The effects of process orientation: a literature review

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to carry out a literature review of studies that have analyzed the effects of process orientation (PO). Design/methodology/approach - An examination of the literature is undertaken to review studies that report about the influence of PO on organizational performance. Studies are classified into statements without straight empirical support, quantitative studies, and case studies. Findings - A total of 26 studies are identified that report about effects of PO on organizational performance. Studies where positive effects are obtained are predominant. The effects most often reported are speed improvements, increase of customer satisfaction, improvement of quality, reduction of cost, and improvement of financial performance. Research limitations/implications - According to the results of the paper, positive effects of PO are clearly more often reported than negative effects. It might be the case that popular press and case studies tend to report positive effects more often than no (or negative) effects. This possible bias towards positive effects is an important limitation of this paper. The paper identifies a lack of quantitative studies investigating the effects of PO on organizational performance. Practical implications - The paper offers interesting implications for managers, pointing out that a process-oriented organizational design may result in a positive influence on organizational performance. Originality/value - The findings are derived from a comprehensive literature review of studies that have investigated the PO-organizational performance link. In addition, ideas for improving future research in this field are provided.