True Kaizen

What does it take to manage an organization to success? No matter what industry you are in, an organization is primarily a group of people. This book focuses on that ever-important human element. In the rush to get 'lean', many organizations focus solely on tools for increasing productivity, but where do these tools come from? In this book, Collin McLoughlin and Toshihiko Miura look back on their decades of international consulting experience to examine how organizations around the world have transformed on a cultural level by respecting the people who work within them and leveraging their creativity to solve problems. As our workforce becomes more knowledgeable, skillful, and more perceptive of their needs and wants as employees, the ability to reach the true potential of an organization becomes more and more difficult. Managers must look at each individual element of an equation like this in order to fully understand how to achieve an answer. They must begin to answer more focused questions, such as: 1. How productive is the existing work climate and culture? 2. How do employees, as individuals, navigate the existing work climate? (How do they deal with day-today issues with each other?) 3. Where and how are individuals and their work processes assessed? 4. What obstacles do employees face every day, and are they empowered to fix these obstacles? 5. What role does leadership play at each level of the organization? (Looking at the organization in layers of management.) To address these challenges, this book focuses on three main aspects of leadership and management: 1. Addressing and Improving the Perspective of Management -- The ideas presented in this book are not limited to a certain industry or field of work, but can be applied in any setting because they speak to a universal human element. 2. Exploring and Improving Work Climate -- Organizations are social entities, operating within their own controlled environment. This book will explore the factors that contribute to, and encourage, a positive work climate. 3. Observing and Eliminating Wasteful Work Processes -- Observing wasteful activities and work processes requires a refined perspective. The case studies presented illustrate the How and Why to help refine expertise. This will also lead to the joy and benefits

What does it take to manage an organization to success? No matter what industry you are in, an organization is primarily a group of people. This book focuses on that ever-important human element. In the rush to get 'lean', many organizations focus solely on tools for increasing productivity, but where do these tools come from? In this book, Collin McLoughlin and Toshihiko Miura look back on their decades of international consulting experience to examine how organizations around the world have transformed on a cultural level by respecting the people who work within them and leveraging their creativity to solve problems. As our workforce becomes more knowledgeable, skillful, and more perceptive of their needs and wants as employees, the ability to reach the true potential of an organization becomes more and more difficult. Managers must look at each individual element of an equation like this in order to fully understand how to achieve an answer. They must begin to answer more focused questions, such as: 1. How productive is the existing work climate and culture? 2. How do employees, as individuals, navigate the existing work climate? (How do they deal with day-today issues with each other?) 3. Where and how are individuals and their work processes assessed? 4. What obstacles do employees face every day, and are they empowered to fix these obstacles? 5. What role does leadership play at each level of the organization? (Looking at the organization in layers of management.) To address these challenges, this book focuses on three main aspects of leadership and management: 1. Addressing and Improving the Perspective of Management -- The ideas presented in this book are not limited to a certain industry or field of work, but can be applied in any setting because they speak to a universal human element. 2. Exploring and Improving Work Climate -- Organizations are social entities, operating within their own controlled environment. This book will explore the factors that contribute to, and encourage, a positive work climate. 3. Observing and Eliminating Wasteful Work Processes -- Observing wasteful activities and work processes requires a refined perspective. The case studies presented illustrate the How and Why to help refine expertise. This will also lead to the joy and benefits

Toyota Kaizen Methods: Six Steps to Improvement focuses on the skills and techniques practiced inside Toyota Motor Corporation during the past decades. This workbook focuses on the actual training course concepts and methods used by Toyota to develop employee skill level, a core element of Toyota‘s success. It is not a book about holding Western-st

Winner of a 2013 Shingo Research and Professional Publication AwardThis practical guide for healthcare executives, managers, and frontline workers, provides the means to transform your enterprise into a High-Quality Patient Care Business Delivery System. Designed for continuous reference, its self-contained chapters are divided into three primary s

All of us have goals and aspirations, and perfect versions of ourselves that we imagine. We all want to have better abs, better teeth, more confidence, and more money. And every now and then, we get sick of just “wanting” those things and we endeavor to do something about it. We approach our goals in the completely the wrong way. We are looking for drastic change. We want to see immediate results. But that’s not how improvement really works. In Japan, there is a concept known as “kiazen.” It comes from the world of manufacturing, and it basically describes “continually improvement.” What is meant by that, is the process of making small, incremental changes, which can add up to huge benefits. In this guide, you will learn to master the art of Kaizen, and to take a much more effective approach to change in every area of your life. And what’s more, is that you’ll find that this change is exponential. Every time you improve one area of your life, countless others will change as well.

In 1982, Dr. W. Edwards Deming wrote Out of the Crisis. At that time, the United States was enduring a crisis of low quality and high costs. Its previous dominance in the provision of goods and services was being challenged primarily by the Japanese. American consumers were becoming choosier in their product choices and when given two products of equal price, they were choosing the product with the higher quality levels, regardless of where it was built. So where does the United States stand today? Has it settled into an acknowledged competitive position, 28 years later? Have we remembered Dr. Deming’s words and his 14 Points, or have we forgotten all he taught so little time ago? This book explores just that. One of its purposes is to dissect each of the principles and see how we rate as a society, as an economy, and as a country when compared to these principles that the very wise Dr. Deming defined for us in the early '80s. It analyzes how practices and tools such as quality circles, total quality management, zero defects, benchmarking, balanced scorecard, reengineering, ISO 9001, Six Sigma, and lean either support or do not support Deming’s principles. The goal of this book is to resurrect the Deming principles, to create more Demingites who will also preach and spread the word of Deming for the good of society, and to shock and tell it like it is, much like Deming would. "The quality professionals and Deming community, and heck the top management of every organization, really need to read chapter 3 of this book: 'How do U.S. Companies Rate Today against Deming's 14 Points?' Mike provides a lot of facts and data to support his case. This sole chapter is worth the price of the book! But you also have to see the rest!" Alberto A. Molinar ASQ CQE, CQA

Have you thought about using Lean in your business or organization, but are not really sure how to implement it? Or perhaps you’re already using Lean, but you need to get up to speed. Lean for Dummies will show you how to do more with less and create an enterprise that embraces change. In plain-English writing, this friendly guide explores the general overview of Lean, how flow and the value stream works, and the best ways to apply Lean to your enterprise. You will understand the philosophy of Lean and adopt it not as a routine, but a way of life. This highly informative book teaches you: The foundation and language of Lean How to map the value stream and using it to your business’s advantage The philosophy of Kaizen Different tools to improve management, customer service, and flow and pull How to “Go Lean” within your business and across the industry Avoid common mistakes in implementation Seek out resources for assistance This simple, continuous improvement approach that minimizes waste and adds customer value is changing organizations of all sizes all over the world. Lean for Dummies will show you to take charge and engage your enterprise in a Lean transformation!

This book is designed to walk the reader through the ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB) Body of Knowledge (BoK) at a medium level of detail. It follows the nine sections of the BoK exactly, from enterprise-wide deployment, organizational process management and measures, and team management, to detailed coverage of each stage of the DMAIC process. With more than 25 tables and 80 figures, the various concepts can not only be read about but “seen.” The appendices include all the statistical tables that test-takers and also those in the field will need. New to this edition is material that shows the Black Belt candidate how to work through some standard statistical tests—just the kind he or she might expect to see on the certification exam. The author has used this material for several years, continually refining it based on students’ questions and also his own experiences at an electronics manufacturing plant. This is truly the guidebook for the new millennium of lean and Six Sigma!