What is Kaizen?
The Japanese word "kaizen" means "improvement." It is a philosophy that sees improvement in productivity as a gradual and methodical process. The concept of kaizen encompasses a wide range of ideas:
• It involves making the work environment more efficient and effective by creating a team atmosphere.
• Development of personal discipline.
• Improving everyday procedures, and ensuring employee satisfaction and making a job more fulfilling, less tiring and safer, with the result being improved morale.
• Use of quality circles (as shown at left).
• Implementing suggestions for improvements to operations/processes.
Kaizen events were first implemented in several Japanese businesses during the country's recovery after World War II and has since spread to businesses throughout the world.
