Professional development managers. Kaizen practice training on internship in Japan

Kaizen , Kaizen (Jap. 改善 Kaizen) is a Japanese philosophy or practice that focuses on the continuous improvement of production processes, development, auxiliary business processes and management, as well as all aspects of life.

For the last decades Kaizen has become a business philosophy for the country of the Rising Sun. The culture and philosophy of life in Japan implies the continuous development of a person, and as part of his work activity, continuous improvement and refinement of skills. For the conscious Japanese, this is as natural a process as breathing. There is no limit to perfection - the phrase closest to us for understanding what Kaizen is.

The effectiveness of this approach to challenge does not make sense. In Japan, one of the most powerful industries in the world, which is famous for its rationalization approach to work organization. Only the lazy one has not heard that the average employee can apply with a rac. proposal to the head and it is not enough that will be considered, and with proper efficiency, and also implemented as soon as possible.
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But the industrial culture of Japan and Toyota in particular is not only Kaizen alone, which is the basis of the Japanese approach to work, which they willingly share with leaders around the world.

Under the cut a lot of interesting and photos. Traffic.

Kaizen as a philosophy of work

The phenomenon of Kaizen was born in post-war Japan in large enterprises of that time, including Toyota. This approach went beyond the borders of the country thanks to the book of the founding father of the concept Masaaki Imai, published in 1986 : “Kaizen: the key to the success of Japanese companies”.

Kaizen is an involvement in the work process not only of managers, but also of employees. The militaristic-repressive management that was familiar to our latitudes was replaced by Japanese enterprises. They preach a "lean" approach to work and end products. Unfortunately or fortunately, such an attitude towards labor cannot be formed under duress, which is absolutely common in the countries of the former USSR. At kaizen enterprises, each employee treats his work with due attention, and the famous saying “the initiative has an initiator” does not work there. The management not only listens, but also hears the voices of subordinates. In this way, an inaccessible labor efficiency is achieved.

TQC

Total Quality Control is not an empty sound, it is actually a total quality in everything, including every little thing. Organization of jobs, cleanliness, streamlined interaction processes, corporate ethics. Simply put, the Japanese believe that in a dirty stable it is impossible to bake delicious pastries. If you want to create a product of the highest quality, then the place where it is created must be perfect in everything. Remembering the cultural features of the land of the rising sun, with its great respect for work and unlimited zeal, the results are not surprising. The Japanese set themselves quite a doable task.

True, if you think that production and work in Japanese companies is debugged like a clock and unchanged over the years, you are mistaken. TQC is an endless path to cultivation. There are always processes that can be improved and problems that can be solved before they appear. The latter, by the way, is most curious. In the classical management, which is familiar to us, the problem is solved by the manager most often only when it appears. The Japanese and then went the other way. Most accurately, their approach is described by the term warusa-kagen — this is when there is no problem, but the process is no longer flawless, which can later turn into a problem at work. Usually, ordinary employees encounter such situations, who must provide information to the manager, who in turn will eliminate the very likelihood of a problem before it appears .

Example

The truck driver who transports the parts from the warehouse to the factory noticed that he had a box crunch when shifting gears. The truck is removed from the route and shipped to another one, which made it possible to avoid breakage of the box during operation and not to disturb the verified process of delivery of parts. The problem was solved before it appeared only because the worker had on time informed about the prospect of equipment failure , and his boss heard it and took preventive measures .

Unfortunately, in our latitudes most often until the insides of the box turn into dust no one even moves. I understand, an example is rough, banal, but bright enough.

It can be reasonably noted that theory and practice always diverge, and given the local flavor, more often we get "We wanted the best, but it turned out as always . " I myself am a supporter of empirical knowledge of the world and I think that not all books are equally useful from and to. For this reason, after learning and understanding how to organize work on the principles of kaizen, after reading Masaaki Imai's evangelistic work, it is worthwhile to turn to the study of its use in production.

Therefore, now I will tell you how TSNTI Progress organizes visits of company and industry executives to Japan in order to be able to get acquainted with the experience of introducing a “lean” approach to production and its subsequent application at home. Excursions to the production of Toyota and suppliers of enterprises, workshops, seminars under the guidance of Katsuhiko Suzuki, Vice-President of “Toyota Engineering Corporation”, cultural program, real feedback from one of the managers-listeners with an example of introducing the kaizen approach — I promised to tell all this in the beginning of the article, so let's get started. We are flying to Japan.

Trip to japan

The trip to Japan lasts 9 days (2 days for transfer from Moscow and back), net training days - 7. The schedule of the last seminar, held in November, was as follows:




The next seminar is held from 4 to 12 April .

Training

If the transfer and arrival is quite an everyday process, then after the listeners had to join in a very active rhythm of life for a week, which includes not only learning from the experience of Japanese specialists, but also a cultural program. The main action took place in Nagoya, although there was a tour of Tokyo.

I think that the person of the main lecturer of the course is worthy of special mention.

Katsuhiko Suzuki - has worked in the company for over 40 years. Starting as a master at the assembly site at the plant, he went all the way up to the post of vice president. He worked at Toyota factories in the USA and Australia as a supervisor for setting up production in accordance with the requirements of the company. In recent years, he has also collaborated with Russian companies, conducted training for employees and auditing enterprises.

Below I offer you a small photo excursion.

Day 1.


Group photo of students on arrival at the airport "Narita". Almost 10 hours on the plane is not easy.


Atrium of the hotel "Nagoya Tokyu Hotel". In it throughout his stay in the city of Nagoya, where the trained specialists lived, they lived and lived.

Day 2

After a rest after the flight and transfer, the group took up what it came to Japan for - learning. The first lecture is conducted personally by Katsuhiko Suzuki, mentioned earlier.


Kahuhiko Suzuki, with a translator, talks about Toyota’s Universal Production System.

After the lectures, practical simulations of the production process were held. For this group was divided into two teams.


Team number 1.


Team number 2.

The essence of the task was as follows. When using the provided parts and the information obtained during the lessons, organize a full production cycle for the manufacture of fans.


The process of doing the job.

Day 3

According to the schedule, it is day No. 5 - a visit to the Mitsubisi Electric plant.


After lunch, the group went to the assembly plant of Toyota, the factory "Motomachi".


The photo was taken at the entrance, as inside the photo and video shooting is prohibited.

But this cute guy is an exhibit of the exhibition products of Toyota and its partners.


It does not apply to learning, but it is cool.

Day 4

On this day, an excursion was held in the company Avex, a partner of Toyota.

Without a translator anywhere.

And this is a visit to the GS Electech factory. The presentation is led by a young Japanese man, but this is not a consultant. The President of GS Electech is very young for his position.


In recognition of their zeal for knowledge, the participants of the group received from the president of the company on the traditional Japanese cake. No banquet and noise, everything is quiet and concise.

Day 5

On this day, the group attended a lecture at the Oguchi logistics center. Because of the delay of 15 minutes, the Japanese were apologizing for a long time. In support of their apologies, the Japanese were allowed to take a photo of the production, although shooting is prohibited.


And each was given a branded cap.

And here is an exclusive photo:


Many things are still being made by hand.

Presentation of the final certificate on training and the final photo session:


Photos of this moment made by each member of the group. In memory.

Day 6

One of the last days of stay in Japan. It is reserved for a sightseeing tour of Tokyo and a visit to the thermal springs.

So where do without it, dear, the symbol of the country:


Photo Mount Mt. Fuji made during a transfer to Tokyo.

Impressions of the trip

The first thing that catches the eye when dealing with the Japanese, as many before me said, is their culture, especially the greeting. If in our latitudes we are accustomed to a handshake and, perhaps, a slight nod of the head, then the Japanese norm is a bow, the depth of which depends on the degree of respect and the status of the interlocutor. As they admit, this is very unusual in pervosti.

We can immediately recommend to take a lot of socks with me, in any case, I would need a separate suitcase :) If walking in the United States in shoes can be the norm, then Japan is the exact opposite in this regard. Razazvatsya have very often, and perhaps carry a special change of shoes. And it concerns not only restaurants and institutions, but also offices. In the majority of buildings at the entrance there are special lockers for outdoor shoes, where people change their shoes to interchangeable ones, indoors. In my opinion, this practice deserves the same attention as Kaizen himself :).

In a Japanese city, whether it’s a street or a subway, it’s both easy and hard to get lost. Other type of writing, incomprehensible pointers and total fuss are confusing. But the politeness of the nation as such will not allow you to disappear into the crowd. A passer-by will not ignore your request for help, the Japanese are attentive to foreigners. As far as possible, you will be shown the direction, and, maybe, they will lead you to a certain point, so that you will not get lost.

- Very, well, very nice people! - shared the head of the course.

In order not to stay hungry, sometimes you have to show some skill. Not all establishments have “European” halls, often a classic Japanese landing, at low tables on the floor. A compromise is possible when there is a special hole for the legs under the table, but it is not present everywhere either. If you do not have to eat with chopsticks, then you can not be afraid of shame, at least in those institutions that are visited by students with the head of the group. All foreigners are offered European appliances, but by the end of the course at the final dinner there was not a single person left who could not handle the chopsticks. In my opinion, this is true, if you came to Japan, then you should attend to the maximum immersion in the culture of this amazing country.

Everybody knows about the freshness and taste of seafood in Japan, its culinary culture is based on this. But maybe I can make happy those who are ready to show off their art in cooking. In some places, gas fryers are installed in the tables so that guests can fry or cook seafood or beef in a cauldron to their liking. In the photo on the right, Abdulla Andamasovich Abenov is the director for capital construction of an oil company from Kazakhstan. It would seem such a serious person, but it was he who surprised the other participants of the trip as a master of cooking traditional Japanese dishes. One of these moments and captured in the photo. In addition, Abdullah Andamasovich was also the most interesting interlocutor.

Upon returning to Russia

Probably, the words of the head of the implementation department of the PSS Corporation, Politov Maxim Pavlovich can serve as the best feedback on the experience gained.

Q: Please provide vivid examples of innovation in Japanese enterprises that you remember the most.

A: The most memorable innovation proposals:

• Emulsion filtration stockings (at the exit of the lathe, the smallest metal residues are caught using women's stockings)
• Improving the wire stringing mechanism
• Trolley in the logistics center (perfected ordinary trolley)
• Quick form changeover (assistive devices)
• Poka-Eke protection devices at assembly sites (priority and signal lights)
• Protection from a sudden exit of pedestrians on the roadway of loaders (barriers opening to themselves, which makes stop before the transition)

Q: What do you think about the system of non-financial incentives for workers used in Japan?

A: Now I am a final supporter of only non-financial encouragement of workers and will explain why. Material encouragement will ultimately create a conflict situation due to the likelihood of an employee’s incorrect assessment of his own merits and results. But the intangible stimulation (a joint campaign in the shooting gallery, theater, cinema, gift statuette, an article in the newspaper, the director’s praise to the team and much more) will be remembered much better than the additional 1-2 thousand rubles, which in a few days and remember. I noticed that for Kaizen offers in Japan are paid not a very large amount, and their supply at the Toyota plant is 13.5 units. per person per year . A person strives for excellence and the recognition of his work as a team - this is the basis that constitutes non-material stimulation.

Regarding material incentives in Japan, I would like to add the following point. In Japan, tips are not widely accepted (the generally accepted form of mat. Incentives from the customer in the service sector), and in some cases they are offensive. It is believed that the employer must pay for the work, and the employee must fulfill his duties with full dedication. Tips can be regarded as additional. stimulation to work from the outside, which can be perceived by the worker as a reproach that he does not work well and does not try.

Q: Was this trip and study useful to you? Will you implement any of the studied?

A: Of course this trip was helpful. Already in being in Japan, I had the idea of ​​placing the cars in our enterprise on the principle exactly at the right time ( Kanban principle ). One machine began to run across our enterprises (a distance of more than 120 km) daily at a certain time, regardless of the load. There was a lot of controversy and confrontation from the logistics department, but for 2 weeks I have heard only positive reviews from the production. Such a movement helped transport the blanks in units rather than in batches as before. The production time has been shortened (now one production is not waiting for another to make a batch and send it to them) storage sites for blanks have been reduced. Workers also appreciated the convenience of this approach. Storekeepers and loaders know when and with what the car will come, respectively, the time of loading and unloading has decreased. Now we are engaged in the introduction of stream production of some products. After the arrival, several interviews and training seminars were held with our staff.

Q: Have you had any experience of introducing lean manufacturing or its elements before? What problems did you encounter?

A: There was an experience of implementation, but very often I heard resistance from employees with these words: “We are not Japanese and we have a different mentality, we will not be able to do everything the way they have”. Having been in Japan, I began to persuade people, because I myself saw that the mentality of course is different for us, but the main thing in Japanese enterprises is a well-built, balanced, well-developed system capable of getting out of any difficult situations. It is the system where time, actions, movements are painted that allows you to work clearly and harmoniously. Nothing prevents us from building the same exact system at our enterprise and working at least as good as the Japanese.

Special attention deserves the last answer Maxim Pavlovich. Unfortunately, resistance to the introduction of kaizen in production in Russia will not end until the rank and file employees feel not a “cog in the system” on which nothing depends, but full-fledged members of a large and friendly team, in which everyone plays a huge role.Personally, I had experience in such an atmosphere where you were not just an employee, but a man who was covering the backs of his colleagues. Productivity increases many times, coherence and understanding between people in the work to a new level. How to create a similar climate? This is the task of top management, to create conditions for their employees under which it is the team of specialists in their field that is formed, in which the sense of responsibility is evenly distributed among all its participants. Yes, this will have to work hard, to hold a lot of lectures, seminars, meetings, not only with managers, but also with ordinary workers. One of the main Japanese approaches to working with staff is “to teach”. Do not understand? - "Teach". Still do not understand? - "All the same to learn."

And only then everything will work out.