Examining the impact of enablers on green lean six sigma benefits in the Malaysian wastewater treatment sector: a pilot study

Manufacturing industries have increasingly recognized the value of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) not only for improving productivity but also for enhancing sustainability. LSS has also gained popularity in the service sector, prompting the exploration of enablers supporting its adoption in environmental services. This study aims to investigate the relationship between Green LSS enablers and operational benefits (OB) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Malaysia. The study examines five independent variables (IVs): strategic-based enablers (S), environmental-based enablers (Env), culture-based enablers (C), resource-based enablers (R), and linkage-based enablers (L), in relation to the dependent variable (DV) of OB. Data was collected from 65 certified competent personnel working in WWTPs and analyzed using validity, reliability, factor analysis, and multiple linear regression. The results indicate that the IVs significantly predict OB when the p-value is below the 5% threshold. This suggests that the factors examined have a significant impact on WWTP operational benefits. Furthermore, the R2 value of 0.390 indicates that the model explains 39% of the variance in OB. Specifically, the variables S and C significantly support the hypotheses, while Env, R, and L do not significantly influence OB. These findings provide valuable insights for the wastewater service sector in improving their understanding and implementation of Green LSS to enhance operational performance in a developing country, Malaysia.