This document compares and contrasts the modern operations management concepts of Kaizen, Lean Production, and Agile. It describes Kaizen as focusing on continuous improvement through small changes at every level. Lean builds upon Kaizen by reducing waste and non-value-added activities. Toyota and Nestle are provided as examples of successfully applying Lean and Kaizen principles. Agile was developed for software but can apply more broadly, emphasizing close collaboration, understanding timelines, and satisfying customers. Apple is highlighted for its Agile team structure and focus on user needs. Overall, the concepts aim to improve processes, meet customer expectations, and increase company competitiveness.

1. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF
MODERN CONCEPTS IN
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT:
KAIZEN, LEAN PRODUCTION, AGILE
Made by Anastasiia Shpak

2. The main characteristics of Kaizen and Lean
Production
Kaizen
 = continuous improvement
 Always exist room for improvements
 Each hierarchical level take part in
improvements
 Do it better even if everything works well
 Problems are opportunities for
improvements
 Make little changes
Lean
 Is the mindset of Kaizen
 Focuses on that activities that add value and
reduce wastes
 Process should have minimal level of wastes
or doesn`t have them at all
 Customers want to pay only for those
products that add value

3. Lean is a part of Kaizen
Toyota
 contributed to the popularization of those
concepts
 used this method since 1970s as a part of
their production system that called TPS
 each employee is searching the way of
optimization or improvement of some
processes
Nestle
 involves all employees to be sure that they
propose continuing improvements
 even small improvements should be made,
because it can bring to the big savings
 use Lean to reduce their wastes within the
company

4. Agile
 This concept was developed for software developers, but it works not only for IT industry
 The main goal of Аgile is to satisfy customers and users of a product
 According to Agile employees should:
 have close collaboration with each other;
 understand how much time the work will take;
 understand how can they do it in the best way;

5. Apple – bright example of using Аgile
 Employees work in a small teams and each member of the team is responsible for his task
 They work for users and their needs
 If they test their product and find something wrong about it, they start the process from the
beginning

6. Conclusion
 Kaizen includes Lean as an instrument to make everything better
 Agile is another concept and it was invented to satisfy users with their needs of the product
 All these concepts are used by companies to improve their working processes, to meet
customers’ expectations and create value for them
 These concepts definitely influence on competitiveness of the companies and their marketplace.

7. Thank you!