Identification of relations between Continuous Improvement and Innovation of products and processes: a systematic literature review

Continuous Improvement (CI) and Innovation of products and processes generate competitive advantage for organizations, whether in relation to the cost or differentiation. Both CI and Innovation must be managed to ensure the desired results. The literature points out the necessity of coexistence of CI and Innovation, and the authors affirm that these should be aligned and developing a collaborative role. However, there is a theoretical gap about which relationships enable the desired interaction and collaboration between CI and Innovation. A Systematic Literature Review was used in order to identify and analyze the relations that specifically demonstrate connections between CI and Innovation. Based on the articles reviewed, it was possible to lay out the main relationships, pointing out the main management practices that sustain each relationship and other relevant information. The results showed relationships of different scopes, but these are not widely exploited, and gaps were identified for future research.

Systematic literature review; Continuous Improvement; Innovation; Relationships between Continuous Improvement and Innovation