Kaizen is the Japanese word for “improvement.”  It is a philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement throughout all aspects of life.  Kaizen emphasizes small steps – it is a gradual, and continuous, way to reach a goal.  It is also a daily activity, the purpose of which goes beyond simple productivity improvement.  When done correctly, kaizen humanizes the workplace and eliminates overly hard work – it teaches us how to perform scientifically, systematically, and to learn to spot and eliminate waste in the
process.  The culture of continual, aligned small improvements and standardizations yields large results in the
form of compound productivity.  The kaizen methodology includes setting standards, then making changes and
monitoring results, and then making adjustments.  This is a system that can be used individually, for self-improvement, or on a large scale in an environment such as a corporation.

 

One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way