Studying Kaizen Event Outcomes and Critical Success Factors: A Model-Based Approach

摘要

This paper describes the development of a model of Kaizen event effectiveness, based on related bodies of knowledge, as well as on published (primarily anecdotal) accounts from the Kaizen event literature and on pilot research. While Kaizen events appear to be increasingly popular, published guidelines for event design are not based on empirical research, and it is not clear what relationship exists between the numerous design suggestions and event outcomes. The paper concludes by presenting a design for testing the model through a multi-site field study.