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Discussion Tread: Process Improvement
Key Concept Explanation
Kaizen is a continuous improvement philosophy that originated in Japan. In translation,
Kaizen means “change (kai) for good (zen)” (Lina & Ullah, 2019) and is grounded in the belief
that there is potential for improvement in everything. Consistent application of Kaizen as an
action plan creates tremendous long-term value by developing the culture that is necessary for
truly beneficial continuous improvement through small changes that have a dramatic impact over
time. I was interested in this topic because I am familiar with Lean and Six Sigma more
specifically in the continuous improvement model, but have not done specific research of Kaizen
beyond the general concept and meaning itself.
Comparison
Chapter 9 of the Meredith and Shafer (2020) text, the Lean concept is explored in detail.
Authors identify that organizations must constantly be evaluating their processes and identify
ways to improve it to minimize waste and maximize value. While reading this chapter, I was
familiar with both Lean and Six Sigma, but not sure on the difference kaizen represented as a
theory. I found myself asking if these were interchangeable terms, or if kaizen is actually a
specific methodology. On p.322, kaizen is given its own section, but it is shown primarily in
context of a “kaizen blitz” or workshop event than an overarching philosophy. At a kaizen blitz
event, teams are trained in concepts and then set goals for continuous improvement projects to be
completed in a short period of time (usually a week).
As I researched kaizen more independently, this concept from the book clashed with what
I read over and over about kaizen as a philosophy. Janjic, Todorovic, and Jovanovic (2019)
summarize best by stating that the key, “is in small innovations and creative ideas of employees
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whose results are often subtle and barely visible in the short term.” While the spirit of the blitz
and workshop approach to continuous improvement are helpful in course correction and the
recreation of whole processes or systems in a short period of time, kaizen itself is more wholistic.
Kaizen is more of a philosophy and should impact company culture and come from all levels. It
is embodied by small changes with endless effort and seen more as subtle, small, and creative
innovations that may not be visible in the short term but have a lasting long-term impact.
Article Summary
An underlying element of the Lean method for continuous improvement, Kaizen was first
introduced in Japan over 30 years ago. While Kaizen and Continuous Improvement (CI) have
often by synonymous in many circles, there are disagreements in both the academic and practical
application worlds exist regarding the specific terminology. Carnerud, Jaca, & Bäckström (2018)
sought to show the evolution of Kaizen since its introduction, its use in industry over that time
period, how Kaizen has been successfully implemented, and the benefits reaped when done well.
In Japan, Kaizen is a concept used in both everyday life and in business management.
The direct translation being “change for good”, Kaizen in the business management arena is an
improvement method that is process-oriented and must involve everyone, management and
employees alike. While the specific focus of Kaizen has changed over thirty years, the research
shows that both in Japan and in the US, “a main outcome from Kaizen is that it helps generate a
mind-set in which essential change and new tools become more simply accepted by co-workers.”
(p.373)
While Kaizen popularity in the US has ebbed and flowed, with high peaks in the 1990s
and 2010s, a clear distinction from continuous improvement could not be identified. It appeared
that because Kaizen is a practical tool in Japanese culture rather than a management philosophy,
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it was taken less seriously by academic researchers. However, Google search trends showed the
non-scholarly community searched Kaizen at a rate six times more often than continuous
improvement. In all, more research and targeted study is needed to better identify distinctly
where Kaizen and CI separate.
Biblical Integration
The concept of continuous improvement is one that all Christians should be able to relate
to. We know that as humans we are sinful, fallen and imperfect. We know that on this earth, until
Christ returns, perfect is never attainable. However, we also know that by Jesus’ gift of grace we
can strive to imitate Christ in our lives and draw closer to God (2 Corinthians 12:9). The concept
of repentance and forgiveness itself is related to continuous improvement as we turn form the old
and seek to improve (2 Chronicles 7:14). Kaizen is focused on small changes in our daily
routines that show dramatic impacts over time, and that is the very idea of the Christian faith.
After encountering Christ, we can make changes in our lives and continue to draw closer to God
through these changes and see the dramatic impact of the Holy Spirit living through our lives.
(John 14:15-17)
Application
In today’s competitive global market, there is a need to continually increase productivity
and lower costs. The more innovative and flexible an organization can be with their process and
products, the more likely they are to survive and find success. As a result of this need, the Kaizen
philosophy is directly applicable due to the focus on continually improving systems and
increasing efficiency as ongoing and foundational principles. The kaizen philosophy is attractive
because it is a way of life and cultural perspective more than a specific formula for improvement.
Silva et. al (2019) describe kaizen as, “a simple process, as it can work in all areas of a company,
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through basic concepts such as organization and discipline, without using large investments,
because it works with existing equipment in the company seeking to improve its results.”
Annotated Bibliography
Carnerud, D., Jaca, C., & Bäckström, I. (2018). Kaizen and continuous improvement – trends
and patterns over 30 years. TQM Journal, 30(4), 371-390.
http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1108/TQM-03-2018-0037
A study covering 30 years of the depiction of kaizen in scientific journals, specifically
focused on how it was studied, described, and the relationship to continuous
improvement as an umbrella topic. The research showed that interest in kaizen peaked in
the mid 1990s and declined afterward until another spike in the 2010s. While kaizen was
accepted by a section of the management community, it seemed to be ignored by another,
and overall clarification of terminology and theoretical basis for long term success. This
common terminology and theoretical grounding will increase the success rate and a more
widespread acceptance/adoption of the kaizen method according to the researchers.
Janjić, V., Todorović, M., & Jovanović, D. (2020). Key success factors and benefits of kaizen
implementation. Engineering Management Journal, 32(2), 98-
106. https://doi.org/10.1080/10429247.2019.1664274
The purpose of this paper was to identify both the key success factors of kaizen
implementation as well as the most important benefits of its application. It was shown
that the most critical effects of kaizen application were, “productivity, quality, and
efficiency improvement, lower costs, waste elimination, and workplace safety.” This
paper was motivated by a statistic from a study that showed 90% of 3,000 US companies
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included have a continuous improvement plan, but that only 10% of those companies
achieved satisfactory results. The research showed that the most important success factors
for implementation of kaizen were initiating and evaluating changes and employees’
ideas, management and employee support, building an adequate evaluation system and
business culture with a focus on continuous improvement, and developing an internal
communication system and strategic orientation of employees to change.
Lina, L.R., & Ullah, H. (2019). The concept and implementation of kaizen in an organization.
Global Journal of Management and Business Research, 19(1), 9-17.
file:///Users/dcollette/Downloads/2678-1-2660-1-10-20190218.pdf
Identifying that a clear understanding of kaizen concepts was a barrier to success for most
companies who attempted implementation, the purpose of this article was to explain both
the concepts in greater detail and demonstrate what successful implementation looks like.
This research was done by reviewing case studies of successful kaizen implementation.
Benefits of kaizen were identified as elimination of waste, improvement of space
utilization, and the ability to focus on changes rather than capital investments. To achieve
these benefits, the researchers state that a company must set the vision, commits, and
dedicates the company to develop a long-term, comprehensive kaizen program.
Mendez, J., & Vila-Alonso, M. (2018). Three-dimensional sustainability of Kaizen. TQM
Journal, 30(4), 391-408. http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1108/TQM-12-2017-
0179
The purpose of the paper was to analyze from an operational, emotional, and behavioral
(three dimensions) perspective the process required to implement kaizen until it becomes
sustainable. Authors used the Grounded Theory as an analytical technique when looking
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at a case study and found that the roots of the kaizen principles must be developed in the
organizational culture for a transformational process to be achieved. If this happens, new
habits, beliefs, and feelings will occur and lead to positive impacts on both the creation of
new talent and the overall well-being of employees. Creation of new talent and the well-
being of employees were identified as two of the challenges faced by Kaizen in the 21st
century.
Meredith, J. R., & Shafer, S. M. (2020). Operations and supply chain management for
MBAs (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN: 9781117563235.
Our required textbook for BUSI650.
Silva, R.S., Barbosa de Alencar, D., Tregue Costa, A.P., & Sanches, A.E. (2019). Kaizen
philosophy application as production standardization and process optimization.
International Journal for Innovation Education and Research, 7(11), 808-816.
https://www.ijier.net/ijier/article/view/1936/1331
The study aimed to explain how continuous improvement via the kaizen model can lead
to productivity improvement within industrial companies. Researchers analyzed both the
Kaizen philosophy and continuous improvement to see where the two best intersected
specifically and showed how Kaizen can be used as a tool to have a positive impact on
the industrial company environment, and that it is not simply the acquisition of new
technology for improvement. This research expressed that the most important aspect of
Kaizen application was companies encouraging learning and cooperation among
individuals in their workplace while “working on human resource development so that
improvement initiatives are truly continuous.”
