Impact Of The Kaizen Management Commerce Essay Example

but require enthusiasm, consistency, and discipline for effective implementation. With guidance from advisors and top management, a company's structure, culture, and leadership can be restructured for excellence. This paper focuses on developing Kaizen Management in Romania as a framework for future companies adopting its techniques. Introduced by Professor Masaaki Imai in 1986, Kaizen can be summarized as "Regenerate your heart and make it better." [1]Prof. Masaaki Imai, the founding president of the Global Kaizen Institute, has successfully implemented the Kaizen concept by valuing human intelligence and creativity. This approach contrasts with the popular saying "never mind, it works anyway!" as Kaizen emphasizes continuous improvement. According to Imai, Kaizen applies not only to professional life but also to social and personal life. In the workplace, Kaizen Management involves ongoing improvement for all individuals, including managers and workers. Unlike European and American approaches that prioritize innovation through significant investments, Kaizen promotes continuous improvement through incremental steps and active participation from all employees. Prof. Masaaki Imai's plastic training highlights the benefits of Kaizen management: "a step forward made by a hundred people is more valuable than a hundred steps forward made by their leader." This continuous process offers advantages such as increased productivity, elimination of losses, reduced production costs, improved quality and delivery dates, enhanced work conditions, and employee motivation and engagement in improving company performance.Kaizen is the most viable option in today's competitive labor market due to its positive impact on organizational structure. With a solid foundation and clear guidelines, Kaizen achieves a perfect balance between adaptability, continuous improvement, and reliability. The development of Kaizen Management is closely linked to that of quality management, with many experts

in the field of quality contributing to its progress. After merging their thoughts, kaizen techniques and patterns have been created for implementation anywhere in the universe, regardless of state or company culture.

Masaaki Imai supports this idea by stating that Kaizen Management can be applied in various fields such as governmental services, schools, and other establishments, even in countries with controlled economies. The main methods, patterns, and techniques of Kaizen Management include CWQM (TQM) - Total Quality Management, TFM - Total Flow management, TPM - Total Productive Maintenance, VSM - Value Stream Mapping, and TSM - Total Service Management for improving production processes efficiency.

It also includes methods like Gemba, 5S Visual Management Muda Mura Lean 6Sigma Kamban for organizing workspaces and reducing losses or defects. Additionally techniques like Cause-effect chart (Ishikawa) and 5Why Analysis are used to identify root causes of problems. The suggestion system and teian are used to motivate employees.The internationally recognized continuous improvement methods, known as Kaizen Management, aim to unite all employees in enhancing communication processes and fostering a sense of belonging within the company. In the highly competitive European Union market, this system provides a significant advantage [8]. Since 2000, the relationship between Romania and Japan has grown stronger economically, politically, socially, and culturally. While organizations like S.R.A.C., M.R.C., A.R.C., Romanian Foundation for Quality Promotion, and Romanian Prize for Quality "J.M. Juran" have promoted a culture of quality management over the past decade, the establishment of Romanian Kaizen Institute in 2004 opened doors to Japan and thus enabled the implementation of Kaizen Management. At present, there are 15 national-level organizations that promote quality management for individuals and legal entities.Quasaro, Braco, IKaR,

Kaizen Manager Club, and Kaizen Training and Consulting are among the organizations that provide consultancy, certification, and expertise in the field of Kaizen Management. They play a crucial role in facilitating the development of the Romanian-Japanese economic and social environment.

The Clean Up Japan Association collaborates with Kaizen Institute Romania, Kaizen Manager Club, and AOTS Alumni Society Romania to promote Japanese culture in Romania. They achieve this through joint activities with local governments and companies that implement Kaizen Management techniques.

The Japanese Romanian Business Association also contributes to commercial and economic collaboration between Romania and Japan. They actively promote Romanian products in the Japanese market.

Both embassies serve as important platforms for fostering bilateral relations between Romania and Japan in various aspects such as economy, politics, and culture.

As a result of their yearly initiatives, there is an increasing interest in adopting the principles of Kaizen and cultivating a quality culture.

Established just eight years ago, the Kaizen Institute Romania offers an extensive range of services for companies, employees, and society as a whole. These services include consultancy support for businesses large or small; training programs; certification services; personal and professional development opportunities for managers as well as employees; initiatives dedicated to nurturing young talent; public campaigns aimed at improving society using the 5S approach.The Kaizen doctrine is embraced by companies, employees, young individuals, and society in general as a way of life that values performance, efficiency, and the worth of each individual. In Romania, all types of organizations are experiencing significant changes. The bureaucratic culture that was highly political until 1989 is gradually being replaced by an entrepreneurial culture seen in private businesses established after the introduction of free

market mechanisms. This transformation has resulted in a focus on setting realistic goals and creating practical action plans that prioritize product and service quality while considering environmental factors. Consequently, more Romanian employees are choosing to leave rigid bureaucratic institutions that resist change in favor of entrepreneurial organizations that offer opportunities for success, prosperity, meaning, and direction. While many new entrepreneurs may lack the necessary knowledge and skills to develop a coherent strategic outlook or adapt dynamically to external circumstances, they possess enthusiasm and dedication to their businesses – qualities essential for Kaizen leaders. Enthusiastically communicating reform visions to employees fosters a sense of belonging and commitment towards resolving organizational issues.The implementation of Kaizen Management in Romania aims to develop a performance culture and prepare Romanian companies for global competition. In the industry sector, the focus is on improving product quality, reducing costs, and shortening delivery times to meet customer demands. The overall goal is to increase productivity and decrease production implementation. In public services, the objective is to improve service performance while reducing internal costs by reducing process development lead time by at least 20% and synchronizing service delivery activities and information flow [15]. Various companies in Romania, such as banking institutions, local councils, product and service providers, and academic institutions have implemented Kaizen Management practices.Examples of industries where Kaizen has been implemented in Romania include automotive (Takata-Petri, BOS Automotive, Star Transmision Cugir), transportation (Bucharest Airports [10], Signus RO Distribution, Damen Shipyard Galati), banking (Romanian Commercial Bank, Transylvania Bank, Volksbank Romania), design services (National Land Register Agency, Cambric Consultancy), architecture (Architect Services), as well as public services in county councils (County Council Arges, Bucharest Mayoralty)

and national state agencies. Other significant sectors for Kaizen implementation are production (Grup Romet, Artic Targoviste, Pirelli Romania [5], 10th Bearing Plant, Aromet, Bega Electromotor, Contor Zenner, Romstal, Swedwood Romania SAFT Power Systems RAAL) and products/services (Bibora?eni Murfatral Romania Martelli Europe Japan Tobacco International JTI Romdrinks Eurotrade [11]). However, the implementation of Kaizen Management in Romanian companies has faced obstacles such as resistance to change due to a lack of information. Julien Bratu from Kaizen Institute Romania emphasizes the importance of company management in shaping employee expectations and overcoming resistance to change. To address this issue seminars are conducted for top/middle management to accelerate employee expectation change and reduce resistance to change.After analyzing several Romanian companies that have implemented Kaizen Management, it was discovered that once work techniques and practices are explained, employees readily accept the company's organizational culture and support Kaizen Management. A majority of employees believe that the greatest change brought about by Kaizen Management is the organization's willingness to embrace new ideas, emphasize teamwork, encourage creativity, promote long-term planning, and enforce common-sense rules that require commitment from all levels.

It should be noted that companies in Romania adopting Kaizen Management tend to focus on implementing its practices rather than fully embracing its underlying philosophy in their employees' personal lives. In other words, Romanian employees only adopt certain work practices as long as they can benefit from them. They do not wholeheartedly embrace the principles behind these practices regardless of cultural factors; instead, they simply adopt them because of the efficient system of motivation and rewards.

However, if properly identified and utilized, this distinctiveness among Romanian employees can yield benefits for both the employees themselves

and various stakeholders including the company, clients, end consumers, society at large – including the natural environment. The management team of one of Romania's most effective companies in implementing Kaizen Management has stated that their top priority for facilitating successful execution is to concentrate on organizing classes and activities aimed at promoting staff integration.The text discusses various aspects of implementing Kaizen techniques in a company, including knowledge transfer, benchmarking, effective communication, and teamwork. It emphasizes the importance of credible Kaizen directors and experts in engaging employees through a motivational and reward system. Information exchange between levels is crucial for maintenance, monitoring, and problem-solving efficiency. Implementing Kaizen techniques typically takes at least 6 months to ensure stability and continuity. The text suggests that organizational culture can bridge cultural differences by promoting truth, fairness, and mutual respect. While employees worldwide have similar fundamental needs, minor differences can be accommodated if necessary. In Romania, Kaizen Management is tailored to meet the unique requirements of the local market while maintaining established work patterns and techniques. However, it is believed that changing work conditions will impact employee behavior as both individuals and the overall culture are influenced by alterations in the work environment and practices.The impact of national cultures on the organization is not considered significant. Companies implementing Kaizen Management should recognize and understand cultural differences that influence management in order to continuously improve working systems. An effective approach in Romania combines elements of both "general intercultural management" adapted to Romania's reality and post-socialist work ethics as a key cultural distinction [6]. To facilitate this, company management must communicate that cultural differences are valuable and can be managed through benchmarking

procedures within the same country to enhance competitiveness. Reproducing success does not require replicating the management system, but rather adapting it to the culture. As Peter Dupriez states, "all management is cultural." Social Kaizen improves one's life with initial effects seen in the surrounding environment such as workplace infrastructure or interactions with others. These effects extend eventually to the community, society, and nature.In October 2011, Kaizen Institute Romania organized the first social Kaizen activity called "Nipponese freshness for the cities of Romania." This initiative included a series of 5S public workshops in Brasov, Timisoara, and Alba Iulia. The goal was to promote individual awareness and raise the community's consciousness regarding public space care. The project was organized by Kaizen Institute Romania, Kaizer Manager Club Romania, and AOTS - Nipponese Management Association in Romania. They were joined by Clean Up Japan Association, Kaizen Institute Japan, local governments, and experienced kaizen companies (such as Hirschmann, Assa Abloy, Takata-Petri) as well as kaizen companies in the early stages (such as Supremia, Stabilus, Eldon). Volunteers from NGOs, associations, and the local community were invited to participate in the project. The natural environment serves as a practical reflection of human actions. It is important to recognize that each person and company is part of a larger system that requires the participation of every sub-system to develop and present public presentations in harmony with the environment. This necessitates frequent small improvements that more and more people can contribute to.The initiative, titled "Japanese Freshness for the Cities of Romania," achieved success for various reasons. First, there were physical outcomes such as the involvement of 250 volunteers, including city managers and vice-mayors. Additionally,

seven news stations were established and a total travel distance of 1500 kilometers was covered in one week.

Another reason for its success was addressing two major obstacles to implementing Kaizen practices. These obstacles included skepticism due to a lack of information and resistance to change based on the belief that "it also works like this." The project helped volunteers understand that 5S is not just a way to express the Kaizen spirit in public life but also a lifestyle that promotes personal growth for individuals and those around them.

When evaluating the impact on the community and society, goal achievement serves as the basis. The main objective was to enhance cooperation between public partners within a city's environment. As a result, it becomes evident that once people become aware of the importance of the "Kaizen way," they start believing in it.

Whether understanding Kaizen as continuously improving one's surroundings or valuing fairness, people's worth, common sense, and order, it is crucial for this doctrine to take shape in people's minds.The management of the Kaizen Institute Romania believes that their goal has been largely achieved, based on positive reactions from participants and media attention. They see the "Kaizen - 5S Public" workshops as a step towards behavioral change and hope for societal change in Romania. Drawing from experience with partner companies, Julien Bratu suggests that practicing Kaizen Management can positively impact both individual lives and collective thoughts. However, to truly shift societal attitudes, consistent monthly 5S Public actions over three consecutive years are necessary. The timeframe for extrapolating these actions at the national level can vary depending on political understanding and manifestation of Kaizen values. To address social

awareness needs using Kaizen techniques, the Kaizen Institute Romania collaborated with organizations and companies to organize the "Kaizen for Alba County" project in March 2012. This project aimed at economic and societal development through two new programs.On March 13th, the Kaizen Institute Romania introduced "Kaizen for SMEs", a program aimed at supporting the growth of small and medium-sized Romanian companies. The program is designed with three levels of implementation goals. Flat 1 focuses on implementing basic standards from the Kaizen culture to establish a foundation. In Flat 2, Kaizen techniques are utilized to enhance public presentation in procedures. Lastly, in Flat 3, the ultimate objective is to achieve exceptional industry performance by prioritizing quality, efficiency, and speedy delivery.

The adoption of Kaizen Management by more SMEs is expected to generate results that will raise awareness and recognition for Kaizen Management within the industry. Furthermore, it is emphasized that advancing management techniques are crucial in increasing visibility alongside actual implementation.

On March 14th, another initiative called "Individual Kaizen for young persons" was launched by the Kaizen Institute Romania. This particular program deviates from others like "Gemba Kaizen College" and "Kaizen for employees and organization" as it specifically caters to individuals with a youthful mindset rather than focusing solely on employee development within an organization.

The goal of this unique initiative developed by the Kaizen Institute Romania is to bring about lasting change in civil society through personal development and strategic management techniques aimed at improving individual performance.The program is rooted in the belief that young individuals are more receptive to change and embrace innovative ideas. It aims to enhance personal productivity, train the mind and spirit, and potentially drive

significant societal transformation in Romania. These changes would manifest initially in work behavior, attitudes, expectations, and lifestyle choices. The younger generation is envisioned as catalysts for promoting fairness, performance, environmental concern, and consideration for others while subsequent generations continue this trend. Although the program's title may suggest exclusivity to youth only, due to high demand, KI Romania has announced that it will be open to all those with a youthful spirit who wish to participate in their courses. The project's final phase "Kaizen for Alba County" involves an initiative called "Kaizen for People and Nature," which fosters balanced development among young individuals with the aim of increasing their overall value contribution to society through principles of natural growth.During the activity, 700 seedlings were planted in the Oarda neighborhood, which is located 5 kilometers from Alba-Iulia. The planting was done with the help of 118 volunteers who wanted to contribute to the environment's harmonious development. Several local government leaders were present at the event, including the President of Alba County Council, Prefecture, Mayor, and Vice-Mayors of Alba-Iulia Municipality. The event was organized as a Gemba Kaizen workshop and had various outcomes. These outcomes included an increased interest in the Kaizen philosophy, a higher level of awareness regarding responsibility for the environment and future generations, raised individual consciousness, improved collaboration between governmental institutions, private organizations, NGOs, media, and society. Additionally, there was enthusiasm among participants. They also shared information about how Kaizen Management can be useful in their personal lives with their families and friends. As a result of these efforts, it has been discovered that individuals can enhance their daily activities, maximize their potential and become

more efficient. Consequently,the reach of Kaizen philosophy has expanded beyond the workshop to include implementation in companies throughout RomaniaThe implementation of Kaizen Management can be applied in various fields, as long as there are no pre-conceived thoughts and stereotypes about cultural diversity. It is important to provide credible support in execution to overcome any perceived disadvantages. The goal is not to transform Romanians into Nipponese, but rather to adapt a proven management style that allows for continuous improvement in systems that require enhancements.