The Art of Kanban - Creative Safety Supply April 2014 | Page 4

The Art of Kanban
materials in stock. In order to use Kanban effectively it is important to
understand a few other concepts related to it.

Kaizen And The Five S’s

Kanban is an inventory system that is normally integrated with Kaizen and 5S.
Kaizen, is also a Japanese creation, the word means continuous
improvement. Companies that use the Kaizen system are constantly on the
lookout for ways to improve their operational functions. In some companies
there are teams of people whose job is to find ways to cut costs and improve
working conditions. In a Kaizen system this is a job for every employee.
Successful Japanese businesses like Canon and Toyota use this system.
They ask that every employee suggest ways to improve the company on a
regular basis. They mean every employee too, whether it is the janitor or
members of upper management, all suggestions are taken under
consideration.

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