QUALITY CIRCLES OF KAIZEN TEAMS

Let us first define what is “kaizen”

Kaizen is a philosophy of continuous improvement of all the employees in an organization so that they
perform their task a little better each day with the new principle that methods can always improve.

KAIZEN TEIAN is a Japanese system for generating and implementing employee ideas. It helped
companies to improve quality and productivity, and reduce prices to increase market share.

KAIZEN is also known as CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

This concept was first originated in Japan in the early 1960’s.

PUBLICIZED ASPECTS OF THE JAPANESE APPROACH TO QUALITY (this qualities may be defined then as
a group of workers doing similar work who meet:
- VOLUNTARILY
- REGULARLY
- IN NORMAL WORKING TIME
- UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THEIR ‘ADVISER’
- TO IDENTIFY, ANALYSE, AND SOLVE WORK RELATED PROBLEMS
TO RECOMMENT SOLUTIONS TO MANAGEMENT

STRUCTURE OF A QUALITY CIRCLE OR KAIZEN ORGANIZATION – unique feature about quality circles or
Kaizen Teams is that, people are asked to join and not told to do so.

4 ELEMENTS OF IN A CIRCLE ORGANIZATION

a. Members - forms the prime element of the concept. They will have been taught the basic problem
solving and process control approaches and techniques and hence, possess the ability to identify and
solve work related problems.
b. Leaders – are usually the immediate supervisors or foremen of the members. They will have been
trained to lead a circle or Kaizen team and bear the responsibility of its success.
c. Facilitators – are the managers of the quality circle or the kaizen programmes. They, more than
anyone else, will be responsible for the success of the concept particularly within an organization.
d. Management – support and commitment are necessary to kaizen and quality circles or, like any other
concepts, they will not succeed. Management must retain its prerogatives, particularly regarding
acceptance or non-acceptance of recommendations, but the quickest way to kill a programme is to
ignore a proposal arising from it.

TRAINING KAIZEN TEAMS AND QUALITY CIRCLES

The training of circle/Kaizen leaders and members is the foundation of all successful programmes. The
whole basis of the training component is that the ideas must be easy to take in and be put across in a
way that facilitates understanding. Simplicity must be the keyword, with emphasis being given to the
basic techniques. Essentially, there are eight (8) segments of training:

These are:

1. Introduction to quality circles or the Kaizen Approach, incuding the ‘Blitz’

2. Brainstorming
3. Data gathering and histograms
4. Cause and effect analysis
5. Pareto analysis
6. Sampling and stratification
7. Control charts
8. Presentation techniques

Managers should also be exposed to some training in the part they are required to play in the
Kaizen/quality circle philosophy.

Operation of quality circles/Kaizen team

Note that there are no formal rules governing the size of a quality circle/Kaizen Team.

When it comes to membership, it usually varies from 3-15 people with an average of 7-8.

When it comes to meetings, it can be held in the work area or away from it so that members are free
from interruption.

THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES MAY TAKE PLACE DURING A CIRCLE MEETING

- Training (initial or refresher)
- Problem identification
- Problem analysis
- Preparation and recommendation for problem solution
- Management presentations
- Quality Circle/kaizen team administration

KAIZEN BLITZ EVENTS

- Rapid benefits realization and effective employee engagement are clear features of the so-called
“Kaizen-Blitz” approach which uses 1-2 week duration events.

Kaizen methodologies have been developed and this should be tailored to focus on specific problem
needs, such as:
a. Asset Care and Total Productivity Maintenance
b. Changeover time and quality
TYPICAL ACHIEVEMENTS FROM SUCH KAIZEN BLITZ EVENTS INCLUDE:

A. Improved Plant Reliability

B. Skills and Methods Transfer