The Idea Generator: Quick and Easy Kaizen - Softcover

Bodek, Norman; Tozawa, Bunji

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0971243697 ISBN 13: 9780971243699

Publisher: P C S Pr, 2001

Synopsis

The goal of this book is to guide improvement activities throughout the organization: to use creative ideas from all employees to serve both internal and external customers, to unlock the hidden potential of every single employee, and to bring new excitement and joy into the workplace. Dana Corporation gets over 2,000,000 ideas a year from all of their employees. This book tells you how to do it.

"WHAT SETS US APART? The Toyota Production System is at the heart of everything we do. Based on the concept of continuous improvement, or kaizen, every Toyota team member is empowered with the ability to improve their work environment. This includes everything from quality and safety to the environment and productivity. Improvements and suggestions by team members are the cornerstone of Toyota's success."

About this title

From the Publisher

In starting a new publishing company, PCS Press, I wanted to find a books that would improve both customer service and the quality of work life for the average worker. As the former president of Productivity Press I discovered and published the works of many Japanese geniuses including Dr. Shigeo Shingo and Taiichi Ohno co-creators of JIT or Lean management. American companies are becoming lean but they are also missing a vital ingredient to corporate competitiveness - the need to get all employees truly involved in serving their customers and in improvement activities. And people are only involved when they come up with a creative idea and install it themselves.

Just imagine the competitive edge that Dana gets from receiving on the average 24 written improvement ideas per employee per year. That is 2,000,000 improvement ideas a year from all of their employees.

Just imagine how the employee feels when they come up with an improvement idea and installs the idea on their own? People then feel empowered, involved and a have new sense about them selves. It is a great feeling!

I am indebted to Bunji Tozawa to be his co-author and publisher and to offer to America and the western world a methodology that has proven so successful in the Far East.

From the Inside Flap

Testimonials to The Idea Generator

Management by simplicity is the goal of all companies being strangled by complexity. Get back to basics. These principles are universal. Buy and read this book. It is hot. In fact, it is great! -- Greg Hutchins author of ISO9000: A Comprehensive Guide, Do I.T. and Working It.

I like it!! Anywhere you open it, you find a quick read, a concrete management lesson, and the main point of the whole book comes through........".Keep it Simple!" The pictures are very effective in communicating thoughts rapidly. Congratulations - Dr. Min Basadur, professor McMaster University and author of Simplex a Flight to Creativity

The Idea Generator" brings continuous improvement down to Earth--and raises up to the heavens the importance of everybody documenting every implemented idea, however small. It's a message too few understand. - Richard J. Schonberger, President Schonberger & Associates, Inc. and author of Japanese Manufacturing Techniques: Nine Hidden Lessons in Simplicity, The World Class Manufacturing: The Lessons of Simplicity Applied and World Class Manufacturing: The Next Decade: Building Power, Strength, and Value

"Two process improvement system pioneers have combined their wisdom and experience into a practical handbook. This easy-to-read manual can be used at any level to improve processes, rethink structure and change policy. Every supervisor and manager should have a copy and use it every day." - Dr. Jac Fitz-enz, Founder & Chairman Saratoga Institute and author of The ROI of Human Capital : Measuring the Economic Value of Employee Performance, A New Vision for Human Resources : Defining the Human Resources Function by Its Results and The 8 Practices of Exceptional Companies : How Great Organizations Make the Most of Their Human Assets

I have searched for a book that would relate Japanese management to American management techniques from not only theory but to the practical view, ie; Here is how it is done. Many thanks for finally providing the American student the chance to become familiar with Kaizen. - Professor Irvin Otis, Central Michigan University and former director IE Chrysler Corp.

Much of what we have focused on in learning from Toyota is fundamental transformation to lean manufacturing. Value stream mapping provides the vision for material and information flow. Tozawa and Bodek remind us that this is only the first step. Lean systems will degrade without ongoing improvement from every employee through a myriad of simple, quick changes. What brings lean structures to life is people—people engaged in continuous improvement. Tozawa and Bodek provide deep insights into this fundamental ingredient of high performance companies. - Prof. Jeffrey K. Liker, University of Michigan and author of Becoming Lean.

It's a book targeted for success. - William Christopher author of Handbook for Productivity Measurement and Improvement.

In down times, having an idea program will make the difference. It creates a competitive advantage. - Gary Corrigan, VP Corporate Communications, Dana Corporation

Edition details

• Publisher: P C S Pr
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0971243697
• ISBN 13: 9780971243699
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 375