Continuous Improvement sebagai Strategi Peningkatan Kinerja Perusahaan: Analisis Efisiensi, Kualitas, dan Peran Sumber Daya Manusia pada PT Arwana Citramulia Tbk Periode 2021-2025

Abstract

Continuous improvement has become a central management philosophy for manufacturing firms seeking to sustain competitiveness through cost efficiency, quality enhancement, and workforce engagement. This study analyzes the implementation of continuous improvement practices and their relationship to the financial performance of PT Arwana Citramulia Tbk, a publicly listed ceramic tile manufacturer in Indonesia, over the 2021–2025 period. Using a quantitative descriptive case study approach, secondary data were obtained from the company's audited annual reports and consolidated financial statements, then analyzed through a five-year trend of financial ratios covering profitability, liquidity, and leverage, supplemented by a qualitative review of the company's documented improvement programs such as Kaizen, Plan-Do-Check-Act, Quality Control Circle, Six Sigma, Total Productive Maintenance, 5S, and lean manufacturing. The findings indicate that continuous improvement initiatives were institutionalized consistently throughout the period and contributed to measurable cost efficiency gains in the early years, reflected in rising margins and returns. However, profitability ratios declined from 2023 onward despite continued sales growth, driven primarily by weakening market demand and rising natural gas prices, while liquidity and leverage positions remained relatively stable. These results imply that continuous improvement, while essential for internal operational efficiency, is not sufficient on its own to sustain profitability when confronted with adverse external cost shocks, underscoring the need for improvement programs that explicitly target energy efficiency and supply chain resilience.