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 improvement or change.” While the two can coincide together, they do possess stark differences in their approach, vision, and subsequent results. Here is a comparison of the two:
Kaizen Continuous Improvement
- Planning and execution timeline of hours to weeks
- Smaller projects
- Smaller staff and resources required
- Faster results with small, individual contributions to the bottom line
- Tactical
Kaikaku Large-scale, radical change
- A lean initiative or event with a planning timeline of weeks to months, but execution can range from hours to weeks
- Generally larger projects
- More staff and resources required
- Results are seen slowly, however with larger, coinciding and various contributions to the bottom line
- Strategic
Both kaizen and kaikaku require a skilled, vested group of individuals that believe in the organization they are trying to improve. However, which approach your organization decides to implement will depend on their overall skill set and readiness for the change they are about to take on. The challenges both kaizen and kaikaku present are cannot be overlooked and must be addressed by management, prior to implementation.
The Challenge of Kaikaku
- Increased resources and time: The amount of resources necessary for a successful kaikaku implementation is much larger than a normal kaizen event. Senior management must be engaged in the process due to the significance of the change about to occur. This will require them to set aside other tasks and make major decisions that could ultimately decide the fate of the organization, if gone wrong.
- Takes creativity and capital: Kaikaku is supposed to lead to a revolutionary change that drastically improves the bottom line and/or value stream of the organization. This takes creative minds that can think outside the box, but also the capital to allow them to implement their creative ideas. Typically, a Lean process is supposed to do more with less, but in the case of kaikaku, it sometimes takes a little capital to provide the large scale change you’re looking for. However, the benefits are usually large with kaikaku, so the return on investment is worth it and seen faster than normal.
Swinging for the Fences
The risk/reward factor is significantly higher with kaikaku, over kaizen. If you’re a sports fan, think of baseball and the difference between a home run hitter and one that hits for a high average, with lots of base hits. The home run hitter goes up swinging for the fences every time. The reward is high because if they connect, the result is a minimum of one run for the team. The risk is that they strike out and your team now has an out for the inning. However, the one who hits for average is up there just trying to make contact and get on base. The reward is low because they may just get a single and never get further than first base, but the chances of them getting out is also low.
The baseball analogy might not click for everyone, but the point is; you can use them both to win. Baseball like all team sports, takes a team to win. Therefore, intertwining your singles and home run hitters can lead to tremendous success is done correctly. The same could be said about kaizen and kaikaku.
Teamwork
In order for your organization to have success with kaikaku, you have to appreciate the importance and value kaizen has. If not, your organization’s ability to sustain the “radical” change, may fall flat on its face. When dealt with a problem or situation that requires a revolutionary change (kaikaku) to happen, you may not always get the initial results you were looking for. However through continuous improvement (kaizen), you can continue to push towards the results you were initially looking for.
The Ten Commandments of Kaikaku
By: Hiroyuki Hirano
- Throw out the traditional concept of manufacturing methods
- Think about how the new method will work, not how it won’t work
- Don’t accept excuses; totally deny the status quo
- Don’t seek perfection; a 50% implementation rate is fine as long as it’s done on the spot
- Correct mistakes the moment they are found
- Don’t spend money on kaikaku
- Problems give you a chance to use your brains
- Ask “why” five times
- Tens person’s ideas are better than one person’s knowledge
- Kaikaku knows no limits
Additional Resources
- What is a Kaizen Event? [Planning and Execution]– creativesafetysupply.com
- Kaikaku – What Is It?– blog.creativesafetysupply.com
- 5S is Just Not For Us– 5snews.com
- 10 Commandments to Continuous Improvement– lean-news.com
- What is Kaizen?– iecieeechallenge.org
- 10 Commandments For Continuous Growth– creativesafetypublishing.com
- What is 5S and How Should We Implement It?– blog.5stoday.com
- No Problem is a Problem– jakegoeslean.com
- There is Always Two Groups of LEAN Stakeholders – Leaders and Employees Affected by the Change– aislemarking.com