Kaizen

Kaizen a Japanese term which describes approach to continuous improvement by improving in small steps, long-term, one by one. The Kaizen is based on improving, not investment. The investment in new technology doesn't solve the problems. It only replaces old, well-known problems with new, yet unknown. Sometimes investment is necessary, but it shouldn't be a first solution to choose. The Kaizen means:

KAI = CHANGE ZEN = GOOD The Kaizen is change for the better

In Kaizen the quality the aim of daily life, not only during working hours. The improvement should be gradual and infinite. It should pursue the perfection. The employees should be continuously engaged in company's life and improvement of every aspect of the company (processes, products, infrastructure, etc.). This improvement throughout all aspects of life is related to the great attention that is paid to needs and requirements of customer.

Fig. 1. Kaizen umbrella - methods and approaches used in Kaizen

Kaizen focuses on teams (quality circles), promotes teamwork and team spirit, however it also recognizes the individual contribution. It emphasizes the engagement of each worker to the concept and vision of the company, so that employees will identify themselves with the enterprise, its culture and objectives.

The important aspects of Kaizen are:

• What is wrong? not who is wrong?
• How to eliminate waste (Muda)
• How to decrease quality costs

The waste is being eliminated by empowering people with tools and provision of methodology for uncovering improvement opportunities and making small changes. This is a low cost approach, that uses simple quality control tools: Pareto, Ishikawa diagrams and PDCA cycle.

History of Kaizen method

The idea of Kaizen is stored deeply in the consciousness of Japanese. It stems from the roots of eastern philosophy. In that philosophy the most important is the way leading to excellence. The excellence itself can be out of reach, as an ideal. The success of Kaizen in Japan and other countries of the region is related to the philosophy. The problems with this idea and its methods (quality circles, commitment) in western countries become obvious when compared to the western (especially Greek) philosophy.

The history of contemporary Kaizen in production companies begins after World War II when Toyota first implemented quality circles in its production process. Quality circles were formed of workers at the production site. Taiichi Ohno, a former Executive Vice-President of Toyota Motor Company implemented Toyota Production System which aimed at system of continuous improvement in quality, technology, processes, company culture, productivity, safety and leadership. This revolutionary concept became very popular in Japan in the 50s and contributed to later success on global market.

In 1986 Masaaki Imai introduced to the Western world the Japanese term Kaizen and made it famous through his book, Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success.

10 Principles of Kaizen process

Full description of principles is presented in spearate article: Kaizen principles.

1. Say no to status quo
2. If something is wrong, correct it
3. Accept no excuses and make things happen
4. Improve everything continuously
5. Abolish old, traditional concepts
6. Be economical
7. Empower everyone to take part in problems' solving
8. Before making decisions, ask "why" five times to get to the root cause
9. Get information and opinions from multiple people
10. Remember that improvement has no limits. Never stop trying to improve

Kaizen umbrella

The Kaizen umbrella (fig. 1.) is a set of methods and approaches that describe this philosophy:

• Customer orientation - fulfilling the customers needs is our main objective
• Total Quality Control - statistical process control and other statistical tools are necessary to understand the process. Six sigma is based on TQC, it's just more American approach.
• Robotics and automation - automation can help, but it's not the ultimate solution in every problem
• Quality circles - engage your employees
• Suggestion system - everyone can suggest a change, even if he/she doesn't work in the process
• Discipline in the workplace means 5S method everywhere
• Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) allows to maximize performance of production
• Kanban methodology smooths the production processes
• Just in time (JIT) smooths cooperation with business partners
• Quality improvement is the key to success
• Zero defects is a concept of ultimate improvement, idea of Philip B. Crosby
• Small-group activities help enhance teamwork
• Cooperative relations between managers and employees improve information flow
• Productivity improvement is the effect of the program
• New product development is required to keep us in the business

Examples of Kaizen

• The Toyota Production System, which is based on the Kaizen approach, was developed to increase efficiency and reduce waste. The system involves incremental improvements to the production process, from small changes to larger, more complex changes.
• At Starbucks, they practice Kaizen by regularly asking customers for feedback on their products and services. This feedback is then used to continually improve the customer experience.
• A manufacturing company might practice Kaizen by making small changes to the production process such as using a new tool or changing the layout of the factory. These small changes can lead to significant improvements in efficiency and quality.
• A software development team might use Kaizen to make their software more user-friendly by making small, incremental changes over time. These changes could include improving the user interface, adding new features, or fixing bugs.
• A restaurant might practice Kaizen by making small changes to the menu, such as adding a new dish, changing the ingredients in a dish, or changing the presentation of a dish. These changes can help the restaurant stay competitive in a crowded market.

Advantages of Kaizen

Kaizen is a Japanese approach to continuous improvement, focused on small steps taken over a long period of time. It offers many advantages as it focuses on improvement rather than investment. The following are some of the main advantages of Kaizen:

• Kaizen encourages a culture of continuous improvement, which helps employees stay motivated and engaged in their work. It also helps to create a sense of ownership in the work process and makes employees feel valued.
• Kaizen helps to identify and eliminate the root causes of problems, rather than just treating the symptoms. This leads to long-term, sustainable solutions rather than quick fixes.
• Kaizen helps to reduce waste and improve efficiency, leading to cost savings in the long run.
• Kaizen encourages collaboration and teamwork, which helps to create a positive workplace environment.
• Kaizen is a low cost solution, as it doesn't require heavy investment.

Limitations of Kaizen

Kaizen, though an effective approach to continuous improvement, has its own limitations. These limitations include:

• The Kaizen approach relies heavily on human effort and can be difficult to sustain in the long term. It requires constant focus and commitment from everyone involved in the process.
• It can be time-consuming and costly, as it requires frequent meetings and problem-solving sessions.
• It can be difficult to measure the success of Kaizen activities, as the results may not always be visible right away.
• The Kaizen approach may not be appropriate for all types of organizations, as some may require more drastic change than what Kaizen allows.
• The Kaizen approach may not be suitable for high-risk or complex processes, as the small changes may not make a significant difference.

Other approaches related to Kaizen

Kaizen is a Japanese term used to describe the approach to continuous improvement by making small, incremental changes over time. Other approaches related to Kaizen include:

• Total Quality Management (TQM) – TQM is a management approach that focuses on quality improvement and customer satisfaction through a series of processes and procedures. It emphasizes the need for quality improvement at every stage of the production process.
• Lean Manufacturing – Lean manufacturing is a system of production that emphasizes the elimination of waste and inefficiency in order to improve product quality and reduce costs. It is based on the idea of continuous improvement and emphasizes the need to reduce cycle time.
• Six Sigma – Six Sigma is a data-driven approach to process improvement that focuses on reducing variation and defects. It uses a set of tools and techniques to identify, measure, and improve processes in order to reduce costs and increase customer satisfaction.

In summary, Kaizen is an approach to continuous improvement that focuses on small changes over time. Other related approaches include Total Quality Management, Lean Manufacturing, and Six Sigma. All of these approaches focus on reducing variation and improving quality in order to reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction.

Kaizen — recommended articles

Kaizen principles — Continuous improvement — World class manufacturing — Total Quality Management — Lean management — Toyota production system — Philip B. Crosby — Quality management — Lean software development

References

• Marksberry, P., Badurdeen, F., Gregory, B., & Kreafle, K. (2010). Management directed kaizen: Toyota's Jishuken process for management development. "Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management", No. 21(6), pp. 670-686
• Masaaki Imai, Kaizen (Ky' zen) The Key to Japan's Competitive Success, McGraw Hill, Inc., New York 1986
• Masaaki Imai, Gemba - Kaizen, A Commonsense, Low-Cost Approach to Management, McGraw Hill Companies, Inc., New York 1997
• Paul Brunet, A., & New, S. (2003). Kaizen in Japan: an empirical study. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, No. 23(12), pp. 1426-1446
• Singh, J., & Singh, H. (2009). Kaizen philosophy: a review of literature. "The Icfai University Journal of Operations Management", No. 8(2), pp. 51-72
• Definition - Kaizen Institute

Author: Magdalena Mleczkowska, Slawomir Wawak