What is Gemba Kaizen?

Value is created when people, information, materials, equipment, and processes come together to serve the customer.  Gemba means the place where value is created. 

Kaizen means “change for the better” in Japanese.  The best English equivalent is “Continuous Improvement”: to find and get rid of any “Waste” existing anywhere in the organization

Kaizen is made up of two characters:

Kai   (Change)

Zen  (Good)

Gemba Kaizen activities change not only the systems and processes, but also peoples’ mindsets about the organization and how they view their job.  Transformation into a Lean Enterprise requires changes in the “way we do things”.  The aim of Gemba Kaizen activities is to build a company culture of daily improvement.  Kaizen does this through:

• Ongoing organizational learning
• Emphasis on action
• Team-based activities
• Focus, rapid improvement
• Employee empowerment