Kaizen method: what it is and how it enhances continuous improvement in companies.

A summary of the Kaizen method, a Japanese proposal for continuous improvement in organizations.

There are many business management models to try to improve productivity and many of them come from Japan.

This is the case of the Kaizen method. With these paragraphs, we will analyze this methodology in detail to understand where its effectiveness lies. We will see what improvements it proposes compared to other systems. We will also discover the most used tools.

What is the Kaizen method?

The Kaizen method is a procedure for the management of organizations that seeks to achieve the highest possible production at the lowest possible cost.. For this, fundamentally, what it tries to do is to optimize all the tasks involved in the process, so that all of them are effective and also efficient. That is to say, it seeks to perfect each of the parts of the production system.

The term Kaizen is Japanese, the place of origin of this method. It means change ("cai") and goodness ("zen"), therefore, change for the better would be the complete definition. It is not a modern methodology, but was created in post-war Japan, after World War II, as one of the ways to achieve a rapid industrial reconstruction in a country devastated after the tremendous war conflict.

The philosophy behind the Kaizen method is that, through a series of small changes, we can achieve great improvements in the final results, as each small change multiplies the final effect. It is not only a matter of improving existing processes, but also of eliminating those that instead of contributing, are actually taking away from us, either because they are unnecessary or because they can be done in a much more efficient way.

In a way, this system would be promoting going slower, in exchange for those small steps being always on the safe side.This would reduce the probability of encountering major unforeseen events that require large resources to resolve them. Another advantage of advancing in small steps is that it makes the change progressive and therefore the reluctance to change will also be lower.

The five S's of the Kaizen method

The Kaizen method is characterized by a system known as the five S's, since it includes five Japanese words that begin with this letter and each one of them indicates one of the qualities of this methodology that we will have to take into account when applying it. Next we will break them down to be able to know them all in detail.

1. Seiri

The first S of the Kaizen method corresponds to the term Seiri. This concept focuses on the organization of the elements of the company, in order to be able to make a distinction between those parts which are a distinction between those parts that are indispensable to production and at the same time bring to the surface those others that in reality are contributing little or nothing to production..

2. Seiton

Once this first identification has been made, the Seiton, or order, comes next. It is a question of making lists with the positive parts that we have been identifying along the previous point. The objective of this task is to have an outline of all the essential tasks in our process and that they are all properly identified.

In this way, we will no longer have to use resources in the future to find them, since this is a job that we will have done previously.

3. Seiso

Seiso is the key to the Kaizen method. This is the point at which we will find the possible errors or inefficient ways of acting within the production system of our company.. It is not only a matter of identifying them, the important thing is to find a remedy for each one of them.

4. Seiketsu

This brings us to the Seiketsu, the fourth S. What is proposed at this point is the importance of to have resources so that all employees enjoy the appropriate work environment and can thus form a competitive team.. A company can only reach the top if it has the right tools to do so.

5. Shitsuke

Shitsuke is the concept that closes the circle of the 5 S of the Kaizen method. This point refers to the refers to the commitment that all members of the organization must make to the methodology.. It is essential that everyone rows in the same direction, taking as a guide for action the one proposed by this system. This is the only way to achieve the best results.

Kaizen groups

One of the techniques used by the Kaizen method is the so-called Kaizen groups, which in turn are based on the Kaizen circles. are based on Ishikawa's quality circles.. These groups are composed of six people, of which one of them will lead the group and another will be the one who will advise them on the application of the system, so there will be four members of the team as such.

The first thing this group has to do is to define the problem they are dealing with and why they have met. They should then observe the characteristics of the situation to get a complete picture of the situation. They will then move on to the analytical phase, trying to figure out what may have caused the problem.

The next phase involves the team moving into action, carrying out tasks that address the identified causes and eliminating tasks that will solve the identified causes and thus eliminate the problem.. It is important to check that the action has been effective and that the incident has therefore been resolved. If this is not the case, it would be necessary to return to the previous phase to find different solutions.

The team's work does not end here. It is time to standardize the actions they have taken as part of the organization's normal work routines.This will ensure that the problem that brought them together in the first place will no longer occur. All that remains is to plan the team's next objective in order to continue identifying and solving problems.

Other techniques of this methodology

The Kaizen method uses other tools to achieve the proposed objectives. Let's take a look at some of them.

1. Kaizen Kobetsu

This tool proposes different ways of approaching the problems faced by the company, depending on their complexity and danger.. In this sense, if the incidents are of low importance, the Kobetsu Kaizen Flash Kobetsu would be formed, team meetings of very short duration (5 minutes) carried out every day. Once the problem has been addressed, it must be solved within a maximum of 3 hours.

If the problems they are facing are already more complex and therefore need more resources to be solved, the way of working would be the Kaizen Event. In this case, the incident must be resolved within 8 hours of its identification. In this case, as in the previous one, the solution is normally carried out by the person who alerts the problem or someone of the same rank.

Finally, and for cases in which the problems are too important to be solved in such a short time, the Kobetsu Kaizen tool comes into play.. For this purpose, teams are assembled with members from the different departments involved and, in turn, use is made of other tools that may be useful for the resolution. Up to 3 hours a day will be dedicated to it, reaching a maximum of 16 hours to give a definitive solution.

2. Kaizen Teian

Another tool used in the Kaizen method is the Kaizen Teian. Its rationale is that ideas are only useful when they are implemented in reality.. To this end, great importance is given to the talent of each worker and the proposed ideas are supported if they are in line with improving productivity. Thanks to these ideas, small improvements will be achieved, which is the fundamental principle of this methodology.

All the members of the company must be committed to this method so that they can contribute all the suggestions they can and thus, with the joint work of all, achieve the best results. To this end, they can be rewarded for good ideas, but not financially, so that this is not the only motivation for participation.

3. Nissan Kaizen

Kaizen Nissan, so called because of its application in this company, is another system designed to seek improvements. It has a 2-day kaizen aspect, in which a group with experts in various departments analyze a particular job and make changes at the time to make it more productive. and make changes on the spot to make it more productive.

On the other hand, there is the 2-hour Kaizen, another of the modalities of this tool of the Kaizen method. In this case, it is the person in charge of the section who dedicates that time to make improvements, even if they are very small, with which he or she seeks to increase the efficiency of his or her employees.

Bibliographical references:

• Brunet, A.P., New, S. (2003). Kaizen in Japan: an empirical study. International Journal of Operations & Production Management.
• Imai, M. (2000). How to implement kaizen in the workplace (Gemba). Bogotá: McGraw.
• Manos, A. (2007). The benefits of Kaizen and Kaizen events. Quality Progress.
• Suárez, M.F., Miguel, J.A.. (2008). Finding Kaizen: A theoretical analysis of Continuous Improvement. Pecvnia: Journal of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. University of León.