The strategic role of the Kaizen event in driving and sustaining organizational change

This paper examines the Kaizen event as a strategic vehicle for organizational change. Specific performance metrics targeted for improvement through Kaizen events are identified and mapped to two strategic frameworks: sociotechnical systems theory (STS) and the Balanced Scorecard (BSC). The paper identifies which metrics have been reported in the Kaizen event literature to date, as well as which dimensions of the frameworks have been addressed. A case example from a large manufacturing organization is used to further explore linkages between Kaizen events and strategic change. Based on gaps in the current literature, the paper concludes with propositions for future research.