The conceptual model of continuous improvement teamworking in retail banking operations: A mixed method
Creators: name: Kissoon, Suryadeo
Publisher: name: RMIT University
Year: 2024

description: The thesis studied the development and implementation of the conceptual Continuous Improvement Teamworking (CIT) Model for strategic performance improvement in retail banking operations. The investigation using of a dominant qualitative to a Less-dominant quantitative approach as a mixed-method strategy revealed the importance of the CIT Model realised through the CTIO (Concern-Task-Interaction-Outcome) Problem-Solving Cycle. The CTIO Cycle is a variant form of the traditional Deming-Shewhart PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Action) Cycle. <br><br>With deregulation through financial reforms (FSRA Act) banking organizations are facing increased competition in the retail banking supply chain. There has been a new form and type of hybrid teamworking approach with banking organizations becoming virtual enterprises with sophistication of the financial management system and technological know how. With virtual meetings and interactive electronic communication people at work above their normal routine face-to-face teamworking activities are also having meetings, communication and sharing of information through a modernized Continuous Improvement Teamworking Approach using traditional teamworking, virtual team working (e-teamwork) and continuous improvement. <br><br>In the mixed-method strategy used, the participant observation performed for 12 months in the retail banking operations confirmed the model. The two case studies implemented the CTIO Cycle with team members in two retail banking operations justified its problem-solving methodology to achieve strategic performance improvement of two key performance measures (sales referrals and customer satisfaction). The model tested in the two retail banking operations yielded desired and significant improvement. The 29 face-to-face interviews with managers using content analysis evaluated the validity of the model, and eventually the personal survey (149 questionnaires) with staff confirmed the reliability of the model. By doing the dominant qualitative research first, many hidden details and crucial parameters of the CIT Model were properly discovered by the researcher being closer to the scene. This would not have been successfully achieved if a quantitative methodology was firstly used. <br><br>The findings provide insight into the triangulation of the knowledge domains of Continuous Improvement, teamworking and virtual teamworking from an integrated retail supply chain management perspective. The CIT Model is becoming increasingly important due to severe competition, economic down turn, increasing wave of technological know-how and quality information system. Considering the negative aspects of virtual teamworking, face-to-face teamworking is still being used with virtual interaction media. The research confirmed that teamworking in a modern service environment requires the use of both face-to-face and virtual interactions to deliver strategic productive performance of their retail supply chain.<br><br>Thus, this study contributed for more than 29 papers with the Best Refereed Paper Award by the PhD Candidate at the Association of Qualitative Research (AQR) International Biennual Conference and two other awards from industry. This research is important to senior managers and first-line managers in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of teamwork as well as the overall operational activities of their businesses facing increasing competition, economic downturn, paradigm shift to e-Human Resources Management, e-quality management, e-Supply Chain Management, demanding customers for information system quality, and widespread waves of technology-driven innovations in information and communication technologies (ICT) in the retail banking supply chain.