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LEAN tools and approaches
Among the Lean methods that can be mentioned, Kaikaku is often presented as the opposite of the Kaizen method. And for a very simple reason: Kaizen advocates continuous change, while Kaikaku literally means "radical change" in Japanese. If it uses it, the company seeks to modify its organization on a specific theme. The upheaval is taking place at all levels of the hierarchy. In general, this tool is often used to improve production processes and team management.
In reality, these two methods of Lean Management and work are not fundamentally contradictory. In fact, companies often use the Kaikaku method in addition to the Kaizen method. The former allows for great improvements in the short term, while the latter is more projected in the long term. The objective therefore remains the same: to support a significant change in the company and above all to bring quality to the means of production and management, this new production tool makes it possible to drastically reduce quality costs. The latter are indeed absent, which contributes to the optimization of the means of production.
When a company uses the Kaikaku method, usually it does not exceed 1 week, or 5 days of actual work. To achieve such an evolution in the space of a few days, the thinkers of Kaikaku have put in place 10 commandments. These make it possible to really grasp the spirit of the method and define a simple action plan.
The organization of such a project is essential, as its consequences can be important.
Before you can actually set up kaikaku, we can identify 3 essential steps:
Once these 3 phases have been properly completed, it is possible to move on to the next step: the effective implementation of the project.
At the end of these 5 steps, we can consider the Kaikaku as successful.
As mentioned above, organization and planning are essential to the operation of a Kaikaku method. The difficulties that a team may encounter in this context are often of a human nature.
On the one hand, it is quite common for superiors or management not to see Kaikaku very favourably. It is a method that, quite often, reflects the changes on the entire hierarchical pyramid. On the other hand, it is necessary to ensure the changes that await employees do not rush them too much. Indeed, it is not uncommon for the upheaval of work or its framework to negatively affect employees.
The industrial sector and Lean Management are environments that often make changes of the "Kaikaku" type:
The Kaikaku method was used by Toyota at one of its Japanese plants to halve its production times, while reducing the production line in question. Example: Toyota used a Kaikaku method at one of its Japanese plants to cut production times in half, while shortening the production line in question. To do this, they were the first to develop injection molding techniques and assembly robots.
To ensure that, for example, new software is used in a company, it will first be necessary to install it on all computers (kaikaku) and then train employees in its use (kaizen). This method can easily be applied to several different projects/environments. In general, Kaikaku will be very effective in organizing change processes in companies, especially in organizational terms.
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