{"id":13768,"date":"2025-06-18T12:41:12","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T11:41:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theleansixsigmacompany.com\/us\/?p=13768"},"modified":"2025-06-19T09:11:43","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T08:11:43","slug":"kaizen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theleansixsigmacompany.com\/us\/library\/kaizen\/","title":{"rendered":"Kaizen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kaizen<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

In 1986, Masaaki Imai released a book with the title: Kaizen, the key to Japan\u2019s Competitive Success. Masaaki described the difference in the area of change management between the Western World and Japan. The difference? Kaizen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fundamental difference with traditional Western management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The fundamental difference lies in Change Management and the Management of Change. This difference is best described as managing gradual change (Change management \/ Kaizen) and managing of abrupt change (Management of Change). It is part of the culture of Japanese organizations to continuously initiate gradual changes. It is traditionally viewed that Western managers carry out controlled abrupt changes. In both cases, Change Management is spoken of but in Japan, this term is understood differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Kaizen?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kaizen means \u201ccontinuous improvement\u201d and is an organized use of common sense to save on spending, to raise quality, to shorten delivery time and to increase customer satisfaction. Kaizen is a culture and not so much a plan of action or a model. There are indeed ways to foster a culture of Kaizen, such as Kaizen events and Gemba Kaizen. Of course, process improvement with Lean Six Sigma contributes to a Kaizen culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaizen event<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A Kaizen event is a 3 \u2013 5-day long project that starts with the problem and works through to the implementation of the solution. The Japanese term for a Kaizen event is \u201cKaikaku\u201d (radical change). General Electric called a Kaizen event a Workout or \u201cBlitz\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The characteristics of a Kaizen event:<\/p>\n\n\n\n