The Influence of Plan–Do–Check–Act Cycle Toward Program Sustainability in Advancing Continuous Improvement Among Village Officials in Garut Regency

The sustainability of village government programs is essential for achieving effective local governance and supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Continuous improvement practices, particularly the Plan–Do–Check–Act (PDCA) cycle, have been widely recognized as mechanisms for enhancing organizational performance; however, their influence on program sustainability in village public administration remains underexplored. This study investigates the influence of the PDCA cycle on program sustainability among village officials in Garut Regency, Indonesia. A quantitative explanatory design was employed using a pilot survey of 55 village officials. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire measuring the four dimensions of the PDCA cycle and the eight dimensions of program sustainability adapted from the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool (PSAT). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression in IBM SPSS Statistics 26. The results reveal that the PDCA cycle has a significant positive influence on all dimensions of program sustainability, including political support, funding stability, partnerships, organizational capacity, program evaluation, program adaptation, communications, and strategic planning (all p < .001). The strongest effects were observed on funding stability and strategic planning. These findings demonstrate that systematic implementation of the PDCA cycle strengthens organizational capacities required to sustain village development programs. The study contributes to the literature by extending the application of 1 sector organizations to adopt management approaches that support continuous organizational improvement and long-term program sustainability (Taraza et al., 2023). Public institutions are increasingly expected not only to achieve immediate performance targets but also to ensure that public programs remain effective, adaptable, and capable of generating enduring benefits for society (Neo et al., 2023). These expectations are reflected in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16, which promotes effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels (Kohsaka & Rogel, 2021).

Plan–Do–Check–Act (PDCA); Program Sustainability; Continuous Improvement; Village Government; Village Officials;

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