| Continuous Improvement |
Articles about Kaizen |
Information AboutContinuous Improvement |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT KAIZEN | |
| business terms | |
| management | |
| japanese business terms | |
| lean concepts | |
|
Kaizen (改善, Japanese for "change for the better" or "improvement"; the English translation is "continuous improvement" or "continual improvement"). In the context of this article, Kaizen refers to a workplace 'quality' strategy and is often associated with the Toyota Production System and related to various quality-control systems, including methods of W. Edwards Deming . Kaizen aims to eliminate waste (as defined by Joshua Isaac Walters "activities that add cost but do not add value"). It is often the case that this means "to take it apart and put back together in a better way." This is then followed by standardization of this 'better way' with others, through standardized work. INTRODUCTION Kaizen is a daily activity whose purpose goes beyond improvement. It is also a process that, when done correctly, humanizes the workplace, eliminates overly hard work (both mental and physical), and teaches people how to perform experiments using the Scientific Method and how to learn to spot and eliminate waste in business processes. Kaizen must operate with three principles in place: process and results (not results-only); Systemic Thinking (i.e. big picture, not solely the narrow view); and non-judgmental, non-blaming (because blaming is wasteful). People at all levels of an organization participate in kaizen, from the CEO down, as well as external Stakeholder s when applicable. The format for kaizen can be individual, suggestion system, small group, or large group. In Toyota it is usually a local improvement within a workstation or local area and involves a small group in improving their own work environment and productivity. Whilst Kaizen (in Toyota) usually delivers small improvements the culture of continual small improvements and standardisation yields large results in a form of compound productivity improvement. Hence the English translation of Kaizen can be: "continuous improvement", or "continual improvement." The "zen" in Kaizen emphasizes the Learn-by-doing aspect of improving production. This philosophy differs from the "command-and-control" improvement programs of the mid-twentieth century. Kaizen methodology includes making changes and monitoring results, then adjusting. Large-scale pre-planning and extensive project scheduling are replaced by smaller experiments, which can be rapidly adapted as new improvements are suggested. TRANSLATION The original Kanji characters for this word are: In Japanese this is pronounced 'kaizen'. 改 ('kai') KAI means 'change' or 'the action to correct' or 'big water' - 'the ocean' 善 ('zen') ZEN means 'good'. In Chinese this is pronounced 'gai shan': 改善 ('gǎi shàn') means 'change for the better' or 'improve'. 改 ('gǎi') means 'change' or 'the action to correct'. 善 ('shàn') means 'good' or 'benefit'. 'Benefit' is more related to the Taoist or Buddhist philosophy, which gives the definition as the action that 'benefits' the society but not one particular individual (i.e. multilateral improvement). In other words, one cannot benefit at another's expense. The quality of benefit that is involved here should be sustained forever, in other words the 'shan' is an act that truly benefits others. HISTORY In Japan, after World War II , American occupation forces brought in American experts in statistical control methods and who were familiar with the War Department's Training Within Industry (TWI) training programs to restore a war-torn nation. TWI programs included Job Instruction (standard work) and Job Methods (process improvement). In conjunction with the Shewhart Cycle taught by W. Edwards Deming , and other statistics-based methods taught by Joseph M. Juran , these became the basis of the kaizen revolution in JapanThe Roots of Lean: Training within Industry - the origin of Kaizen, Jim Huntzinger, AME, Target Volume 18 No 1, First Quarter 2002, p 13 that took place in the 1950s. IMPLEMENTATION The Toyota Production System is known for kaizen, where all line personnel are expected to stop their moving production line in case of any abnormality and, along with their supervisor, suggest an improvement to resolve the abnormality which may initiate a kaizen. The cycle of kaizen activity can be defined as: standardize an operation -> measure the standardized operation (find cycle time and amount of in-process inventory) -> gauge measurements against requirements -> innovate to meet requirements and increase productivity -> standardize the new, improved operations -> continue cycle ''ad infinitum''. This is also known as the Shewhart Cycle , Deming cycle, or PDCA. Masaaki Imai made the term famous in his book, ''Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success''. SEE ALSO
REFERENCES
EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|