Those tangible tools are evident in manufacturing plants across
Across the Anglosphere, practitioners tend to view kaizen somewhat simplistically. At worst, it
is viewed as an organisational free lunch, something through which to achieve the continuous
improvement of operations, adopted with little regard for the host country’s individual and
indigenous social characteristics. At best, the tools and techniques have been applied with real
diligence, and improvement has been achieved in the short term. But the lack of understanding
with respect to those same individual and social characteristics has ensured that a sustainable
contribution to business excellence over the longer term is yet to be forthcoming. To be sure,
there are rare exceptions, such as Toyota’s own manufacturing plants in the USA. These
exceptions continue to fuel the thirst for the adoption of the tangible tools and techniques of
kaizen, beyond that provided by Japanese manufacturers themselves.