Development of the Operational Excellence Model for Manufacturing Organizations in Bangkok and the Metropolitan Region

Abstract

This study examined operational excellence among manufacturing organizations in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. The objectives were: 1) to investigate organizational characteristics and the significance of factors influencing success in achieving operational excellence; and 2) to develop a comprehensive operational excellence model. A mixed-methods approach was employed. The study population comprised 28,005 manufacturing firms, with quantitative data collected from 360 organizations and qualitative data derived from in-depth interviews with three experts. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were utilized. The findings revealed that the majority of participating organizations were medium-sized enterprises (51.90%) that had been operating for 5–10 years (41.10%), with annual revenues below 100 million baht (46.70%). Geographically, most firms were concentrated in Samut Sakhon Province (25.60%). Overall, the factors influencing operational excellence were rated as highly important. Modern technology emerged as the most critical factor, followed by efficient processes, change-oriented organizational culture, and operational leadership, respectively. The developed model consisted of five principal components: operational leadership, modern technology, organizational culture conducive to change, efficient processes, and success in creating operational excellence. The developed model shows consistency with both theory and empirical data, with operational leadership and modern technology having both direct and indirect positive effects on the success of achieving operational excellence through a culture conducive to change and effective processes, with experts confirming the model's practical suitability for implementation.