Organisational culture traits and the practitioner-reported Kaizen mindset of shop-floor employees: a correlational study in a Sri Lankan apparel conglomerate

Purpose This study aims to examine the associations between the four organisational culture traits in Denison’s model (Involvement, Consistency, Adaptability and Mission) and the practitioner-reported Kaizen mindset of shop-floor employees in a Sri Lankan apparel manufacturing conglomerate. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted across 34 manufacturing strategic business units within a leading apparel conglomerate. The sample comprised 132 Lean/Kaizen practitioners selected as knowledgeable respondents. Organisational culture was measured using 57 items rated on a five-point scale and adapted from Denison-based scales, while Kaizen mindset was assessed using 18 items derived from the organisation’s Operations System Handbook. The data were analysed using reliability analysis, descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis. Findings All four culture traits were significantly associated with the practitioner-reported Kaizen mindset (p < 0.001). Adaptability showed the strongest positive association (r = 0.732), followed by Involvement (r = 0.671) and Mission (r = 0.604), whereas Consistency showed a negative association (r = −0.393). Practical implications The findings provide diagnostic insights that may help practitioners examine participation, learning, customer focus, strategic alignment and potentially restrictive approval or consensus requirements. Originality/value The study provides multi-plant evidence from an emerging-economy apparel context and clearly distinguishes between the practitioners who provided the assessments and the shop-floor employees whose Kaizen mindset was assessed.