Kaizen

Concept Briefing:

Kaizen is a Japanese word for "improvement". It is a daily activity aiming to eliminate waste. Kaizen is also a process that, when done correctly, humanizes the workplace, eliminates overly hard work (both mental and physical), and teaches people how to perform experiments using the scientific method and how to learn to spot and eliminate waste in business processes.

Kaizen must operate with three principles in place: process and results (not results-only); systemic thinking (i.e. big picture, not solely the narrow view); and non-judgmental, non-blaming (because blaming is wasteful). People at all levels of an organization participate in kaizen, from the CEO down, as well as external stakeholders when applicable. The format for kaizen can be individual, suggestion system, small group, or large group. In Toyota it is usually a local improvement within a workstation or local area and involves a small group in improving their own work environment and productivity.

Whilst Kaizen usually deliver small improvements the culture of continual small improvements and standardisation yields large results in a form of compound productivity improvement. Hence the English translation of Kaizen can be: "continuous improvement", or "continual improvement."

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Supply chain management

Concept Briefing:

Supply chain management - SCM is the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the operations of the supply chain with the purpose to satisfy customer requirements as efficiently as possible. Supply chain management spans all movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point-of-origin to point-of-consumption.

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Continue reading 28.01.2007. 00:11

Plan Do Check Act

Concept Briefing:

Plan Do Check Act - PDCA, also "Deming Cycle", "Shewhart cycle", or "Deming Wheel", is an iterative four-step performance improvement or quality control strategy.

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Continue reading 27.01.2007. 20:18