Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success
by Masaaki Imai
The 1986 book that introduced kaizen to the West: continuous small improvement by everyone, process over results, suggestion systems. Historical and still instructive.
Read it if…
you want the original kaizen text.
See the book →
Skip it if…
you want modern lean; see Toyota Kata.
Try instead: The Mythical Man-Month →
Three things you will actually use
- Everyone improves, every day.
- Process orientation.
- Small and continuous.
Do this first
Collect one improvement idea from every team member this week.
Our verdict
Kaizen's origin.
See the book →
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