Kaizen Episode 3
After we knew what Kaizen aim in general, and what are the synonyms of Kaizen in English and Chinese, Today we will go deeper step by step in the meaning of continuous improvement, Kaizen key elements & Kaizen concept.
The improvement process can be divided between Kaikaku "one time huge improvement" and the Kaizen "continuous progressive improvement program". The drastic improvement includes strong process improvements and it requires significant investment. But kaizen involves making small, cost-effective improvements by continuously coordinating the efforts of all of the organization's employees "workers and staff".
The Kaizen philosophy is to progressively improve and continuously change all aspects and activities of the organization for the better, but without incurring a lot of expense while making this change. What is meant is the change that is consistent with the strategy of the institution and contributes to achieve its goals.
The continuous improvement process is not limited to the industrial sector only, but also extends to include continuous improvement in personal life, home, social, and work. In industry, the concept of continuous improvement includes improving performance by reducing production losses, improving quality, and increasing productivity.
Kaizen key elements:
- Quality
- Concerted efforts
- Involvement of all employees
- Willingness to change
- Quality Circles
- Personal discipline
- Improve moral
- Teamwork
- Suggestion for improvement
The Kaizen philosophy focuses on continuous improvement so that "what we do today must be better than yesterday, and what we do tomorrow must be better than today".
Kaizen concept:
- Make a boost in focused activities and efforts for a short period
- Continuous improvement for processes and activities
- Focuses to solve specific problem
- Focuses on a specific area or process
- Managed by daily review of progress
- It aims to achieve specific improvements in a short time
- Solve problems that obstruct flow in operations
- Eliminate waste
Kaizen change methodology:
The change in the workplace (GEMBA Kaizen) raises the creative capabilities of workers and their participation in change.
Every work that is carried out can be improved, and every process that is currently taking place must contain waste, and reducing or eliminating this waste produces an added value for the process and for the customer who benefits from its output. Through Kaizen, the idea of eliminating waste in operations is the main focus of change, so Kaizen is a continuous improvement process that does not stop. Kaizen concept and applications are used at any stage of the life of any organization, regardless of its type, because it is based on the principle that there is an opportunity for improvement and development.
The conviction and commitment of the top management to change is the secret behind the success of any change, because they are the role models for the rest of the employees. They are the ones who set goals and strategies and they are the ones who provide the resources for improvement. Workers at all levels must participate in the change process, and create their desire for change for the better. Changing the work culture within the organization by leaving blame and criticism and always looking for solutions that prevent the recurrence of problems.
Begin with processes that can be easily handled to achieve rapid results that facilitate acceptance of change, support development and remember that every process can be improved. Emphasis must be placed on improving working conditions and any other factors that could support the process of change, by creating a collective feeling of desire for change, exchanging the necessary information, appreciating the participation of individuals and achieving the desired results. The goal of changing using Kaizen is to get rid of waste or waste in operations as much as possible, which leads to improvement in the time, cost and quality of the process, and this is the technical aspect of the process.