Investigation of Kaizen Quality Model and How to Implement In Hotel Industry

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of the Research1

Problem Statement1

Rationale2

Aims and Objectives2

Aim:2

Objective:2

Significance3

Research Questions4

Theoretical Framework4

Ethical Concerns6

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW7

Service Industry7

Hotel Industry7

Focus on Quality8

Significance of Quality in Hotel Industry9

Kaizen Quality Model10

Kaizen and Management11

Improvement involves the process of Kaizen and innovation11

Process Versus Result12

Putting Quality First13

Customer13

Kaizen in Hotel Industry14

1.Housekeeping14

a)Seiri (Sort):15

b)Seiton (Straighten)15

c)Seiso (Scrub)15

d)Seiketsu (Systematize)15

e)Shitsuke (Standardize)15

2.Waste elimination16

a)Waste of Overproduction16

b)Waste of Inventory16

c)Waste of Repair or Rejects17

d)Waste of Motion17

e)Waste of Processing17

f)Waste of Waiting17

g)Waste of Transportation18

h)Waste of Time18

3.Standardization18

Implications of Kaizen in Hotel Industry19

1.Improve Quality20

2.Improving Productivity to Lower Costs20

3.Reduce Inventory.21

4.Shorten The Production Line.21

5.Reduce Machine Downtime.21

6.Reduce Space.22

7.Reduce Lead Time (Throughput Time)22

The Key to the Success of Kaizen Quality Model in Hotel Management22

REFERENCES24

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Research

In consideration of the tangible objects, i.e. products or goods, involved in a service encounter, a customer can use physical attributes such as sight, touch, sound and taste, to evaluate the quality and to determine their degree of satisfaction with the product or goods. However, a customer is unable to utilize their physical attributes to judge the quality and their satisfaction with the intangible aspect to the service encounter (Torres and Kline, 2006, p. 295). Consequently, the intangible aspect to the service is dependent upon the employee's ability to interact with the customer and satisfy the customer with the personalization and emotional element that makes the service encounter exceptional. Breyfogle (1999, p.65) referred to loyalty through quality service and on-going customer satisfaction as the new Holy Grail; that in which all service organizations should strive to achieve including Hotel Industry in Europe .

Problem Statement

Within the hotel industry, Connor (2007, p. 506) suggested that a commitment to a continuous quality improvement process could only be achieved by tracking number and severity of service failures. Thus, the researchers believed that a customer's perception of service quality was directly linked to the number and severity of the failures he or she experienced. In addition, their research also showed that the organization's quality of response and problem resolution was critical to the customer's continuous satisfaction, loyalty and intentions to return or recommend.

Rationale

Kaizen is a Japanese word that means continuous improvement. This philosophy of continual improvement emphasizes the importance of involving employees at every level of the organization. This philosophy assumes that our everyday life should focus on constant improvement efforts (Evans, 2004, p.85).

The seven wastes were initially identi?ed almost 50 years ago by Taiichi Ohno during the development of the Toyota Production System. Waste exists at every level of the organization. Kaizen was failed to operate in Europe because of culture, workplace ...