Kaizen (Continuous

Improvement) & Quality

Circles
Leo Santander
Ladylyn Balatico

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement and Quality Circles

Flow of Presentation
Definition: Kaizen
Key Features of Kaizen
What is Quality Circle
Major Attributes to Quality Circle
Objectives of Quality Circle
8 Steps in Quality Circle
Basic Problem Techniques
Kaizen (Continuous Improvement and Quality Circles

Kaizen

, or Continuous Improvement
is a policy of constantly introducing small
incremental changes in a business in order
to improve quality and/or efficiency. This
approach assumes that employees are the
best people to identify room for
improvement, since they see the
processes in action all the time. A firm
that uses this approach therefore has to
have a culture that encourages and
rewards employees for their contribution
to the process.

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement and Quality Circles

Kaizen

can operate at the level of an

individual, or through Kaizen Groups or
Quality Circles which are groups
specifically brought together to identify
potential improvements.

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement and Quality Circles

Key features of Kaizen:

Improvements

are based on many, small

changes rather than the radical changes
that might arise from Research and
Development
As the ideas come from the workers
themselves, they are less likely to be
radically different, and therefore easier to
implement
Small improvements are less likely to
require major capital investment than
major process changes
Kaizen (Continuous Improvement and Quality Circles

Key features of Kaizen:

The

ideas come from the talents of the

existing workforce, as opposed to using
R&D, consultants or equipment any of
which could be very expensive
All employees should continually be
seeking ways to improve their own
performance
It helps encourage workers to take
ownership for their work, and can help
reinforce team working, thereby
improving worker motivation
Kaizen (Continuous Improvement and Quality Circles

quality circle is a volunteer group

composed of workers (or even students),
usually under the leadership of their
supervisor (or an elected team leader),
who are trained to identify, analyze and
solve work-related problems and present
their solutions to management in order to
improve the performance of the
organization, and motivate and enrich the
work of employees

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_circle

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement and Quality Circles

Major Attributes
to
Quality Circle
1.
1.
2.

Quality Circle is a
form of participation management.
Quality Circle is s human resource
development technique.
Quality Circle is a problem solving
technique.

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement and Quality Circles

Objectives of Quality Circle

Change

in Attitude
Self Development
Development of Team
Spirit
Improved
Organizational
Culture Positive Working
Environment

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement and Quality Circles

8 Steps in Quality circles

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

8.

Problem Identification
Problem Selection
Problem Analysis
Generate Alternative Solutions
Select the most appropriate
solution
Prepare plan of action
Present solution to
management circle members
present solution to
management for approval
Implementation of solution

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement and Quality Circles

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Basic Problem Techniques

Brain

storming
Pareto Diagrams
Cause and Effect
Analysis
Data Collection
Data Analysis

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement and Quality Circles

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Thank you very much

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement and Quality Circles

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