CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Facilitate Continuous Improvement

Table of Contents

Continuous improvement1

Kaizen1

Participation in decision making process1

Systems insuring communication of CIP to all stakeholders2

Circle communication channel2

Effective Total Quality Management mentoring process3

The Physical Flowchart3

Meeting Logistics Exercise3

Monitor and adjust performance strategies3

Strategies to monitor operational progress3

Adjust and communicate strategies4

Managing opportunities for further improvement4

Processes that informs team members of outcomes CIP efforts4

Documentation of performance for further improvements5

Further improvement when undertaking future planning5

References6

Facilitate Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement

A CIP or a continuous improvement process is a continuous effort that aims at improving services, products or processes. The process can either result in incremental improvements over a long run or immediate improvement at an instance. CIP is a system which evaluates the feedback from the customers, employees, stakeholders, market, and processes against the goals and aims of the organization.

Kaizen

One of the most impressive improvement system is Kaizen, which saw the popularity by the outstanding book of Masaaki Imai, Kaizen: The Key to Japan`s Competitive success”. According to Kaizen, the principles of CIP are Self, Efficiency and Evolution. This process aims are reflection, which takes into account feedback from all sides, and the identification, assessment, cutback and removal of below the best processes. It emphasizes on small incremental continues steps aimed at improvement, rather than taking giant leaps (Mary Pat 2008).

Participation in decision making process

The adaption of the Kaizen system itself incorporates the employees in the decision making process as their feedback is of the highest level. Employees are encouraged to give their inputs and suggestion through many different ways. Daily meeting to appreciate good workers can be used to give feedback, and take the suggestions and allow an informal form of participation. These ideas which come from the workers are easier to apply and not completely different because of insight and knowledge of the employees of the organization. This not only acts as a platform for feedback, but can also encourage employees to assume ownership of their jobs, contribution to their motivation.

Systems insuring communication of CIP to all stakeholders

A system should be developed by the company, and incorporated in to the standard operating procedures, to insure clear flow of communication to all stakeholders. Communication with the stakeholders is essential when it concerns change, and managing change, especially the dynamic change brought forward by the continuous improvement process. Key shareholders that be effected by the CIPs may include the staff, employees, managers, the general public and the board of the company (Ganesh, S. 2004).

Circle communication channel

The stakeholders should be effectively communicated with, and lucid explanation be given, answering concerns and question of all employees across all the authorities. Everyone needs to be constantly informed about what is happening even if that change is not significant. This communication should be done in a circular manner with slight restriction if any, to encourage un-hindered communication throughout the company, contributing to the overall moral of the stakeholders.

Effective Total Quality Management mentoring process

There are a number of games the management can encourage their employees to be a part of, which can enable them to understand ...