Page 307 - (DK) The Business Book

DELIVERING THE GOODS 305

See also: Take the second step 43 ■ Reinventing and adapting 52–57 ■ Beware the yes-men 74–75 ■ Make the most of
your talent 86–87 ■ Is money the motivator? 90–91 ■ Lean production 290–93

persuade all workers that they have
been hired for two jobs—doing
their job, and then looking for Efficiency is a process
of continuous improvement.
ways to do it more efficiently.
Gemba is a Japanese word
meaning “the real place,” in a
business context gemba refers to the
place where value-added is created.
Kaizen is founded on the conviction
Hands-on employees can identify
that the production-line worker is the
problems that need fixing.
gemba expert who knows where the
problems are. Therefore, most of the
ideas for kaizen change should come
from the factory-floor workers,
rather than from management. This
When management involves
is because difficulties and
its workers in the
abnormalities can only be analyzed
decision-making process...
and fixed at the gemba, not from
the desk. Kaizen philosophy
recognizes that a company’s
greatest resource is its employees.

Quality circles ...problems can be ...the workers’ bond with
Kaizen is more likely to be effective if solved efficiently. the company is strengthened.
workers are asked to work as teams,
rather than as isolated individuals.
The process of coming up with good
ideas and solutions is often the
product of the synergy created by Machines, facilities,
people that have different skill sets, and people should work
qualifications, or ways of seeing the together to add value.
world. Working as a team on kaizen
projects is known as being part of a
“quality circle.” The quality circle
consists of a group of people who
usually work together—for example, circles still meet regularly, at least kaizen ideas is the “fish-bone”
on the same part of an assembly once a week, to discuss any of the diagram. This is a graphic device
line—as well as individuals from problems they have noticed on their that uses the outline of a fish
other parts of the business who can section of the production line. Each skeleton to plot all the various
bring different perspectives. For morning employees are expected aspects of a problem and then
example, an engineer could provide to attend an asa-ichi (morning) explore a number of solutions.
advice on technical matters, while meeting with a positive attitude, Quality circle members are asked
sales-team members can give the before the regular working day to identify possible causes for
group an insight into the customer’s begins. At this meeting they the problem, and each suggestion
point of view. discuss quality problems and is classified into one of six
In 1964, Toyota established possible solutions to those problems. categories: Manpower, Methods,
quality circles at its factory in One of the main tools used by Machines, Materials, Measurement
Toyota City, Japan. The quality Toyota’s quality circles to generate (inspection), and Mother Nature ❯❯