Kaizen
is a method of improving business operations that rests at the
core of the Lean Enterprise system. Balanced Enterprise Solutions
introduces Kaizen to your business, and then teaches business
management how to ensure Kaizen becomes standard protocol in the
workplace.
A typical
Kaizen event evaluates the Value Stream in its current state (of
a specific area of the operation). With the assistance of a team
of employees, Kaizen changes the current VS state to a “future
Value Stream state” by eliminating waste, increasing production
speed, and increasing the reliability of the process. A definition
of the word Kaizen in its native language (Japanese) is "to
take it apart and put back together in a better way." What
is taken apart is usually a process, system, product, or service.
Kaizen often
takes place one small step at a time, hence the English translation:
“continuous improvement.” However, radical changes
for the sake of goals such as "just in time," need the
full support of upper level management to succeed. Goals for kaizen
workshops are set very high; there are countless examples of drastic
process improvements that serve as proof of their practicality.
The
cycle of kaizen activity can be defined as:
- standardize
an operation
- measure
the standardized operation (find cycle time and amount of in-process
inventory)
- gauge
measurements against requirements
- innovate
to meet requirements and increase productivity
- standardize
the new, improved operations
- continue
cycle ad infinitum
This philosophy
is different from the "command-and-control" improvement
programs of the mid-20th century. Kaizen methodology includes
making changes and looking at the results, then adjusting further.
Large-scale preplanning and extensive project scheduling are replaced
by smaller experiments in improvement, which can be rapidly adapted
as new improvements are suggested.
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