Kaizen in management in 2022

An interesting idea to draw inspiration is the kaizen philosophy, based on a Japanese project management concept. Nowadays, in times of rapid development, the average life cycle of a product manufactured in the production cycle is 3 years. This gives rise to the need for the introduction of new products on the market, the improvement of those already in production, or the maintenance of the existing level of sales in similar or shorter cycles.

The foundation for the development and introduction of new products are ideas. Estimates show that only 23 out of 333 ideas have features of originality. Only 6 can be patented, 2 can provide grounds for products to be marketed, and only 1 can be successful on the market. To effectively manage a team those in managerial position must continuously motivate employees and be a part of the team with them. So, how to improve quality in our company?

The Concept of Kaizen Management

Kaizen is one of the basic management concepts. It is defined as the continuous enhancement of completed work and personal efficiency. This philosophy promotes the continuous development process that is also identified with improvement. As a business strategy, it consists of the engagement of all employees in a constant search for improvement ideas for all areas of the organization. The goal is to eliminate current problems, prevent their recurrence in the future, and create innovative solutions. This applies to all people in the organization—both the members of the management and the employees. The concept assumes that continuous development regards every sphere of life-not only professional, but also private and social. Such an attitude is natural for many Japanese, and kaizen contributes to a great extent to the market success of Japan.

In kaizen, improvement is slow but continuous, thus yielding great results in the long run. It is a slow, cost-efficient process with little risk involved. Actions must be preceded with a declaration, clearly communicated in the company, well-thought, and developed. Then, the management should prepare the implementation plan and consolidate their leadership using observance of the kaizen procedure at their level.

Take care of your standards

In the management aspect, kaizen has two main functions: standard maintenance and improvement. Maintenance refers to the current technology level, operating standards, and management in such a way that everybody can adhere to the relevant operating procedures. Improvement, on the other hand, refers to activities enhancing the standards. The process and management method-oriented course of thought are the main aspects that distinguish it from management method practices in the West. The employees are not assessed in terms of their performance and their activity in terms of proposing changes is astonishing-the sources show even 15 proposals per employee annually.

Improvement of standards can be referred to as kaizen or innovation. Kaizen means small, gradual efforts leading to changes. Whereas, innovation is a radical improvement, gained through great capital investments in new technologies or equipment. Because Kaizen brings long-term benefits for the enterprise, it is not appreciated by the Western managers, as they are interested in quick results. Staff training, efforts, commitment, self-discipline, communication, and teamwork are the foundations of Kaizen.

Kaizen is a problem-solving process. The important thing is that the difficulty has to be both recognized and understood. The proper solution requires the collection and analysis of relevant data. Collecting data regarding the current status helps understand the essence of the problem, decide what to concentrate on, and what to improve first. Management should supervise and correct process errors. To ensure the success of kaizen, the engagement of the top management must be demonstrated strongly and consistently. Employees usually like the status quo, so they rarely take initiative to improve the situation.

A colleague, our customer?

Product or service performance is composed of a set of processes. All processes have their suppliers and customers. Most employees of the enterprise have contact with internal customers, i.e., our employees. Information and materials are transferred from one process to another where they are improved and then proceed to the next stage. If all processes were treated in the company as

a customer, the external customer (on the market) will ultimately receive a high-quality product. No defective parts or incomplete information should be transferred to the next process.

The kaizen philosophy can be used to manage any type of organization. It requires neither special preparation nor high expenditure. It is, however, crucial to engage the employees and management. It is critical to creating the right conditions for the development of a work culture that encourages innovation and encourages positive behavior.

The commitment of employees is a great power on the way to the goal, but it is the management who should set it and lead in the efforts to accomplish it. Even the smallest actions yield effects in the long run, and Kaizen in management can be referred to as the small steps method.