case studies, which is a variant of Research in Action. To do this, after having made a preliminary analysis of the theoretical framework where the elements which should compose a model of continuous improvement have been identified, the research team has designed a preliminary model of continuous improvement. The validity of this model has been proven through implementation of 28 cases in three progressive stages in an auxiliary enterprise of the automotive sector. In order to monitor the program development and detect the detailed problems they may face and to implement solutions continuous monitoring is necessary. Therefore the contribution of this work to the academic community is to cover the lack of longitudinal case studies as a tool for research in the field of Continuous Improvement (4). Regarding businesses, the organizations that are interested in applying Continuous Improvement programs have here an interesting case that will illustrate how the application of this model improves processes, both at the organizational level as well as at operational level. In addition certain critical factors to achieve the successful implementation of Continuous Improvement Model in a mature industrial company have been identified. The methodology used to construct the model of Continuous Improvement as well as the results and conclusions of its application in the environment where this thesis was developed can serve as guide to any industrial environment that wants to implement a Model of Continuous Improvement in their production processes.

[eu] Prozesu produktiboen errendimendua areagotzera bideratutako Etengabeko Hobekuntzarako proiektuak modu eraginkorrean eta efizientean inplementatzeko eredua lantzea da tesiaren xedea. Hain zuzen ere, enpresan Hobekuntza Programa ezartzeko modua berritzea du helburu. Ingurune industrialetan prozesuen errendimendua areagotzeko gehien erabiltzen den tresnetako bat Etengabeko Hobekuntzarako programak dira, baina hala ere, modu eraginkorrean ezarri eta emaitzei luzaroan eutsiko dien Etengabeko Hobekuntzarako eredua landu beharra antzeman da (1). Era berean, eredu horren bitartez, azkar eta etengabe ikasiko duen erakundearen oinarriak landu nahi dira (2) (3). Aplikazio‐eremuari dagokionez, ikerketa‐lan honetan automozioaren industria laguntzailearen sektorea hartu da kontuan. Aipatutako sektorea industri sektore heldua da, erreferentea Euskal Autonomia Erkidegoan, eta bertako enpresek hainbat urte daramatzate era guztietako Etengabeko Hobekuntzarako programak aplikatzen. Aipatutako enpresetan ildo horretan aurrera eraman dituzten esperientziak abiapuntu egokia izan daitezkeela erabaki da, eta aldi berean, landutako ereduaren aplikazio‐eremu ere izan daitezke erakundeok. Era berean kontuan hartu da azterketa‐lanaren emaitzak edozein industri sektorerako erreferentzia izan daitezkeela. Ikerlanari ekiteko Kasuen Azterketaren ikerketa‐estrategia erabili da, Jarduneko Saiakuntzaren aldaera hain zuzen. Horretarako, ikerketa‐taldeak esparru teorikoaren aldez aurreko analisia burutu du, non Etengabeko Hobekuntzarako ereduaren osagaiak zehaztu diren; halaber, ikerketa‐taldeak etengabeko Hobekuntzarako aurre‐eredua diseinatu du, zeinaren baliagarritasuna egiaztatu ahal izan duen automozioaren enpresa laguntzaile batean, mailakako hiru fasetan 28 kasu aurrera eramanaz. Etengabeko Hobekuntzaren esparruan ikerketarako tresna izango diren luzetarako kasuen azterketan dagoen hutsune nabariari aurre egitean datza lan honek komunitate akademikoari egiten dion ekarpena (4). Izan ere, kasuen segimendu jarraituaren bidez programaren bilakaera aztertu baita, eta horrekin batera arazoak eta horiei aurre egiteko moduak antzeman dira. Enpresa munduari dagokionez, Etengabeko Hobekuntzarako programak indarrean jarri nahi dituzten erakundeek kasu praktiko interesgarria izango dute eskuartean. Eredua aplikatuz alde operatiboan zein antolaketakoan lortutako hobekuntzen berri jasoko dute. Gainera, industri enpresa heldu batean Etengabeko Hobekuntzarako eredua arrakastaz ezartzean azaltzen diren faktore kritikoak ere adierazten dira. Etengabeko Hobekuntzarako Eredua osatzeko erabili den metodologia batetik, eta tesia landu deneko ingurunean izan duen aplikazioaren emaitzak eta ondorioak bestetik, eredugarri izan litezke prozesu produktiboen Etengabeko Hobekuntzarako Eredua ezarri nahi duen edozein industri ingurunearentzat.