Kaizen is a Japanese term that was introduced in the workforce almost 30 years ago. Kai means ‘change’ and Zen means ‘for the better’.
It was first adopted by the manufacturing sector to reduce waste, boost productivity and encourage employees with purpose and support innovation. The Kaizen approach is also known as the Toyota Way.
“Kaizen means improvement. Moreover, it means continuing improvement in personal life, home life, social life, and working life. When applied to the workplace Kaizen means continuing improvement involving everyone – managers and workers alike”, that’s is how Masaaki Imai, Founder of Kaizen Institute, define the term.
And as this is a broad concept, it has been adopted by other industries. So how Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) companies can utilise the Kaizen approach? How ERP companies can help other businesses ‘change for the better’?
Rather than a tool, Kaizen is more of a philosophy that can be applied to focus on gradual improvement, encouraging scrutiny of the processes to have less errors in the way and when systems are in place, they ensure that improvements are encouraged in both short and long terms.
ERP companies need to implement for success, to help the organisations they are implementing the software for. There is where Kaizen can be applied. Every implementation from the planning stage to the support stage once it has been deployed. Looking at continuously improving, will help empower the teams at our clients and help them build better organisations.
Even after go-live is important to receive support and create those applications that are needed as the client’s business change.
EPR implementations is not a simple task or a straight-forward process as many agents get involved in it. By taking the continuous improvement or Kaizen approach, ERP systems will provide the foundation that will lead businesses to improve productivity and build quality enhancements.