The Dual Nature of KAIZEN
Kaizen (Continuous Improvement - Everyone, Everywhere, Everyday) is a strategy where employees at all levels of a company work together proactively to achieve regular, incremental improvements to the manufacturing process. It creates a culture of continuous improvement where all employees are actively engaged in improving the company.
THE DUAL NATURE OF KAIZEN
Kaizen is part action plan and part philosophy.
· As an action plan, Kaizen is about organizing events focused on improving specific areas within the company. These events involve teams of employees at all levels, with an especially strong emphasis on involving shop floor employees.
· As a philosophy, Kaizen is about building a culture where all employees are actively engaged in suggesting and implementing improvements to the company. In truly lean companies, it becomes a natural way of thinking for both managers and shop floor employees.
Kaizen is part action plan and part philosophy. Consistent application of Kaizen as an action plan develops Kaizen as a philosophy.
Kaizen as an action plan:
A typical Kaizen event follows the method referred to as PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, and Act). PDCA brings a scientific approach to making improvements:
- Plan (develop a hypothesis)
- Do (run experiment)
- Check (evaluate results)
- Act (refine your experiment; then start a new cycle)
Kaizen as a philosophy:
Kaizen as an action plan is exactly what develops Kaizen as a philosophy. When Kaizen is applied as an action plan through a consistent and sustained program of successful Kaizen events, it creates long-term value by developing the culture that is needed for truly effective continuous improvement.