Kaizen is basically a process which helps improve a business. Many of the departments like accounting, human resources, business planning, marketing, executive management, manufacturing and customer services can be greatly affected by it. When businesses properly initiate and deploy the kaizen process they witness a growth of efficiencies in almost in every section and process of their business over time. Businesses manage to save money by eliminating waste, hence increasing their profits.
However, be warned – if employees are not aware of Kaizen, you will not see much change, as Kaizen has to permeate the entire business to be effective and to create any lasting results.
Kaizen has its alternative twin which can also create profound results and has proven itself to be a highly effective tool; the Kanban System. As with Kaizen, proper implementation and usage can eliminate waste and curtail operational cost. Kanban, undoubtedly, is a tool worth considering tool as it makes use of both push and pull policies in order to improve management over your businesses workflow. Kanban helps equally well in achieving the employee’s trust which results in an overall better outcome and higher work quality. Either way, the production or service goals of the company are generally achieved much easier after utilizing these two efficiency philosophies. Kaizen products will allow most companies to witnesses tremendous decreases in operational cost over time.
Kaizen has two other alternatives to offer; Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) and Modular Function Deployment (MFD). The business strategy behind BPR is to continue developing and implementing re-engineering strategies until they have achieved large gains in ethical, effective working environments as well as larger, overall profits. BPR works strictly via processing of data, to attain material and financial results. As well, it touches on core decisions related to the business process, both streamlining as well as creating a more workable condition along the way. It helps in maximizing the use of available resources and ensures that profits are constantly increasing.
MFD, on the other hand, deals with the inception and creation of the best possible product design. It begins with the development stage and continues on into the final stage of product development. The goal of MFD is to effectively deliver the product to the targeted audience and to ensure their satisfaction with the product. Along with managing product design, it also maintains strict control over brand image, customer requirements and product strategy.
Kaizen Concept
Going Lean: Push vs Pull Production
2 min read Lean manufacturing aims to eliminate wastes and improve productivity, primarily by operating on a pull system known as just-in-time (JIT) production. The JIT method is opposite to push systems on the spectrum of supply chain management and can often be the barrier for a company going Lean. In a push system, production is scheduled to meet the forecasted rate of demand. Also known as mass production, the push method has been around for centuries and …
What is Kaikaku?
3 min read When most people think of Lean ideologies and methodologies, they think of kaizen and continuous improvement first. However as one moves deeper into Lean, you begin to add new vocabulary and processes to your Lean tool bag. Today’s word of the day: kaikaku. Most that know or have heard of kaizen think of it as a slow continuous improvement that is necessary to sustain a successful operation. Kaikaku, on the other hand, translates to “radical …
Vocoli Takes Suggestion Box To New Level
3 min read Has Vocoli saved the suggestion box? The traditional suggestion box has long been thought of as a thing of the past. The dusty wood box that no one can usually find, sitting with a couple of broken pencils and some half doodled pieces of paper, has been in desperate need of an upgrade for years. Vocoli, a product of a Brighton-based Web development firm Massachusetts Technology Corp, was launched in September and is attempting change …
Hansei 101
3 min read We are reminded time and time again (and rightfully so), Lean is about culture. It is a crucial part and in most cases, the backbone of any Lean organization. A culture that believes in continuous improvement and practices what they preach day in and day out, is the key to sustaining Lean. What’s less talked about, is what goes into a culture that allows it to gain the strength needed to sustain an organization’s Lean …
Money Can’t Buy Continuous Improvement
3 min read Money Can’t Buy Me… Money can buy a lot of things. Those with and without money, have various opinions on happiness, love and the power that wealth brings. Throughout time, money has allowed individuals and organizations to do both good and bad with their financial power. However, there are somethings in life and business that simply have no price tag. From the outside looking in, the success of continuous improvement (Kaizen) is often mistaken for …
Jishuken 101
3 min read What is Jishuken? For those that work in a Lean inspired organization, the term “kaizen” is one of the more popular terms heard when someone talks about improvement. Kaizen though, is more of a philosophy than an actual activity. Jishuken however, is an actual activity within the kaizen philosophy that is driven by management and involves identifying specific areas in need of continuous improvement. An easy way to think of jishuken is to think of …
Kaizen Process
Continuous Improvement Tools
2 min read To achieve success with Kaizen – the Japanese philosophy of change for the better – it’s beneficial to adopt some of the tools in the continuous improvement toolbox. Kaizen Newspaper A kaizen newspaper is a document that lists current ideas, problems, solutions, and responsible parties. The newspaper is usually in spreadsheet or chart format and it is posted so everyone can see it. The document also indicates which phase of the PDCA cycle an idea …
Going Lean: Push vs Pull Production
2 min read Lean manufacturing aims to eliminate wastes and improve productivity, primarily by operating on a pull system known as just-in-time (JIT) production. The JIT method is opposite to push systems on the spectrum of supply chain management and can often be the barrier for a company going Lean. In a push system, production is scheduled to meet the forecasted rate of demand. Also known as mass production, the push method has been around for centuries and …
5 Tips for Kaizen Continuous Improvement
5 min read Implement Kaizen Continuous Improvement in 5 Steps or Less Kaizen, the Japanese term underlying the concept of “continuous improvement,” continues to dominate work flow theory and the training that improvement professionals receive when they look for ways to bring their charges ‘to the next level’. Of course, the traditional tools and teachings of Kaizen are time-proven and ultimately brilliant in their own right, but there are undoubtedly other factors that can influence the effectiveness of …
SDCA Cycle for LEAN
3 min read SDCA (Standardize, Do, Check, and Act) with LEAN principles. The SDCA cycle is simply a refinement of the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, and Act) cycle. The goal of both processes is to stabilize production. Many companies use this process to improve their product or service. Here is what your company may want to know about this process. 1. LEAN Marketing with SDCA Marketing cycles can be improved with iterative processes. Customer value is most often …
Jishuken 101
3 min read What is Jishuken? For those that work in a Lean inspired organization, the term “kaizen” is one of the more popular terms heard when someone talks about improvement. Kaizen though, is more of a philosophy than an actual activity. Jishuken however, is an actual activity within the kaizen philosophy that is driven by management and involves identifying specific areas in need of continuous improvement. An easy way to think of jishuken is to think of …
A Kaizen Story
3 min read When a large manufacturing plant in Iowa decided to implement Kaizen into their facilities they had plenty of questions and hurdles to overcome. The organization, which produces agricultural and construction-related equipment saw the continuous improvement process known as Kaizen as a means to improve business. The process for them didn’t come easy and creating a sustainable process became a challenge, but a Kaizen story like any story, is always good to review. The following information …
Kaizen Philosophy
Continuous Improvement Tools
2 min read To achieve success with Kaizen – the Japanese philosophy of change for the better – it’s beneficial to adopt some of the tools in the continuous improvement toolbox. Kaizen Newspaper A kaizen newspaper is a document that lists current ideas, problems, solutions, and responsible parties. The newspaper is usually in spreadsheet or chart format and it is posted so everyone can see it. The document also indicates which phase of the PDCA cycle an idea …
Going Lean: Push vs Pull Production
2 min read Lean manufacturing aims to eliminate wastes and improve productivity, primarily by operating on a pull system known as just-in-time (JIT) production. The JIT method is opposite to push systems on the spectrum of supply chain management and can often be the barrier for a company going Lean. In a push system, production is scheduled to meet the forecasted rate of demand. Also known as mass production, the push method has been around for centuries and …
Kaizen Case Study: Siemens Oostkamp
2 min read Siemens Oostkamp produces electronic components such as relays, connectors, and coils. The combination of fewer orders from their parent company and increasingly intense global competition forced them to look for new markets. On his first tour of the plant, the kaizen consultant asked the supervisors if specific information was available, such as failure rate or setup times, and the answer was always, “It’s in the computer.” But when asked to retrieve it, no one ever …
Focus on Better Decisions Rather than Workflow Improvement
3 min read Ongoing improvement in any industry is essential for the success of a business. When companies, or even individual facilities, become stagnant, their competition can quickly overtake them. With this in mind, it is important for all companies, and the individuals who make them up, should always be trying to make improvements. In many facilities, the main focus is on workflow improvement. Things like adjusting the way a particular part is made, for example, can decrease …
What is Kaikaku?
3 min read When most people think of Lean ideologies and methodologies, they think of kaizen and continuous improvement first. However as one moves deeper into Lean, you begin to add new vocabulary and processes to your Lean tool bag. Today’s word of the day: kaikaku. Most that know or have heard of kaizen think of it as a slow continuous improvement that is necessary to sustain a successful operation. Kaikaku, on the other hand, translates to “radical …
Communication Needs Feedback
4 min read Building a culture for your Lean processes to thrive on can be very difficult without the right tools and skills within the population of your facility. Lean is no different than safety or any other process your organization implements, it takes a culture that believes and thrives on the ideas your processes are founded on. Behind every culture though, is the understanding and appreciation for communication. Successful communication is made up of key ingredients, one …
