Misconceptions and Imperfections
with Kaizen
Improvements only happen when things are done right, so an improper implementation of kaizen does little good. It takes dedication, commitment, and an underlying understanding to implement kaizen properly.
One common misconception is that "kaizen only works in Japan," or some line of similar ilk. Kaizen is based on the Training Within Industry program, one developed and deployed to great success within the United States - in other words, kaizen has worked around the world.
Ricardo Recht and Celeste Wilderom, from the Department of Business Administration at Tilburg University, concluded that kaizen is "less depending on a national culture than on the organizational culture," and this cannot be stressed enough.
Kaizen needs to be supported from the bottom up and from the top down - it is a long term process, not a one time event.
Kaizen is largely self-motivated. Because it's driven by individual input and execution, company results can vary. A business with everyone on board and commited to continual improvement will see greater benefits than that business whose kaizen efforts are spearheaded by just a select few and disregarded by everyone else..
Kaizen works as much as you want it to. If you want a brief surge in productivity followed by a slow return to normal, a one time event is perfect for you. But, if you want to radically transform how you do business, to improve productivity by 7000%, then you must view kaizen implementation as a process - one with small beginnings.
One way to ensure continual implementation of suggestions is by labeling the improvements. Make it clear to workers what the new policy is, this way no one forgets and its easy to rapidly adjust to changes.
Attention to detail, long term commitment, and support from all levels are all necessary to kaizen your business.
The results, they're worth it.
Implementing Kaizen | Labeling | Kaizen Misconceptions | Kaizen Successes | What is Kaizen?
|