One of the leading principles associated with Kaizen is that of “continuous improvement,” or the notion that everything can be made better and nothing should be considered sacred. Even if businesses have what they believe to be an optimal set of processes for workflow, there are likely still ways to further bolster productivity and efficiency.
Continue reading »Category Archives: "Universal Kaizen"
Applying Kaizen to the personal self
Kaizen is known as a set of business practices and ideologies designed to improve operational processes at a company. However, it can also be applied and integrated in a broader sense – entrepreneurs could even implement Kaizen in their personal lives. One of the core tenets of Kaizen is the notion of continuous improvement. In
Continue reading »PDCA applied to marketing and lead generation
Plan-Do-Check-Adjust (PDCA) is a traditional Kaizen continuous improvement method that aims to maximize efficiency by repeatedly monitoring performance and then making the required alterations to boost the activity. Lead nurturing and generation is by default an act of PDCA. When companies first come to market with their products, they often only have a vague idea
Continue reading »Lean has different values for different companies
Kaizen embodies a variety of practices and philosophies. This enables a multitude of companies to achieve goals that are unique to them and their individual situations. That means two businesses looking to integrate Kaizen and Lean practices could be using them for entirely different purposes. The News-Journal Online writer Fatima Hussein recently observed the versatility
Continue reading »Ethiopian Sugar Corporation invests in Kaizen practices
The Ethiopian Sugar Corporation, a sugar industry company started in the 1950s by foreign investors and the Ethiopian government, recently decided to deploy Kaizen methodologies and practices. The organization hopes to take the philosophy of continuous improvement and apply this to its processes and technology to bolster product quality and productivity. Additionally, the Ethiopian Sugar
Continue reading »Fitting analytics into a Kaizen framework
Although there are a number of strategies businesses can use to improve their financial positions, perhaps the one consistent method is the improvement of productivity. An active company that is constantly producing products and maintaining services will more times than not end up being successful. So how can businesses maximize their productivity? According to a
Continue reading »Holding Kaizen events at your company
When businesses are trying to integrate Kaizen mindsets and philosophies, it's common practice to appoint Lean leaders – people who will lead the companies in the transition to becoming more efficient. It's up to these people to try and bring their colleagues on board by helping them to understand the meaning of Lean and how
Continue reading »Value Stream Mapping and what it can bring to the table
In today's economic climate, so many companies are looking to cut waste from their operations. This is particularly the case with manufacturers, as there are typically a number of ways processes can be streamlined to reduce waste and maximize efficiency. Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is one such technique that businesses can use to envision and
Continue reading »Identifying waste at your work
Kaizen is designed to eliminate waste in your organization. But what is waste? How can you identify wasteful processes? It often takes a keen eye to note the difference between a time-consuming practice and one that is needlessly wasteful. Here are four potential wastes that could be plaguing your business. 1. Transportation This waste refers
Continue reading »Determining if your company needs a Kaizen makeover
The number of companies going through Kaizen transformations has increased significantly. Now, everyone from manufacturers and factories to federal agencies and schools are leveraging Lean mindsets and methodologies. So how can you tell if your company could benefit from a Lean transformation? There is no easy answer to that question, as there are a number
Continue reading »