Continuous Improvement initiatives are diverse, encompassing, amongst others, lean management, six sigma, TPM and TQM. Striking is that the Continuous Improvement literature focuses mainly on the transformation process itself, with little attention given to its outcome. This study addresses this gap by examining the characteristics of organizations after the continuous improvement transformation. A review of scientific papers and management books yielded eight elements characterizing a continuous improvement organization. These elements were described using 25 main characteristics, thus bringing clarity to academics and practitioners about the definition and attributes of becoming a continuous improvement organization.