In the world of Lean, there are three terminologies used in the domain of improvement: Kaizen, Kaikaku and Kakushin.
Japanese Methodologies and Philosophies
Five whys (or 5 whys) is an iterative interrogative technique used to explore the cause-and-effect relationships underlying a particular problem.
The elemental difference between kaizen and innovation is in the way they are implemented and the results they are bringing to the company, even though both bring improvements in the company.
Create a culture of continuous improvement where all employees are actively engaged in improving the company. Nurture this culture by organizing events focused on improving specific areas of the company.
Hansei is a central idea in Japanese culture, meaning to acknowledge one's own mistake and to pledge improvement. This is similar to the German proverb Selbsterkenntnis ist der erste Schritt zur Besserung, where the closest translation to English would be "Insight into oneself is the first step to improvement".
Traditionally used for manufacturing in a hierarchical organization, the Japanese method to ensure upward communication can be adapted to the realities of today’s knowledge based, flat hierarchical firms to ensure effective 360-degree communication in which everyone stays in the loop.
Heijunka is a Lean method for reducing the unevenness in a production process and minimizing the chance of overburden. The term Heijunka comes from Japanese and literally means leveling. It can help you react to demand changes and utilize your capacity in the best possible way.
Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management technique based on the idea that all “employees continuously improve their ability to provide on-demand products and services that customers will find of particular value.”
A fishbone diagram is undoubtedly one of the best tools to find and visualize the root cause of any problem.
The “u” in “u-Japan” represents the “u” in not only “ubiquitous,” but also in “universal,”“ user oriented,” and “unique.”
The two pillars of the Toyota Way are respect for people and continuous improvement. The philosophy was popularized by Jeffrey K. Liker in his 2004 book, The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer.
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