Final answer:
Process improvements are key factors that often lead to simultaneous advancements in quality, cost-saving, and productivity within businesses. These enhancements can occur during organizational changes like mergers or as a result of technological innovations. Modernization, while linked to systemic improvements, has faced criticism for its Western-centric viewpoint.
Step-by-step explanation:
Process improvements often drive simultaneous improvements in quality, cost, and productivity. This principle can be observed in various cases, such as when corporations undergo mergers or acquisitions, leading to a streamlining of processes that may include downsizing but aim to enhance efficiency and reduce redundancy. Similarly, when organizations structure themselves to be more team-oriented, delegating tasks to groups comprising diverse expertise, they seek to harness this approach to improve quality, cost management, and productivity, albeit with mixed results as teams don't always guarantee improved productivity.
Furthermore, technological changes also play a pivotal role in productivity by allowing for both invention and innovation. For instance, the creation of the transistor revolutionized the electronic industry, leading to a substantial leap in labor productivity by enabling the development of smaller devices that optimize workers' performance.
In the context of social change, aspects like modernization, driven by technology and social institutions, also align with the idea that systemic changes can drive improvements. However, it's important to factor in that modernization is not universally seen as positive, with critiques on its Western-centric narrative.