Kaizen: The Japanese Method for Transforming Habits, One Small Step at a Time

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The Lean Startup: How Constant Innovation Creates Radically Successful Businesses” by Eric Ries — This book explores the concept of “lean” management, which is inspired by the principles of kaizen and emphasizes continuous improvement, rapid experimentation, and customer focus. It is aimed at entrepreneurs and startup founders, but the ideas in the book are applicable to any organization. Alvarado-Ramírez, K.M., Pumisacho-Álvaro, V.H., Miguel-Davila, J.Á., Suárez Barraza, M.F.: Kaizen, a continuous improvement practice in organizations: a comparative study in companies from Mexico and Ecuador. TQM J. 30(4), 255–268 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-07-2017-0085

Kaizen recognises the value of standardisation and the establishment of standard work procedures. Standardisation involves creating clear and consistent processes, guidelines, and specifications to ensure that work is performed efficiently and consistently. Line kaizen refers to communication of improvements between the upstream and downstream of a process. This can be extended in several ways.The book showcases practical tips on how to start and adopt the system; regarding heath and how to improve it using such a system regarding exercises, sleep, diet, morning routine and some other basic things that are incorporated in our daily lives.

If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves repeatedly, not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the status of your plans. Here, you’ll get a proven method that can take you to new heights.

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Terziovsky, M., Sohal, A.S.: The adoption of continuous improvement and innovation strategies in Australia manufacturing firms. Technovation 20(10), 539–550 (2000) Melnyk, S.A., Calantone, R.J., Montabon, F.L., Smith, R.T.: Short-term action in pursuit of long-term improvements: Introducing Kaizen events. Prod. Invent. Manag. J. 39(4), 69–76 (1998) Day 1: Kaizen blitz introduction from top management, blitz team training on process improvement, and project review with a high-level map of the blitz process In her book, Sarah Harvey uses the British cycling team as an example of Kaizen in action. In the Olympics, the team had always done poorly, and they wanted to change that. Almost every aspect of cycling was scrutinized and improved, from the bikes themselves to nutrition. All factors were considered equally important. At the beginning it was quite interesting, knowing about kaizen for the first time and some information about the history of Japan has caught my attention. However, when I reached the middle of the book it's started to become a little bit boring- I felt like I was reading a person's diary with a bunch of advice. From the middle through the end I was skimming and at the end I found myself reading headlines and sub-topics only.