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Title: Kaizen: The Key To Japan's Competitive Success by Masaaki Imai ISBN: 0-07-554332-X Publisher: McGraw-Hill/Irwin Pub. Date: 01 November, 1986 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $43.43 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.25 (4 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Kaizen- the strategies for future success
Comment: Kaizen, a Japanese word means improvement. How can Japanese enterprise success is the main topic in this book. Actually, Japan has been under economic recession for nearly 10 years. But the Japanese enterprise can still survive, and some enterprises are under the list of Fortune 500. There must be some secret behind.
This first version of this book is written in 1986, Japan at that moment still maintain a high growth, and Japanese enterprise takes a major role in the global business environment. The author found that the major reasons are due to their modification rather than innovation. And these management concepts were learned by foreign companies and used as a framework to develop their management structure. From this book, you will learn lots of the Japanese culture and Japanese management style.
Moreover, you also understand the history of management development. Most of the management concepts used in foreign countries are based on Japanese firm. Like the TQM, process oriented management, and strategies in R&D. So, after reading the book, you will learn the difference between western working culture and Japanese one.
Before writing this book, the author has done lots of primary research, and he try to summary all the findings and success factor of major Japanese enterprise, like Toyota, NTT. And all these companies now become the Global 100 companies. After reading this book, you will learn more about the success story of these enterprises, and you will also know that their history and culture as well.
But, there is some limitation, because the book has been written nearly twenty years before, the business environment is totally changed, the competition and the consumer behaviour have been changed, therefore some of the strategies are not applicable. Also, the failures of some Japanese enterprises during the economic recession also prove that some strategies mentioned here are not worked.
Kaizen is a good book for you to understand more about the Asia culture especially the Japanese firm culture. If you want to do business with Japanese partner, this book is a must to read.
Rating: 4
Summary: Historical
Comment: Most American businesses no longer worry so much about the Japanese miracle. International focus has moved from Japan to China and back to Europe. Many Japanese companies are now looking to the US for recapitalization and management assistance.
So why is a book on Japanese management techniques still so relevant?
First of all, continuous improvement and lean manufacturing have become universal management tools, not strictly limited to one country. This book presents as good an introduction to the subject as any. With today's focus on execution, this topic are becoming even more current. (Dare I say topical?)
Additionally, understanding continuous improvement is still important in the context of broader corporate change. What are the strength and limitations of incremental changes versus more radical corporate moves? Read the book and learn more.
This book certainly won't turn a mediocre manager into a great leader, but Kaizen is a useful addition to the toolbox of any manager.
Rating: 5
Summary: A sound basis for working out an implementation strategy
Comment: This book covers the relevant aspects of Kaizen and its implementation. Don't expect this book to give you a step-by-step implementation plan for your company. It does something better than that: it gives you the understanding to design your own implementation plan. It is a good basis for discussion. I often reference it while lecturing about Kaizen and TPM and take a few sentences from the book to challenge the audience.
Everyone who pioneers in Kaizen in his/her company needs this understanding (and a set of brains to translate the concept to the everday reality, but that's why they pay you the big bucks, I hope).
Although it's a very good book, you will find yourself stimulated to read other material on this topic because it creates an "eager want" to know more and to see the puzzle come together. In the end, no author will do that; finalizing the puzzle is your job...
To be concrete, this book is definately recommended. You'll never understand it all by just reading one book (or by just reading, period). It will give you a quantum leap in your understanding and all concepts will be there. Only action and involvement can do more.
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Title: Gemba Kaizen: A Commonsense, Low-Cost Approach to Management by Masaaki Imai ISBN: 0070314462 Publisher: McGraw-Hill Trade Pub. Date: 01 March, 1997 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Lean Thinking : Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation, Revised and Updated by James P. Womack, Daniel T. Jones, James Womack, Daniel Jones ISBN: 0743249275 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: 10 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $28.00 |
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Title: Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production by Taiichi Ono, Taiichi Ohno ISBN: 0915299143 Publisher: Productivity Press Pub. Date: February, 1988 List Price(USD): $45.00 |
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Title: The Machine That Changed the World : The Story of Lean Production by James P. Womack, Daniel T. Jones, Daniel Roos ISBN: 0060974176 Publisher: HarperCollins Pub. Date: November, 1991 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: 5S for Operators: 5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace by Hiroyuki Hirano, Productivity Development Team ISBN: 1563271230 Publisher: Productivity Press Pub. Date: November, 1996 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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