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Kyaizen An Old New Quality Concept
| Guest post by: Dr. Fathi El-Nadi |
Article Overview: The Japanese word 'Kaizen' means gradual, unending improvement; doing little things better; setting - and achieving - ever-higher standards. Masaaki Imai, the author of a book with the same title in the late eighties, says that it is Kaizen that is the simple truth behind Japan's economic miracle and the real reason the Japanese have become the masters of "flexible manufacturing" technology - the ability to adapt manufacturing processes to changing customer and market requirements, and do it fast.
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Kyaizen An Old New Quality Concept
The US interpretation of Kaizen message is "do it better, make it better, improve it even if it is not broken, because if you don't, you can't compete with those who do." In other words, the key to success in sustaining quality leadership in the market is to continuously improve your products and/or any services you are offering your customers. It is amazing that all that Imai preached in his book are still valid todate. Kaizen, as discussed by the author still plays a vital role in formulating all aspects of organizational systems and processes including HR planning, customer satisfaction, team concepts, corporate culture, problem solving and conflict resolution, just-in-time production ... etc.
Kaizen strategy, as stated by Imai is the single most important concept in Japanese management-the key to Japanese competitive success. It means ongoing improvement involving everyone from top management to workers. The concept is deeply ingrained in the minds of all employees at all levels of employment that they often do not even realize that they are thinking Kaizen. Perhaps the most important difference between Japanese and Western management concepts is that Kaizen is a process oriented way of thinking, while the West's is innovation and results oriented.
In today's competitive business environment, any delay in adopting the latest technology is costly. Delays in adopting improved management techniques are no less costly. After the Second World War, numerous warnings have been issued about the increased cost of resources, stiffer competition to win customer acceptance through quality, and the need to develop more customer oriented products and services faster than ever before.
Successful companies have shown that it is possible to anticipate change and to meet the challenges while they are still manageable. Japanese companies, for example, have successfully designed, manufactured, and marketed competitive products using Kaizen strategy. Many Japanese management practices succeed simply because they are good management practices. This success has little to do with cultural factors. It is simply a management practice. That means the ways leading to it can be replicated anywhere else in the world. It it an overriding concept behind good management. A Japanese management competitive edge could be due to their systematic collaborative approach to problem solving while the West is still applying a conflict resolution approach.
Underlying the Kaizen strategy is the recognition that management must seek to satisfy the customer and serve customer needs if it is to stay in business and make a profit. another important aspect of Kaizen has been its emphasis on process. Kaizen has generated a process-oriented way of thinking, and a management system that supports and acknowledges people's process-oriented efforts for improvement.
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About the Author: Dr. Fathi El-Nadi RSS for Dr. Fathi's articles - Visit Dr. Fathi's website Click here to visit Dr. Fathi's website   Organizational Environmental Uncertainties Entrepreneurial Thinking Designing A Performance Management System Measuring the Quality of Your Hires Environmental Dimensions In Measuring Uncertainties |
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