Kaizen Event Result Sustainability for Lean Enterprise Transformation

Abstract

Lean enterprise transformation is achieved by the cumulative impact of both radical and incremental change. Kaizen events have been widely reported to produce significant incremental business improvements that can support enterprise-wide transformation efforts. However, sustaining or improving upon the results of a Kaizen event over time can be difficult for many organizations. Kaizen event result sustainability is critical for the achievement of transformation but has received limited empirical research attention to date. This article uses logistic regression to identify the factors that most strongly influence the sustainability of results after a Kaizen event based on a field study of 63 events that were part of larger lean transformation initiatives in 8 manufacturing organizations. The findings are also used to identify areas for future research and to develop preliminary guidelines for organizations using Kaizen events as a mechanism for lean enterprise transformation.