# Kaizen (Continuous Improvement)

> Source: https://netray.co/glossary/kaizen
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: Glossary

## Short answer

Kaizen is the Japanese term for continuous improvement: a habit of making many small, frequent changes to processes, led by the people who do the work, rather than relying on occasional large projects or one-off redesigns.

## Aliases

- kaizen event
- kaizen blitz
- continuous improvement
- CI

## Category

manufacturing

## Full Definition

Kaizen literally means change for the better. In lean manufacturing it takes two forms. Daily kaizen is a steady flow of small suggestions from operators and supervisors, such as relocating a tool or adjusting a fixture. A kaizen event (sometimes called a blitz) is a focused team effort, often three to five days, on one process, with a defined start state, target and follow-up.

A kaizen event usually follows a pattern: define the problem and target, observe the current process at the gemba, measure it, brainstorm and trial changes, standardize what works and assign follow-up actions. Without the last step the gains erode, which is the most common reason events disappoint.

ERP data gives kaizen a baseline and a scoreboard. Cycle time, scrap, rework and on-time delivery measures from job or work order history (for example job transactions in Infor SyteLine, production orders in Infor LN or SAP, work orders in NetSuite) show whether a change actually moved the number. Quality modules record nonconformances and corrective actions that become kaizen candidates.

Kaizen is a management system, not a project list. It works when supervisors have time to act on ideas, ideas get a quick answer, and results are visible. A suggestion box that nobody answers produces nothing.

## Why It Matters

- Delivers compounding gains without large capital spend.
- Builds problem-solving skill and ownership on the shop floor.
- Gives quality systems such as ISO 9001 and AS9100 a practical continual improvement mechanism.
- Uses ERP history as objective proof, so gains are not just anecdotal.

## In Practice

A packaging cell averages a 45 minute changeover. A four day kaizen event films a changeover, separates internal from external steps and builds a pre-staged cart. The new standard is trialed over a week. Job order setup hours are then compared before and after in the ERP, and the cell keeps the gain by updating its standard work and routing setup time.

## Faq

### What does kaizen mean?

**Answer:** It is Japanese for change for the better, commonly translated as continuous improvement.

### What is a kaizen event?

**Answer:** A short, focused team effort, typically several days, to improve one specific process, ending with standardized changes and assigned follow-up actions.

### How is kaizen different from innovation?

**Answer:** Kaizen is many small incremental improvements from the people doing the work. Innovation is a larger step change, often involving new technology or a redesign.

### How do you measure kaizen results?

**Answer:** Use before and after data on a defined metric such as cycle time, scrap rate, setup time or on-time delivery, pulled from shop floor and ERP records.

## Search terms

what is kaizen, kaizen meaning, kaizen event, kaizen blitz, continuous improvement manufacturing, kaizen lean, kaizen examples

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