JOURNAL ARTICLE

4 Capabilities that Drive Operational Improvement.

  • Published In: Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2026. P. 1 1 of 3

  • Database: Business Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: M., Vijaya Sunder; Linderman, Kevin 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on four cumulative capabilities—Discover, Improve, Align, and Transform—that drive sustained operational improvement and competitive advantage in organizations. Based on multi-year research across global banks and healthcare firms, it finds that firms developing these capabilities sequentially outperform those relying on isolated operational excellence practices. Discover involves sensing inefficiencies and market trends; Improve emphasizes continuous learning and process enhancement; Align connects improvements to long-term strategy; and Transform institutionalizes agility to adapt business models amid market changes. The study concludes that operational excellence is most effective when these capabilities are integrated into a capability-building system rather than pursued as standalone initiatives. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Harvard Business Review Digital Articles. 2026/03, p1
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Business and Management
  • Publication Date:2026
  • Accession Number:192612717
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