The word Kaizen refers to continuous improvement. It stems from two Japanese words “Kai” meaning “change” and “Zen” meaning “good”. While competitive market requires individuals at all levels in the organization to think of methods to continuously improve the products and services, educational institutes should look for ways to improve the quality of education. Companies who are able to improve the value proposition often become the supplier of choice among the customers. Continuous improvement in gaining importance among business schools as a result of recent calls to improve the education in business schools.

Kaizen requires full participation and continuous effort

Kaizen is a system which involves the participation of each and every employee, from the top management to the lowest level employee. In companies every employee is encouraged to come forward with suggestions for improvements on a continuous basis. This is not an activity that is to be performed once in a month or once in a year. This is continuous in nature and will occur every day, every second. The ideas brought in will not bring major changes, but small improvements on a continuous basis, enhancing efficiency, safety and effectiveness, while reducing waste.

The ideas are not limited to any particular area, such as operations or marketing, but to any area where improvements are possible. This approach can be applied in every aspect of life including business, home, education, etc.

In business, Kaizen follows a process of setting standards and improving them on a continuous basis.

Kaizen in education

Improvement in any system as a result of Kaizen can be multi-dimensional. In business, Kaizen can bring about improvements in the quality of the product or service, it can improve the performance of the process, improve the process of product development, etc. Kaizen approach can be implemented where ever improvement is required, be it work, social life, or home.

Productivity is one aspect of business that can be improved. The resources that are used in the process of producing goods and services are man, machine, and material, commonly referred to as the 3M’s. There is a 4th M which makes production possible, the Method.

Students can adopt Kaizen by putting effort to develop Kaizen thinking. It involves acquiring the ability to identify waste and learning the different methods of reducing waste through a step by step approach until it is eliminated. This approach can be acquired and practiced, which can be applied in a students professional and personal life.

In India, the certification programme for Kaizen is introduced by Synergy School of Business Skills. The Synergy School of Business Skills is a division of CADD centre training services.  The programme is based on Kaizen management system, which involves a set of practices that concentrate on continual improvement processes.

Another important contribution of Kaizen is the Lean practices. The lean practices were those practices that were introduced by Toyota and they called it the ‘Toyota production System or the TPS. Toyota has developed TPS based on Kaizen thinking and it took them years of practice to accomplish it. So lean is an end result of kaizen.

Not popular among institutes in India

Kaizen is practiced by many of the educational institutes across the world, but is adopted by very few institutions in India. Even though Kaizen and Lean concepts and practices are taught in many of the management institutes in India, they seldom follow the same to bring about improvements in the education process.

In India, the Government of Gujarat has applied the concept of Kaizen extensively in the education institutions in Gandhinagar.

Institutes such as Welingkar Institute, Sadhana School of Business Management have adopted these practices in India.

Requires constant practice

Kaizen programmes are designed in such a way as to complement the theoretical inputs by the use of practical applications. The effectiveness lies in training and not education. The difference between training and education is that while education gives knowledge training provides skills.

Any skill, be it driving, swimming or any other, can be acquired through practice and not through books alone. It is the same in the case of Kaizen. Even if one study kaizen through books extensively, he or she cannot become a skilled practitioner until it is practiced in real life situations. Today skills can be acquired with help of simulation games, in addition to practicing it at workplace or at the production site.

Kaizen programmes in education are designed to impart skills in various areas based on the areas of application and can be personalized for the participants based on their needs. In addition to attending these programmes, the real output comes only through practice.

Resistance to change and other barriers

Educational institutions are just like any other organizations and so it can be difficult to obtain broad participation in the process of continuous improvement. This is often evident when the tools and methods use in Kaizen are unfamiliar and when faculty doubts the support from the part of administrators. Teacher often view tools and methods taken from industry as corrupt and ineffective in the case of educational institutions. This resistance for change during the initial stages is common everywhere. The most commonly expressed view is that it won’t work because we are different.

Benefits of kaizen

By understanding and applying Kaizen properly will benefit educational institutions as it encourages meaningful dialog, facilitates a structured approach, encourages cross functional team work and identifies actions that will improve the course. Thus Kaizen ensure positive results without being a burden to the organization.

Gaining importance of Kaizen

Kaizen gains importance as the students’ perception of value changes over time. Kaizen should be carried out at regular intervals, taking inputs from various relevant sources to guide improvement activities. So applying Kaizen will make sure that the institution and its courses remain competitive and also reflect the commitment of the institution and the individuals to quality, excellence and continuous improvement.

It will be useful for managers and administrators in the educational field who have an understanding of Kaizen to be on an upper hand in the present days where they are faced with financial and other significant challenges.