Q9Quality Management
Question
2 marks
Define Kaizen.
Answer
Kaizen is a Japanese architectural philosophy translating to "Continuous Improvement," focusing on microscopic, daily mathematical enhancements across all organizational processes rather than massive, disruptive overhauls.
Kaizen completely abandons the Western idea of sudden, catastrophic innovation. It mathematically relies on the compounding effect. If a factory reduces waste by just 0.1% every single day through tiny employee suggestions, the mathematical long-term efficiency gains are violently explosive.