How can you use Kaizen to develop your supply chain talent?

Here's how I can utilize Kaizen principles to enhance the skills and capabilities of my supply chain talent:Train your brain for thinking of continuous improvement.Be self deciplined.Analyze performed supply chain process & find out improvement issues as process ,lead time,safety,compliance,cost improvement & cultural understanding improvement etc.Develop a culture among team.Communicate clearly & delegate who is doing what.Provide training & development opportunities.Improve Cross-Functional Collaboration.Introduce visual management system.Introduce digital platform to share and communicate information.Empower employees to solve challenges.Provide resources & supports.Celebrate success.

Kaizen é uma expressão japonesa que significa Melhoria Contínua, aplicada em todos os aspectos da vida (pessoal, familiar, social e profissional). Depois da 2ª Guerra, que devastou a sua indústria, o Japão se reinventou com o conceito Kaizen, que significa Mudança para Melhor. Baseado na ideia de que o tempo é o principal fator de competitividade, o conceito Kaizen busca identificar e eliminar os desperdícios que afetam qualquer tipo de Organização, seja nos processos administrativos ou produtivos.

Kaizen is improvement, it’s a discipline that when done with a deliberate approach will change a work place and its culture. Kaizen Blitz can be used to improve a work area/process and to show all employees what good looks like, it’s always done better when Management are committed and support it of it. Kaizen is change for good.

Kaizen todos sabem que e a melhoria continua do seu trabalho ou processo. Mas não podemos esquecer que todos os envolvidos devem também ter a filosofia do ji-kotei-kanketsu (JKK) no dia a dia. Ter orgulho do que está fazendo, do seu trabalho bem feito. Como por exemplo não passar defeitos para o próximo processo. Que este processo e entendido como nosso "cliente". Assim cada colaborador deve ser "ownership" do seu processo. Ser dono do seu processo. Assim surgem ótimos kaizen, pois ele sabe de forma minucioso o seu processo.

Standardize. Keep improving existing standards. Establish measurables for your key processes. Make process confirmation and establish reaction plan to return back to standard.

The market today is quite dynamic due to changes in customer demand, frequent change in taste of customers, excess competition. To cope up with these and survive, it is important for every organisation to look for opportunities of improvement. Kaizen can be a great tool for this as every individual in supply chain can contribute to make processes efficient, reduce wastages and help to reduce costs.

Kaizen workshops shed light on systems, offering deep insights into operations. Coupled with just-in-time problem-solving instruction, they enhance the learning experience. This practical approach significantly aids in developing leadership skills by applying theory directly to real-world challenges.

As we know, Kaizen offers a process that xan becfolliwed for Continuous improvement. The Supply Chsin staff are faced with new challenges every day if not every hour. In most cases, it iscthe experience and having faced similar situations earlier sees the Staff through. But invisible Kaizen if applied ti the challenge, can eliminate the challenge, such that it will no longer need thecrequired attention. So gollowingvthe Ksizen philosophy or rather making it the department's DNA. It makes leavingvthevoffice much more satisfying.

Avant de mettre en œuvre le kaizen, il est crucial de cultiver une culture appropriée, un environnement propice qui perçoit les problèmes ou les erreurs comme des occasions d'apprendre et de s'améliorer, plutôt que comme des échecs. Souvent, par crainte de la hiérarchie, nous avons tendance à dissimuler les problèmes au lieu de les afficher et de les résoudre. Pour réussir dans ces initiatives, il est primordial de libérer les collaborateurs de la peur de leur hiérarchie.

Exatamente! Processos que buscam se estruturar para receber e desenvolver talentos bem como alavancar o potencial de cada integrante da corporação, estará sempre pronto para aumentar os resultados e melhorar as entregas nos processos.

Assim como em qualquer outro processo, existem várias oportunidades e ferramentas para implementar o Kaizen. No entanto, um método infalível é o PDCA, que incorpora uma série de ferramentas como gráficos de controle, diagrama de Pareto, VSM, diagrama de Ishikawa, 5 Porquês, 5W2H, padronização, entre outras. O PDCA oferece um roteiro sólido para identificar, implementar e monitorar melhorias contínuas na cadeia de suprimentos.

Es importante diferenciar Kaizen de otras iniciativas de mejora. Se trata de capacitar al equipo en el uso de algunas herramientas muy básicas (análisis de causa raíz o 5 por qué, por ejemplo) para luego motivarlo a realizar pequeñas mejoras, casos sencillos, pero que lleguen hasta la implementación. Es importante que las mejoras tengan éxito, y que la gente las note, así el equipo adquiere confianza en el método y este se vuelve una filosofía de vida. Para grandes cambios, hay otros métodos.

Implementing kaizen in the supply chain can be relatively easy if key actors are present at each stage of the supply chain from start to finish. With the objective that both leaders and workers can identify as a team the key stages and variables that are present in the chain, from the initial stage, from the supplier to the next stage (customer). In this way, the most important aspects to improve would be identified through teamwork, given that each stage of the chain is dependent on the other. With the identification of critical variables, improvements can be built and implemented among all stakeholders in the supply chain.

Kizens are events organized for boosting the resolution of a problem and/or the achievement of a desired Improvement. To use Kizens it is required at first to be aware of your more impacting problems which should be captured through a robust and consistent Daily Management process in the whole Supply Chain stream (i.e. procurement, logistics, warehouse management, etc.). Bulding a such visibile and shared awareness of problems it will leverage the need for arranging such events.

Implementation of Kaizen in Supply Chain would require us to create a culture that encourages innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. We must clearly define the objectives of Kaizen initiatives and empower employees at all levels of the organization to participate in Kaizen activities. We should incorporate Lean tools and techniques, such as value stream mapping, 5S, Kanban, and JIT inventory management, to identify and eliminate waste within the supply chain. We have to leverage data analytics to gather insights into supply chain performance, identify trends, and pinpoint areas for improvement. We need to establish KPIs and metrics to measure the effectiveness of Kaizen initiatives and track progress towards achieving goals.

Kaizen can be applied to cultivate supply chain talent through training on its principles, fostering idea generation, conducting Gemba walks for direct observation, promoting cross-functional collaboration, honing problem-solving skills, acknowledging participation, setting performance metrics, and orchestrating Kaizen events to target improvement initiatives.

Cada Proyecto de Mejora es particular para cada Empresa, ya que depende de sus propios RRHH y Medios disponibles + de sus Procesos y Procedimientos de Trabajo. Las Fases propuestas para implantar la Mejora serían: Fase I (4-6 meses): ANÁLISIS DE LA REALIDAD = MEDIR Indicadores de Productividad & Resultados actuales + CAPTAR ideas de Mejora con CADA UNO (trabajadores) para implicarlos y motivarlos . Resultado: diseñar un Proyecto de TODOS y para TODOS (Puntos de Mejora generales y por áreas a implementar). Fase II (18-24 meses): Dotar de MEDIOS + planificar y poner en marcha los Puntos de Mejora (utilizar Herramientas Lean). Servir Pedidos y Mejorar. Monitorizar la Mejora: CUADROS DE MANDO/Área. Fase III(siempre): Objetivos Mejora/año-PHVA

Involve as many people as possible in daily problem solving so that they can cope with their issues, learn new approaches and ways, develop their skills and ultimately contribute with better ideas and practices while leading this process for the Next cycles to become a continuous learning organization.

By promoting continuous improvement and innovation at every level of the organization, we can foster a Kaizen culture in our supply chain. This involves understanding the current status of operations, setting ideal targets, making improvements based on needs, challenging the status quo, studying the situation on-site, identifying root causes of problems, investing in solutions that support Kaizen culture, and recognizing and rewarding those who exemplify this culture. It’s a commitment from the entire organization, integrated into daily activities for long-term success.

This is all about setting up the culture and involves a strong commitment from leadership team. There are various ways like tracking through MDI (Managing Daily Improvement) concept, pulse call, etc. Single point of contact (SPOC) and the consistent communication with the stake holders plays a key role. We should also focus on the reward and recognition for the team member implementing and sustaining the best kaizen.

Kaizen is a wonderful way to support and develop supply chain talent in 3 ways. First, involving the front line in kaizen develops buy-in and leads to a higher probability for a long-term solution. Second, it gives the front line opportunity to learn and apply lean tools for problem solving. Finally, it's a good opportunity for leaders to see how high-potential employees lead through influence, collaborate cross-functionally and handle disagreeing viewpoints.

Any supply chain is full of inefficiencies as dynamic situations make current process redundant so now comes kaizen as saviour, we do improvements daily to make supply chain again efficient.

Kaizen can also lead to better overall employee engagement. A sense of belonging (to a bigger group), an opportunity to share more ideas, and/or feeling connected to a company priority or goal.

Um benefício importante do Kaizen é a sinergia criada na equipe evitando que só alguns poucos sugiram melhorias e acabem sendo valorizados pela empresa mas também discriminados pelos colegas e até superiores que não tem a mesma pegada. O Kaizen como programa da empresa estimula a todos os funcionários a participarem valorizando todos igualmente criando ambiente participativo e mais sadio.

Antes do Kaizen, uma cadeia de suprimentos de eletrônicos tinha estoques altos, processos lentos, comunicação ruim, longo lead time e qualidade variável. Após o Kaizen, implementou estoque just-in-time, otimizou processos, melhorou comunicação, reduziu lead time e melhorou qualidade, resultando em uma cadeia mais eficiente, ágil e com melhor atendimento ao cliente.

1. Promote a Culture of Continuous Improvement 2. Identify Areas for Improvement 3. Encourage Employee Involvement 4. Provide Training and Development Opportunities 5. Implement Lean Principles 6. Set Achievable Goals 7. Regularly Review Progress 8. Implement a Feedback System 9. Celebrate Successes 10. Embrace Technology

Toyota encourages employees to actively participate in Kaizen activities, such as suggestion programs and improvement workshops, to identify and implement improvements in various aspects of the supply chain, including production, inventory management, and logistics. Amazon has applied Kaizen principles to optimize its supply chain operations and enhance customer satisfaction. Zara, the Spanish fashion retailer, has implemented Kaizen principles to achieve agility and responsiveness in its supply chain. P&G has integrated Kaizen principles into its supply chain management processes to drive efficiency and innovation. McDonald's has applied Kaizen principles to streamline its supply chain operations and enhance customer satisfaction.

1.Foster growth. 2. Engagement with employees. 3. Quality Improvements. 4. Interactions with others. 5. Engage top management in end-to-end supply chain transformation. 6. Establish a strategy deployment process. 7. Implement daily Kaizen practices within natural teams.

Kaizen within a supply chain staff can be seen through daily continuous improvement of information lead time and inventory reduction. A great tool is Stock Segmentation which gives each SC Planner a guide on true north numerical best opportunities. Through quick PDCAs any planner can work on multiple part numbers to reduce lead time towards the leanest possible segmentation, while maintaining incoming supplies without any interruptions.

Je pense, qu'il faudrait préciser, il ne faut pas avoir peur de lancer cette démarche, même si au départ ce sont des petits chantiers qui sont lancés, au contraire, il faut commencer par des petits chantiers pour comprendre la démarche et maîtriser les outils d'analyses.