CASE:SUGGESTION SYSTEM ACROSS CULTURES

Presented by:
GROUP :10
ABHINAV KUMAR
ASHISH
LAVISH ARORA
PRAKHAR PANDEY
ROHIT PANT
VASU GUPTA
CONTENT
INTRODUCTION
TOOLS AND IMPLEMENTATION
CULTURAL DIMENSION
BASIC PRINCIPLES
KAIZEN PHILOSOPHY
JAPANESE MODERATION & IMPLICATIONS
JAPANESE TENDENCIES
CONCLUSION
What Does Kaizen Mean?

KAI ZEN
To modify, to change To make good

KAIZEN
Make it easier by studying it, and making the improvement
through elimination of waste.
INTRODUCTION
• Kaizen is the Japanese word for “continuous improvement” or “change for
the best”.
• It refers to the philosophy or practices that focus upon continuous
improvement of processes in manufacturing, engineering, and business
management for various types of organizations and the healthcare sector.
• Kaizen has been adopted worldwide and it has become the central pillar for
process improvement in many big companies, not only Toyota, where it has
been adopted to define The Toyota Way.
• In a simple definition, one can say that Kaizen activities aim to improve all
functions of the business, through small steps, involving all employees.
• It is a collective effort that makes the process more efficient, effective,
manageable, and adaptable.
 
WHO DOES KAIZEN

TOP MANAGEMENT
MIDDLE MANAGEMENT
SUPERVISIORS
WORKERS
Kaizen Process
Standardize the
process

Standardize
Measure
the new
the
process
process

Develop
implement
Identify the
areas for
improvement
BECOME KAIZEN
• “Change for the better”
• Masaaki Imai is known as developer of Kaizen.
• A collective effort across an enterprise to standardize processes and
remove any element that does not contribute to desired results.
• Roots were imported from US, but it evolved and thrived in Japan
under unique cultural conditions.
• Recht and Wilderom refer to Kaizen-Oriented Suggestion System
(KOSS) which emphasizes efforts of workers and support of
managers in both, what is done and what is delegated.
• The process evolved and created favourable conditions of mutual
trust in pursuit of continuous refinement of organization.
Kaizen Tools and implementation

Kaizen improvement and implementation is based on the use of the following

important principles and tools:
• Observing all working process then differentiating and sorting the value added and non-
value added work activities.

• Applying the principles of motion study. It will be achieved by using the pull production
system not the push system (as will be explained in later section).

• Applying the principles of material handling and use of onepiece flow. It will be achieved
by using the pull production system not the push system (as will be explained in later
section).
• Documentation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

• The 5S principle for workplace organization which is a philosophy of good housekeeping.

It is a practical concept that means to realize the smoothest flow and a synchronization in
processes. 5S is the key point in the workplace to help accomplish work quickly, correctly
and safely.
Parallels in Cultural Dimension at Both Levels

• In contrast with national cultures embedded in values,

organizational cultures are embedded in practices.
• Parallel relationship between values at national level
and practices at organizational level is depicted by
Recht and Wilderom.
• Managing international organizations involves
understanding both national and organizational
cultures.
• Hofstede tried to identify how cultures differ from one
another in orientation and emphasis.
 The basic principles of the Kaizen
approach

• The Kaizen approach is a dedication to improving

effectiveness, satisfaction, and waste. The core tenets of
continuous improvement of Kaizen include:
• Standardizing a process so that it’s repeatable and organized
• Focusing on measurability and evaluating progress using data
• Comparing results against your requirements (did you deliver
on your promise?)
• Innovating new and better ways to achieve similar results
• Responding to changing circumstance and evolving your
methods over time
Three ways to apply the Kaizen philosophy on
a personal level

• Here are three ways you can start implementing the Kaizen
approach in your work-life right now. Whether you’re try to be
more productive at the office by reducing interruptions or
attempting to finish a creative project like writing a book,
these tips can help you get there—gradually.
1. Determine where your time and energy is
wasted.
2. Ask yourself what small steps you can make to
be more productive or efficient.
3. Set aside time to review what’s working and
what could be improved.
1. Determine where your time and energy is
wasted.

• If you can never find the time to devote to the

projects that are important to you, it’s possible
that some of your time is being wasted by
unnecessary tasks. Take stock of what you need
to stop doing. We’re frequently not aware of the
attentional leaks that permeate our day, so start
by auditing your schedule.
2.Ask yourself what small steps you can make
to be more productive or efficient.

• As you start to identify areas for improvement, the key is to start with
bite-sized changes. Think tiny. Often, our instinct is to go big. We get
impatient and want results, if not overnight, then within a week or a
month. But when you consider that incremental improvements over
time are much more likely to stick (as opposed to sweeping,
cataclysmic changes), starting small seems increasingly appealing,
although it does take patience.
• If, for example, you’re trying to boost your productivity at the office so
you don’t have to work through lunch, brainstorm what minimally
disruptive changes might help you accomplish that. Maybe it means
arriving to work 15 minutes early each morning so you’re not rushing,
or setting an alarm on your phone to remind you to take a break,
making you less likely to plow through and 
ignore your rumbling stomach.
3. Set aside time to review what’s working and what could be improved.

• You can implement an official one-hour weekly review on

a Sunday night to prioritize your focus and projects for
the week ahead. It’s important to strike a balance
between optimization and appreciation by integrating
both positive and negative experiences. Try a twist on the
typical daily gratitude practice:
• What was the “high point” of your day?
• What was your “low point” of the day?
• What could you improve upon for next time?
• What did you feel proud of today?
• What did you learn?
Areas of Japanese Moderation & Implications
• Japan’s power distance rating indicates no tendency with regard to
expectation of power equity.
• Higher rating seem to support suggestion system like in India and China. But
manager and worker will have to work in best ways to built reassurance and
cross communicate.
• Japan has moderate rating for individualism that supports suggestion
system.
• Highly collective orientation like in China might make one worker reluctant
to address an area in which another operates.
• Highly individualistic orientation might dampen employee motivation as
seen in US.
Areas of Strong Japanese Tendencies
• Japanese have strong tendency to avoid uncertainty and
adhere to procedures. China indicate indifference in
exactitude inspite being a manufacturing hub. In culture of
interchange ability, the operation would need to find ways to
attract and motivate employees.
• Japan has strong tendency for long term orientation along
with China and Germany. They would likely accept any short-
term disruption.
• US is unique among them as it emphasis on short-term gains.
Conclusion

• An operation will benefit from stability, trust,

problem solving and collaborative
communication.
• Breaking down functions by underlying cultural
values forms a basis for mutual understanding
and characterizes standard work.