The assessment of the effects of Kaizen to improve productivity in the automotive industry: A case study

To compete effectively in a global marketplace, organizations must elicit commitment from every member of the organization for contributions to continuous improvement of the operation. Kaizen, a Japanese management strategy, seeks to elicit the creative energy of an organization's workforce for this end. This dissertation is a case study of the introduction of Kaizen strategy into a North American manufacturing facility. This case study analyzes data collected from one organization over a two year period as it ascertains the impact the introduction of Kaizen had on the productivity of workers. It also analyzes: the effect the motivation of leaders had on workers; levels of linear versus acoustic thinking in leaders; collaborative tendencies of the leaders, skills in conflict resolution; and the impact these variables had on the rate of adoption of Kaizen by the workforce.; Workers tend to manifest their competencies to the extent that organizational conditions allow and reward their expression. Those conditions studied in this dissertation which attempt to relate Kaizen to worker competency are: leader motives; styles of leadership; conflict resolution tactics that leaders use with workers; and the strength of their interpersonal skills. Leadership in an organization seeks to engender worker contributions for continuous improvement activities through these conditions. However, groups function as members make them function and not necessarily as a consequence of this specific Japanese strategy. Evidence for this is seen by the differences in productivity improvements in two different production plants within this organization; productivity increased in one plant and decreased in another while both experienced the integration of the same innovation. Worker commitment, created by conditions for which organizations are responsible, is a function of the conditions in the organization that are created by leadership strategies which support and encourage workers capacity to be productive.