Critical success factors for Kaizen implementation in manufacturing industries in Mexico

Kaizen is one of the most important methodologies used to manage continuous improvement in the maquiladora industry located in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico; however, it is frequently implemented without obtaining the expected results. This article presents the results of a survey with 37 main tasks associated with Kaizen implementation and it was applied to personnel with responsibilities in continuous improvement programs in companies located in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The survey was validated using a rational validation, judge validation, and statistical validation using the Cronbach alpha index. A factor analysis by principal components and varimax rotation was applied for finding the critical success factors for Kaizen; results indicate that seven factors are the most important: education and training in operators, communication process, documentation and evaluation of projects results, human resources integration, management commitment, and customer focus.