Kaizen
改善·kaizen·"change for the better"
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Kaizen is the philosophy of continuous, incremental improvement involving everyone in an organization to eliminate waste and improve processes.
Definition
Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy meaning "change for the better" that emphasizes continuous, incremental improvement through the involvement of everyone in an organization. Rather than relying on large, dramatic changes, kaizen focuses on small, daily improvements that compound over time to produce significant results. The approach recognizes that the people closest to the work are best positioned to identify and implement improvements, making it both a philosophy and a practical method for engaging entire workforces in problem-solving.
Examples
At an electronics assembly plant, operators noticed they were walking 15 feet to retrieve components for each unit. Through a kaizen suggestion, they repositioned the parts bins at the workstation, eliminating 200 feet of walking per hour and reducing assembly time by 8%. This small change, multiplied across 50 operators, saved 400 labor hours monthly.
Key Points
- Kaizen involves everyone from executives to frontline workers in identifying and implementing improvements
- Small improvements made consistently produce greater long-term results than occasional large changes
- The PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) provides the scientific method for testing and validating improvements
- Kaizen requires a culture where problems are seen as opportunities, not failures to be hidden
Common Misconceptions
Kaizen is just a suggestion box program. While suggestions are part of kaizen, true kaizen involves structured problem-solving, experimentation, and implementation—not just collecting ideas. Suggestions without action and follow-through undermine the philosophy.
Kaizen means making things cheaper. Kaizen aims to eliminate waste and improve value for customers, which may reduce costs but focuses first on quality, safety, and effectiveness. Cost reduction is an outcome, not the primary goal.