KAIZEN - THE PROCESS
- Kaizen is a term that refers to on-going or continuous improvement.
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- The definition of kaizen comes from two Japanese words: ‘kai’ meaning ‘change’ and ‘zen’ meaning ‘good’.
- The Japanese philosophy was first introduced by Toyota back in the 1980s.
- This lean transformation encourages an improvement culture that gradually increases quality, efficiency, and profitability.
THE BENEFITS
Kaizen puts the focus back on the customer
It increases competitive advantage
It nurtures an engaged, proactive workforce
It encourages local decision making and initiative
It lets information flow smoothly
It radically improves teamwork
It leads to better creativity
It boosts productivity
BEST PRACTICES
Over recent years, the Kaizen philosophy has been widely accepted across many sectors all over the world – particularly in the production and distribution industries – and today is one of the core principles in lean supply chain management frameworks.
Following Kaizen best practices will make sure you're always achieving the most from your initiatives:
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Ask why
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Solve it together
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Reflect on progress
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Measure performance
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Go to Gemba
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Treat the cause
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Everyone should be involved
