This book provides a practical and user-friendly approach to successfully transform an organization into a lean organization throughout the business value chain. The author describes comprehensively how lean management principles enable organizations to concentrate on value-adding activities and processes to achieve a long-term and sustainable competitive advantage. The book shows how lean management principles are ultimately applied in industries and explores the concepts of Kaizen and Lean Management thoroughly. Kaizen and Lean Management are innovative and modern concepts that help organizations gain a competitive advantage. Kaizen is the permanent improvement in small steps, while Lean Management is a set of principles focusing on customer satisfaction. The foundation of these two concepts is grounded in the principle of eliminating waste and concentrating on value added processes for which the customers are willing to pay for. Through this, organizations will become more efficient throughout the value chain including internal functions, partners and suppliers, and will achieve a long-term competitive advantage.

This book provides a practical and user-friendly approach to successfully transform an organization into a lean organization throughout the business value chain. The author describes comprehensively how lean management principles enable organizations to concentrate on value-adding activities and processes to achieve a long-term and sustainable competitive advantage. The book shows how lean management principles are ultimately applied in industries and explores the concepts of Kaizen and Lean Management thoroughly. Kaizen and Lean Management are innovative and modern concepts that help organizations gain a competitive advantage. Kaizen is the permanent improvement in small steps, while Lean Management is a set of principles focusing on customer satisfaction. The foundation of these two concepts is grounded in the principle of eliminating waste and concentrating on value added processes for which the customers are willing to pay for. Through this, organizations will become more efficient throughout the value chain including internal functions, partners and suppliers, and will achieve a long-term competitive advantage.

Take charge and engage your enterprise in a Lean transformation 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 shows you how to do more with less and create an enterprise that embraces change. In plain-English, 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. This revised edition includes the latest tools, advice, and information that can be used by everyone — from major corporations to small business, from non-profits and hospitals to manufacturers and service corporations. In addition, it takes a look at the successes and failures of earlier Lean pioneers — including Toyota, the inventors of Lean — and offer case studies and hands-on advice. The latest on the Six Sigma and Lean movements The role of technology and the expanding Lean toolbox Case studies enhance the material Lean For Dummies gives today's business owners and upper level management in companies of all sizes and in all industries, the tools and information they need to streamline process and operate more efficiently.

The book provides a holistic and practical approach to lean management throughout the business value chain. The lean management framework and tools demonstrate the optimal design and use of methods, tools and principles for companies and organisations. The author describes comprehensively how lean management enables companies to concentrate on value-adding activities and processes to achieve a long-term, sustainable competitive advantage. A wealth of best practices, industry examples and case studies are used to reveal the diversity and opportunities of lean management methodologies, methods and principles. Moreover, the book shows how lean management principles are ultimately applied in industries like automotive, healthcare, education and services industries.

To compete successfully in today’s economy, organizations need to be as good as or better than their global competitors. This goes not only for quality, but also for costs and cycle times (lead time, processing time, delivery time, set-up time, response time, etc.). Lean addresses these needs in its emphasis on teamwork, continuous training and learning, produce to demand (“pull”), mass customization and batch size reduction, cellular flow, quick changeover, and total productive maintenance. Originally applied in manufacturing settings, lean has now migrated to non-shop floor activities: in business support functions, such as sales, customer service, accounting, human resources, engineering, purchasing; within manufacturing firms; and also in purely service areas like finance, government, and healthcare. The intended audience for this book is any quality or operational professional who wants to start their lean journey or enhance their career opportunities. After introducing the concepts of lean and kaizen, various building blocks of a lean enterprise are described. After reading this book, any reader will have a foundation of what is understood today as "lean." All the examples of kaizens presented in the book are from the authors' experience associated with real lean transformations. In addition, the forms, figures, and checklists included as part of this book and also on the accompanying CD-ROM can be customized and used in the readers’ own lean journey when they perform kaizens. COMMENTS FROM OTHER CUSTOMERS Average Customer Rating: (4 of 5 based on 1 review) "This book gives a great introduction to kaizen, along with a sensible "how to" and several case studies across various industries, including for non-manufacturing applications. It also gives a good introduction to Lean in general, and it places enough emphasis on the "human side" of implementing Lean so that the reader walks away with an understanding that the Lean tools may be fairly simple but the implementation of them requires special attention to human nature and the associated challenges. It is easy to read and comprehend. Plenty of pictures and samples are provided. This could easily be used as a training tool for employees who will be serving on kaizen teams." A reader in Bradenton, Florida

Kaizen event effectiveness is a prerequisite for lean transformation success. It provides the necessary transformational jump-start, momentum, organizational learning and engagement, and sustainable, step-function improvements. The systemic use of kaizen events establishes the technical and cultural foundation for principle-driven kaizen -- the powerful combination of kaizen events and daily kaizen activities. The Kaizen Event Fieldbook brings this all together as an indispensable reference for lean leaders and implementers within any industry and for use at any stage within the lean implementation journey. One of lean's defining characteristics is learning by seeing, doing, and studying. In context with lean theory and lean leadership principles, readers will gain an understanding of the essential "whys" and "hows" of kaizen event standard work and event management, as well as a proven means to sustain the gains. The Fieldbook's multi-phase approach addresses strategy, pre-event planning, execution, and follow-through. Practical examples, over a hundred figures and tables, and many real-life "Gemba Tales" provide for an enriched learning experience. Also included is a chapter on the deployment of a kaizen promotion office, a glossary, and two appendices, which offer blank forms and an overview of daily kaizen.

It feels good to envision your startup’s success, isn’t it? But have you ever thought about the work required to make it happen? Managing a business is never easy, but you can turn the daunting job into something more bearable. Find out how with the help of this book Kaizen: How to Apply Lean Kaizen to Your Startup Business and Management to Improve Productivity, Communication, and Performance. Inside, you’ll discover: The numerous applications of kaizen The secrets behind effective kaizen use The best ways to hone and tap teamwork in a startup The seven types of waste in a business process An efficient root cause analysis The origins of kaizen And so much more Once you learn about kaizen’s English translation, you may assume that it’s another buzzword from the self-help industry. Before you doubt its efficiency though, you should know that the concept was from a management guidebook of a successful Japanese company. Is kaizen applicable in managing a startup in another country? The short answer is yes. It’s not that simple though. You have to let go of some old notions and embrace new ones. This book will open your eyes to the said beliefs. This book touches on many topics such as correcting mistakes, eliminating waste, generating ideas and boosting employee morale. Sure, you can find plenty of free advice on how to carry out those tasks. However, it’s rare to encounter an approach that’s applicable to all of them. One of the best things about this book is how it highlights teamwork. Kaizen, as a management approach, is quite distinct for how it regards people. Nowadays, you can set up a business on your own. Sooner or later, however, you’re going to need help. There’s too much rave about outsourcing. Yet, success is more attainable if you have trustworthy and efficient people helping you in each big step you take. So, what are you waiting for? Click Buy and discover a better way of managing your startup!

The Sensei Way at Work follows in the wake of dozens of successful business books on the Toyota production system, lean enterprise, and the Toyota Way, yet it is unique. It identifies the five keys that sustain successful lean production in Western enterprises—a challenge that has stymied business leaders, managers, and lean coaches for decades. The first reason for our frequent inability to sustain the initial gains of lean startups is a misunderstanding of the Japanese term "kaizen mind." Many mistranslate it as a "hunger" for business efficiency and cost reduction. In fact, kaizen mind is a psychology of "mindfulness" joined with "creativity." And once evoked by a sensei, it can be applied (without training) when a leader mandates that employees and managers solve quality problems and redesign the work together. The second reason is our need to develop new change leaders who know "the way." A sensei immerses prospects in a series of challenges until they learn to do the work of change with the mind of a leader, that is, from the states of presence, flow, and compassion. Lasting organizational transformation becomes possible, even inevitable, when its leaders learn the five keys and realize "one big thing" in the Sensei Way.

FOSTER AND SUSTAIN A KAIZEN CULTURE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION WINNER of the 2015 Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award! FOREWORD BY JOHN TOUSSANT, CEO OF THEDACARE Transforming a culture is far more about emotional growth than technical maturity. Co-written by leaders at the Kaizen Institute, Creating a Kaizen Culture explains how to enable an adaptive, excellent, and sustainable organization by leveraging core kaizen values and the behaviors they generate. The proven methods presented in this book will dramatically increase your chances of success in implementing a kaizen culture by closing the biggest gaps in the correct understanding of: WHAT KAIZEN CULTURE IS AND WHY WE NEED IT HOW EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE CAN PRACTICE KAIZEN EVERY DAY THE LEADER'S ROLE IN TURNING KAIZEN CULTURE INTO COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Based on more than 50 years of combined experience from experts who have successfully used kaizen to lead real transformation in a wide variety of industries, Creating a Kaizen Culture reveals how to propel rapid and sustainable performance improvement. It provides a detailed and illustrated road map to organized kaizen implementation through kaizen events. Real-world examples demonstrate kaizen culture in action at Toyota, Zappos, Wiremold, and many other companies. Featuring valuable insights from Kaizen Institute leaders, this practical resource covers: WHY WE NEED A KAIZEN CULTURE THE TRUE MEANING OF KAIZEN THE ORIGIN OF THE KAIZEN EVENT KAIZEN AS A STRATEGY IN PRACTICE DAILY KAIZEN SUSTAINING A KAIZEN CULTURE ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS FOR KAIZEN TRANSFORMATION FACING UP TO THE CULTURE MONSTER CASE STUDIES OF REAL-WORLD KAIZEN IMPLEMENTATION IN ORGANIZATIONS OF VARIOUS SIZES AND INDUSTRIES

Updated with new information, illustrations, and leadership tools, Leading the Lean Enterprise Transformation, Second Edition describes how the metrics used by Toyota drive every line item in a financial statement in the right direction. Rather than focus on Lean tools and principles, the new edition of this bestselling reference focuses on what may be the least understood and most critical aspect of a Lean transformation: the building of a Lean culture. In addition to new appendices with background information and insightful stories on Lean leadership and implementation, it includes new information on tactical organization practices, strategy deployment, and Lean culture. An inductee to IndustryWeek's Hall of Fame, George Koenigsaecker illustrates successful strategies and valuable lessons learned with case histories of U.S. leaders who have been instrumental in bringing Lean to the forefront. He explains the use of value stream analysis at the leadership level and describes how to structure kaizen events that can improve the value stream. Organized in the chronological sequence that a leader embarking on a Lean journey would experience, the book discusses the methods used by the author during the Hon Company’s successful Lean conversion, which doubled productivity, tripled revenues, and led IndustryWeek to recognize Hon as one of the "World’s 100 Best Managed Firms." The book not only introduces powerful leadership tools—including strategy deployment, transformation value stream analysis, and transformation plan of care—but also arms potential change agents with the soft skills needed to define, develop, and communicate their vision. Detailing the steps required to sustain improvements, it supplies time-tested guidance for effective leadership throughout a Lean transformation in any organization.