What is Kaizen?

Kaizen is a fundamental approach to creating continuous improvement. It is founded on the idea that small, ongoing, positive transitions can reap significant improvements in an organization. Kaizen is based on cooperation as well as a commitment - as it stands in contrast to various approaches that apply radical changes or top-down edicts aimed to acquire transformation. The Kaizen mission focuses on lean manufacturing. It was created in the sector of manufacturing to progressively lower defects, eliminate waste and foster employee satisfaction.

How did Kaizen Develop?

More than 35 years ago, Mr. Maasai Imai focused on establishing a book titled Kaizen, the key to Japan's competitive success. Through the book that discusses policies of Kaizen, it was discovered that it's an essential pillar of every organization's long-term success strategy. Kaizen is, therefore, indispensable to a company's business improvement when it comes to yield superior results. Not only does Kaizen mean continuing increase in home life and social life but also in working experience. When utilized in the employment sector, Kaizen enhances improvement.

Traditional Kaizen Concepts

Kaizen started right after World War II when the Toyota implemented quality circles in its entire production process. The war was influenced by the American business society as well as quality management teachers that visited the country. Therefore, a quality circle comprising of a group of workers performing the same tasks who often met to identify and then analyze and solve work-related issues formed a union. This revolutionary concept became popular in Japan. It was passed in the traditional platform that consisted of five important concepts namely teamwork, improved morale, quality, personal discipline, as well as suggestions for improvement. The five aspects of Kaizen largely contributed to three main results namely the elimination of wastes, standardization of ethical practices at work, and good housekeeping. The Kaizen concept goes ahead to poise that there is no perfect end to these activities of improvement. However, a lot can be achieved with best practices.

Contemporary Kaizen Attitudes

At the core of Kaizen is teamwork, thereby making the philosophy a team-building strategy. Cooperation is the main buzzword for all organizations. However, very few companies implement it. This implies that there's a mystery about developing a functional team. The disconnect existing in the corridors of the organizations calls for the implementation of the Kaizen policy. Therefore, managers should implement more transitions.