Kaizen Learn about the fundamentals of kaizen, how it improves quality and productivity, and how you can successfully drive continuous improvement in your organization. What is Kaizen? Kaizen is a Japanese term which means “good change”, “change for the better”, or “improvement.” As a philosophy, kaizen promotes a mindset where small incremental changes create an impact over time. As a methodology, kaizen enhances specific areas in a company by involving top management and rank-and-file employees to initiate everyday changes, knowing that many tiny improvements can yield big results. History and Development Kaizen’s roots can be traced back to post-World War II, when economic reform consequently took over Japan. Since the Toyota Motor Corporation implemented the Creative Idea Suggestion System in May 1951 , changes and innovations led to higher product quality and worker productivity, substantially contributing to the company’s development. In September 1955 , Japanese executives ...