This document provides an overview of Kaizen, a Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement. Kaizen focuses on making small, incremental changes to processes in order to gradually improve quality, productivity, safety and efficiency. It emphasizes engaging all employees in improvement efforts and relies on their wisdom rather than large capital investments. Popular Kaizen initiatives include 5S, Lean, quality circles and suggestion schemes. Kaizen thinking stresses questioning current practices and seeking continuous improvements without excuses or perfection. When applied systematically throughout an organization, Kaizen has helped Japanese companies fine-tune products and manufacturing processes to achieve high quality, low costs and enhanced productivity.

1. KAIZEN
A presentation by
THE SOCIETY
OF
STATISTICAL QUALITY CONTROL ENGINEERS
BHOPAL

2. KAIZENKAIZEN

3. KAI – ChangeKAI – Change
ZENZEN – Good– Good
KAIZEN is change for theKAIZEN is change for the
betterbetter

4. Why changeWhy change
Change is key to KAIZEN.Change is key to KAIZEN. To adopt KAIZENTo adopt KAIZEN
means to be ever willing to change, for if youmeans to be ever willing to change, for if you
don’t, you surrender yourself and your marketdon’t, you surrender yourself and your market
to those who do.to those who do.

5. KAIZEN: Broad DefinitionKAIZEN: Broad Definition
KAIZEN isKAIZEN is a means of continuous improvement ina means of continuous improvement in
personal life, home life, social life and working life.personal life, home life, social life and working life.
At the workplace, KAIZEN means continuousAt the workplace, KAIZEN means continuous
improvement involving everyone-managers andimprovement involving everyone-managers and
workers alike. The KAIZEN involves everyone in anworkers alike. The KAIZEN involves everyone in an
organization working together to make improvementsorganization working together to make improvements
without large capital investments.without large capital investments.
- Masaaki Imai- Masaaki Imai

6. KAIZEN FocusKAIZEN Focus
 KAIZEN focuses on small improvements,KAIZEN focuses on small improvements,
continuously and all aroundcontinuously and all around
 KAIZEN does not demand huge investments.KAIZEN does not demand huge investments.
It relies on wisdom of the employees.It relies on wisdom of the employees.
 KAIZEN should start from Gemba (the placeKAIZEN should start from Gemba (the place
where real work takes place).where real work takes place).

7. .
IMPROVEMENT
INNOVATION
Breakthrough improvements involving
change in technology/design.
KAIZEN
Small incremental improvements

8. KAIZEN Vs INNOVATIONKAIZEN Vs INNOVATION
KAIZEN INNOVATION
OBJECTIVE Improvement in the existing
facilities
Scrap and rebuild
INVOLVEMENT Everybody Select few “champions”
TIME FRAME Continuous and incremental Intermittent
PACE Small steps Big steps
SPARK Conventional know-how Technological breakthrough,
new inventions, new theories
etc.
REQUIREMENTS Requires little investment but
great efforts
Requires large investments

9. KAIZEN Vs INNOVATIONKAIZEN Vs INNOVATION
(Contd.)(Contd.)
KAIZEN INNOVATION
EVALUATION
CRITERIA
Focus on efforts as well as
results
Focus on results /profits
APPLICABILITY Works well in slow growing
economy
Better suited to fast growing
economy
CHANGE Gradual and constant Abrupt
EFFECT Long term and long lasting
but undramatic
Short term but dramatic

11. POPULAR KAIZEN INITIATIVESPOPULAR KAIZEN INITIATIVES
INITIATIVE OBJECTIVE INVOLVEMENT
5-S Clean and orderly workplace All employees
LEAN Waste elimination All employees
Quality
Circle Projects
Improvement in quality/
productivity/ safety etc. Grassroots employees
Suggestion
Scheme
Improvement in quality/
productivity/ safety etc.
All employees

12. KAIZEN IN THE HIERARCHYKAIZEN IN THE HIERARCHY
(Manufacturing organisation)(Manufacturing organisation)
LEVEL KAIZEN AREA
Top Management Improvement in policies
Middle Management Improvement in systems and procedures
Junior Management/ Engineers Improvement in product design,
Improvement in manufacturing processes
Workers Improvement in manufacturing processes,
poka yoke (mistake proofing),
5-S (Improvement in upkeep, storage,
self-discipline etc at the work place.)

13. KAIZEN IN THE HIERARCHYKAIZEN IN THE HIERARCHY
(Non- manufacturing organisation)(Non- manufacturing organisation)
LEVEL KAIZEN AREA
Top Management Improvement in policies
Middle Management Re - engineering of business processes
Junior Management/ first line
executives
Improvement in the existing business
processes
Assistants/ grassroots
employees
Improvement in the existing business
processes, poka yoke (mistake proofing),
5-S (Improvement in upkeep, storage,
self-discipline etc at the work place.)

14. DEVELOPINGDEVELOPING KAIZEN THINKINGKAIZEN THINKING
1.1. Do not hesitate in discarding conventional ideas.Do not hesitate in discarding conventional ideas.
2. Think of how to do it, not why it cannot be done.2. Think of how to do it, not why it cannot be done.
3. Do not make excuses. Question current practices.3. Do not make excuses. Question current practices.
4. Do not seek perfection. Do it right away, if you are sure it is going4. Do not seek perfection. Do it right away, if you are sure it is going
to cause improvement.to cause improvement.
5. If you make a mistake, correct it immediately.5. If you make a mistake, correct it immediately.
6. Do not spend money for6. Do not spend money for KAIZEN, use your wisdom.KAIZEN, use your wisdom.
7. Wisdom emerges in the face of adversity.7. Wisdom emerges in the face of adversity.
8. To seek the root cause of all your problems, ask ‘Why’8. To seek the root cause of all your problems, ask ‘Why’ five times.five times.
9. Seek the wisdom of ten people rather than the knowledge of one.9. Seek the wisdom of ten people rather than the knowledge of one.
10. KAIZEN ideas are infinite.10. KAIZEN ideas are infinite.

15. THE KAIZEN SUCCESS STORYTHE KAIZEN SUCCESS STORY
It is interesting that majority of inventions/new productIt is interesting that majority of inventions/new product
developments took place in the west, but these productsdevelopments took place in the west, but these products
were “fine tuned” and brought to the level of perfection inwere “fine tuned” and brought to the level of perfection in
Japan. It all happened due to KAIZEN efforts of JapaneseJapan. It all happened due to KAIZEN efforts of Japanese
workforce, engineers and managers. While designworkforce, engineers and managers. While design
engineers constantly improved the design, manufacturingengineers constantly improved the design, manufacturing
engineers and workers together improved theengineers and workers together improved the
manufacturing processes to eliminate defects. The resultmanufacturing processes to eliminate defects. The result
was mass production of high quality products withwas mass production of high quality products with
enhanced productivity and low cost.enhanced productivity and low cost.

16. THANKSTHANKS