• International Journal of Quality Innovation
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.1-21
• /
• 2008

A Purpose. As organizations become more team oriented, research on teams continues to increase especially involving how teams contribute to organizational performance and effectiveness. Although there has been existing research on Kaizen teams in the private sector, very little research has included Kaizen teams in the public sector. In this paper, we present a method to study Kaizen teams in a local Spanish government that have been using Kaizen teams for more than ten years. Design/methodology/approach. Quantitative research was adopted for this study. Twenty teams participated in the study by filling out the Team Learning and Development Inventory (TLI) proposed by Lingham (2004). In addition, we interviewed members of the teams in order to clarify and assure our quantitative results. Findings Based on the findings, we propose that Kaizen teams should practice both Continuous (CI) and Process Improvements (PI) in their projects. We also propose that Kaizen teams should not be teams skilled only at developing better improvement processes (both CI and PI) for the organization but that such teams should also be skilled at engaging in team development using both CI and PI processes internally-a Kaizen within Kaizen teams approach. Research limitations. Its based in one case study. However, it is working paper and the research project still is developing. Practical Implications (if possible). Serve as a guide to practitioners (Public managers) who desire to understand how their Kaizen teams involves both internal (conversational spaces) and external (methodology) perspectives that would contribute to both team and organizational effectiveness. In this paper, we focus on the Internal Processes (both CI and PI) using the TLI as an effective method for Kaizen teams to engage in the Kaizen process. Originality/value. This study is one of the first to look at team's performance using Team Learning and Development Inventory in Spain's public sector. It is also the first to mention about the relationship of the team's performance and the implementation of process improvement methodologies in Spain local government environment.

• Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.80-91
• /
• 2017

Multiple prior studies stress that continued Kaizen activity is conducive to building and maintaining competitive advantages of manufacturing companies. Meanwhile, it remains unclear as to what kind of management factors may exert impact on sustainment of Kaizen activity. This paper discusses a study conducted on the cases of two manufacturing lines, where such activity has been continued for more than ten years. At first, it was discovered that study period was divided into different periods. It was also found out that 'standstill conditions' which prevent smooth progress of activity exist in many periods, and that such conditions are hard to avoid. The study went on to categorize progress of activity in each period into different patterns, including at which points standstill conditions occurred, thereby, circumstances of standstill conditions were made clear. This paper verified a detailed process of Kaizen activity development in each period and the relationship between that detailed process and points of occurrence of standstill conditions. Thought was also given to factors and actions for smooth development, and effects brought about by overcoming such challenges. Lastly, consideration was given to the future perspectives of the study for elucidating how better Kaizen activity may be managed for continuation.

• The Journal of Information Systems
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.107-120
• /
• 1997

Japanese firms have been so successful in the world market especially in the 1980s due to their invocation technique, Kaizen. In the past decade, however, some countries, such as the United States, have recovered their competitiveness since they have benchmarked Japanese firms. The objective of this research is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of Kaizen and suggest a checklist during its implementation in order to recommend future directions of Kazen for Korean firms so that those firms adopting it can prevent possible failures and gaim competitive advantage. Recommended future directions include the strong leadership of the top management during the implementation of Kaizen and employees' willingness to put the vision of their company first and their own interests second.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Quality Management Conference
• /
• 1998.11a
• /
• pp.413-418
• /
• 1998

In order to improve labor productivity in plants, it is important to grasp the existing problems there. But it is not easy for all the people in charge to have the same level understanding to those. This article suggests an approach to tackle with this situation by using various visualization techniques.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.413-420
• /
• 2003

We can take 'Profit security', in the field Process improvement activity and man-power upgrade in the learning of organization activity or upgrading ability of each peoples. After Tayler System(Scientific Management in1911) and Ford System(Conveyor system in 1913), Toyota System(Ohno's TPS; Toyota Production System around 1980) which was developed by Toyota in Japan in the third productive revolution. This thesis study on the focus of 2 successful examples(P and S companies in Seong-Seo industrial complex Tae-Gu city) which introduce Toyota system can apply to VM(Visual Management), 3jeong(Right Products Right Quantity, Right Box and Right Position)5S(Seiri, Seiton, Seisoh Seiketsu, Sitsuke), JIT(Just In Time), KAIZEN(Improvement), KANBAN System(Logistic) and output of Factory. For examples P company obtained a lot of results(productivity increase 19%, Quality up 46%-36ppm, storage decrease 25% per year), S company obtained a lot of results(productivity increase 20%, Quality up 40%, storage decrease 33% per year, 2600 improvements in 2002. In conclusion Korean KANBAN system (modified Toyota System) is similar to exchange of work as Korean traditional system in agriculture as like dure 'PUMASHI' SANGBU-SANJO) that's autonomous management systems. In conclusion Korea KANBAN system needs apply to not only all the manufacturing industry but also the various fields of industry.

• Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.258-266
• /
• 2014

This paper proposes a management system for the educational program of production managers on the basis of value co-creation by the learner and the instructor. The program combines an intelligent knowledge-based approach with the kaizen activity program. The program helps individuals acquire knowledge and skills to ensure the total rather than the partial optimization of processes and operations facilitating continuous improvement in the workplace. To achieve these goals, the program uses models of a learning process and a swing of enlightenment. In addition, the program is supported by a framework of academic, business people, consultants, and government officers. The program was developed using an instructional design approach. This paper discusses the process of developing and managing the educational program between 2006 and 2012 as well as the results obtained.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.171-186
• /
• 1996

This paper comes from an observation that overemphasis on capacity utilization meausre, which is usual under capacity shortage, can seriously hurt the firm's profit and potential process improvement. We suggest a model that can be used in designing a coordination scheme for decentralized marketing and manufacturing activities. Using a price and time-sensitive demand and capacitated lotsizing model, we derive an effective communication medium betwen marketing and manufacturing. This Balance Indicator of process capacity and flexibility also implies that the increase in capacity availability and setup time reduction should be balanced by its market requirements. This is particularly important when a firm tries to improve its process capability by kaizen. Further, the model can be used to show the comparative performances of scheduling policies under capacity imbalnce. We show the shortening the scheduling cycle can improve the firm profit without changing the simple scheduling rule.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.92-115
• /
• 2012

The problem Japanese universities face is exactly the same as that of German universities: no international recognition in world rankings of universities despite their high levels of postwar economic and technological developments. This was indeed one reason why world-class Japanese firms, such as Toyota and Sony, have avoided working closely with Japanese universities for R&D partnership and new technology commercialization. To resolve this problem, the Japanese government has continuously implemented aggressive policies of the internationalization, privatization, liberalization, and privatization of universities since the onset of the economic recession in 1989 in order to revitalize the Japanese economy through radical innovation projects between universities and firms. National projects of developing medical robots for Japan's ageing society are some of the ambitious examples that emphasize feed-forward learning in innovation. However, this paper argues that none of these programs of fostering university-firm alliances toward feed-forward learning has been successful in promoting the world ranking of Japanese universities, although they showed potentials of reinforcing their conventional strength of introducing $kaizen$ through feedback learning of tacit knowledge. It is therefore argued in this paper that Japanese universities and firms should focus on feedback learning as a way to motivate firm-university R&D alliances.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.443-456
• /
• 2013

Purpose: Recently, many quality issues are aroused in military forces, such as failures in K-series weapons, combat boots defects and 40mm ammunition explosion accident. To address these problems, this paper suggests to use so called, Defense Quality Score, which is based on Taguchi loss function and developed in this research. Methods: Current defense specification states only the minimum requirement to produce the military supplies. Therefore, it is not easy to indue the continuous quality improvement of the supplies. This research suggests to use the defense quality score which measures the current status of defense supplies'quality characteristics. Results: We applied the defense quality score concept into the hot pepper sauce and long time stockpiled ammunition. We first categorize the quality characteristics into three categories, then assign the certain amount of score based on the importance of the characteristics. Lastly, we applied the modified Taguchi loss function to calculate the achieved score of the characteristics. The perfect score is 100 and the closer to the score, the better product it indicates. Conclusions: In this research, we developed the modified Taguchi loss function to apply into the korean defense supplies. The loss function is utilized to calculate the achieved level of satisfaction of the supplies based on the defense specifications. The application of defense quality score may help to stimulate the continuous quality improvement and encourage the good will quality competition among the military providers.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.149-169
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study analyzes the characteristics of the Quality Management performed by SMEs in the Defense Industry in supply chains and analyzes the effect of the continuous improvement activities based on cooperation. Especially, for Military Supplies, the suitability of products is usually decided by judging their conformity to the specification, and from this structural characteristic, this study would analyze the structural relationship of systematic improvement activities with Supply Chain Quality Management(SCQM) and Business Performance(BP). Methods: Continuous improvement activities(CI) have significance as the driver force for the promotion of Quality Management. Thus, this study analyzed the causal relationships from the perspective of the process among CI, SCQM and BP. For an analysis of the structural characteristics and causal relationships among the constituents, AMOS was used, and 297 companies in the Defense Industry were utilized as samples. Results: It turned out that CI had significant impacts on Management Infra(MGT_Infra), Process Management(PM), Human Resources Management(HRM) and Communication(COMU) and had an indirect impact on the enterprises' financial performance through the parameters of HRM and Communication. Meanwhile, it turned out that between CI and non-financial performance, there was a direct effect, and there was also an indirect effect through the variables of the Management Infra and Communication. Conclusion: It turned out that CI had a positive effect on SCQM as a proactive driver and that they had significant relationships with BP(financial, Non-financial), both financial performance and non-financial performance. However, PM did not have a significant relationship of effect with BP because of the character appearing by the evaluation method of military supplies for the conformity to the specifications.