Kaizen Blitz
Department
Management and Entrepreneurship
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-2012
Abstract
The article presents information about the management of the U.S. National Football League to illustrate the implementation of kaizen process improvement programs in businesses. The multiphased process of developing a successful football team is discussed, from training camps to translate the knowledge of the coaching staff into practicing player skills and unit leadership to the continuation of coaching during regular season games to maintain skills and build unit player cohesion. This example is compared with the experiences of kaizen implementation at a Toyota automobile manufacturing plant. It is suggested that a kaizen plan should focus on hiring improvement experts, using teams from various areas of the organization, and continuing to develop improvement skills over time.