<![CDATA[Continuous Improvement (CI) has become a critical management philosophy for achieving sustainable competitiveness in manufacturing industries. However, despite its widespread adoption, many CI initiatives fail due to humanârelated barriers that hinder implementation at the organizational level. This study aims to identify and analyze the key human factors that impede CI implementation in Indonesian manufacturing industries and to explore strategies for overcoming these challenges. Using a qualitative exploratory design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 manufacturing practitioners and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal seven major human-related inhibitors to successful CI implementation: complacency, misperception, irritability, individualism, work rigidity, frustration, and stress. Â Collectively, these factors erode motivation, weaken collaborative capabilities, and intensify resistance to organizational change, which in turn restricts organizational learning and performance enhancement. The results corroborate existing literature emphasizing the significance of human and cultural aspects in sustaining CI initiatives. To address these barriers, the study highlights the importance of fostering a supportive organizational culture that promotes psychological safety, teamwork, and incremental learning through the Kaizen philosophy. Management interventions should focus on strengthening human engagement, realistic goal setting, and reward mechanisms that value collective effort and continuous learning.This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on CI by providing an in-depth understanding of the human dimension of continuous improvement in developing-country manufacturing contexts. The findings offer both theoretical enrichment and practical guidance for leaders seeking to cultivate sustainable CI cultures driven by people rather than processes.]]>
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