Overview

Currently, the challenge for manufacturing organizations is how to achieve their expected profit by continuously improving productivity or reducing costs. Manufacturing organizations have been using different improvement approaches to achieving cost reduction and productivity improvement for years by eliminating various losses and waste structures, such as excess inventory, excessive workforce, excessive capacity, excessive utility consumption, and so on. But is the problem solved? Unfortunately, no! Often manufacturing companies focus on maximizing the flow and meeting customer needs but forget their real aim – to make a profit for their stakeholders. Too many organizations meet customer expectations by seeking to continuously synchronize the flow to market demand but forget to check that they are doing it profitably enough to ensure business continuity and prosperity. When the financial results show that they are not so profitable, it is already too late. Moreover, the strategic direction of systematic improvements according to the sales trend – depending on the current degree of production capacity utilization and its dynamic effects on cost structures – is deficient in many manufacturing companies. So, would the failure of strategic and profitable systematic improvements be an option? Of course not! If the ultimate goal of the organization is to create target profit for stakeholders, then the behavior and strategic systematic improvements must be directed to those scenarios, strategies, tasks, problems, and “production levers” that are best based on creating the target profit. That’s what Strategic Kaizen thinking does – the simultaneous and consistent achievement of systematic operational and financial improvements in a strategic and operational manner. It achieves both synchronous operations at market demand by fulfilling takt time and profitable operations in accordance with profit demand by fulfilling takt profit. In short, the Strategic Kaizen mission is striving for the fulfillment of the ideal state of operations called synchronous profitable operations. In this book, the author, while presenting in detail the seven processes of Strategic Kaizen methodology, exposes the answer to historically incomplete thinking of productivity improvements for target profitability. The uniqueness of the book is reinforced by the detailed presentation of the successful application of the Strategic Kaizen thinking over the years in two multinational manufacturing organizations operating in highly competitive markets, addressing the synchronous profitable operations for both the sales increase scenario and the sales decrease scenario. Moreover, it presents examples of the practical application of the “white-collar” Strategic Kaizen. Essentially, by adopting the Strategic Kaizen methodology presented in detail in this book to consistently achieve the ideal state of a manufacturing organization, organizations will enter a new paradigm of thinking of strategic improvements – Strategic Kaizen thinking – to meet annual and multiannual target profits in a unique and effective way that operates according to its own strategic and operational management system.

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9781032330389

Table of Contents

Reviews

As he does in all his books, Alin provides examples of organizations that are striving to follow his ideas, to place KAIZEN at the heart of their strategic planning, and to target, and achieve, increased profits. Those with experience with KAIZEN and similar productivity improvement approaches will recognize many of the issues raised, the tools and techniques referenced, and the overall guiding methodology but may be surprised by the sheer level of detail that Alin includes and the way that the various components of the approach are stitched together into a seamless whole that, as the book title suggests, goes beyond earlier approaches that attempted to make KAIZEN a feature of manufacturing strategy. This is not a book that promotes a simple panacea. Alin is not claiming he has found a 'silver bullet'. The approach takes hard work, detailed analysis, consistent and comprehensive application of a range of tools and techniques and deep immersion in the concepts and practices of KAIZEN. It is these factors that have enabled Alin to have constructed his unique approach. This approach also stresses the need to maintain the application of the methodology over the long term to achieve continuous and constant improvement. The inclusion of the example companies is very useful in helping understand the key messages of Strategic KAIZEN thinking for performing synchronous profitable operations. By reading and applying the Strategic KAIZEN thinking from this book, you have the opportunity to realize the rewards of the most comprehensive and complete approach to KAIZEN adoption yet seen -- John Heap, Managing Director of The Institute of Productivity (UK); Past-president of the World Confederation of Productivity Science; President of the European Association of National Productivity Centres; Member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Consultancy and Productivity Research (India); Director of Juice e-Learning; Visiting professor at Srinivas Institute of Management Studies in Mangalore, India. Alin Posteuca, Ph.D., researched and studied to develop and implement his unique management technologies for various companies over time. He has studied unique methodologies of world renown in terms of productivity and profitability so far. One of his powerful methodologies is Strategic KAIZEN. In the book Beyond Strategic Kaizen he created a totally new way, both theoretical and practical, that is effective and supported to apply a real way of thinking about KAIZEN to simultaneously and consistently achieve the expected financial and operational results strategically. I recommend this book honestly in order to benefit from what is useful and effective in KAIZEN thinking as strategic practices. -- Shigeyasu Sakamoto, Ph.D, Fellow of the World Academy of Productivity Science (WAPS), CEO, Productivity Partner Inc, Japan The goal of every organization is to generate profit for all stakeholders. Achieving this, however, requires the continuous challenge of balancing the need to meet customer demand while maintaining productivity and profitability, juggling cost versus quality and delivery. Organizations need a strategic and systematic productivity improvement plan that guides them to create a new culture to achieve both financial and operational target results. The book Beyond Strategic Kaizen is an authoritative guide offering exactly that. This book is a must-read for all executives and managers who need a strategic system for creating profitable organizations while improving productivity and reducing costs. It is exceptionally well organized and well written, offering invaluable and detailed guidance to executives and managers at all levels. Unlike many books on the market, this book builds on a theoretical foundation to offer practical and specific recommendations on implementation that goes beyond Strategic Kaizen. These include detailing the process, and methodology, setting operational and financial targets, establishing timelines, and offering specific implementational details. Two excellent cases are then provided that demonstrate the practical application and reinforce lessons learned. As such, the book offers an eye-opening and practical guide to business leaders to move their organizations to the next level, as a new way of thinking and acting. -- Nada R. Sanders, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management, D'Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University This offers a new way of thinking and action for managers who aim to improve the productivity and profitability by applying the new Strategic KAIZEN principles presented in this book at length. In this book, Alin Posteuca continues his series of books that focus on his concept of Strategic KAIZEN and its application in the manufacturing sector and takes Strategic KAIZEN thinking to a new level. This time, the author presents to us the Strategic KAIZEN concept and methodology, highlighting the importance of synchronizing all aspects of an organization to achieve maximum profitability through continuous productivity growth guided by the need to successively reach TAKT PROFIT targets. The book provides concrete examples and case studies to demonstrate how these principles of Strategic KAIZEN can be applied in real-world scenarios, making it a valuable resource for managers, practitioners and professors in universities. One of the strengths of this book is its emphasis on the practical aspects of implementation. The author offers clear and actionable insights into how managers can create a supportive environment for strategic improvement, including the role of culture and leadership in driving change. The book is an essential new way of thinking for those who are looking to take their operations to the next level. Whether you are an experienced professional or just starting out, this book offers practical, actionable insights that can help you achieve greater productivity and profitability. -- George Onofrei, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer in Supply Chain Management, Atlantic Technological University, Ireland; Executive Board Member of European Operations Management Association (EurOMA); Area Editor for Operations Management Research Journal; Board Member of the West/North West Lean Network Alin Posteuca continues to develop his concept of Strategic KAIZEN for the manufacturing sector from his previous books. This time, my first curiosity was the title. How can an organization be beyond Strategic KAIZEN? Then I understood that the seven processes of Strategic KAIZEN through the continuous application of the seven own principles to achieve the successive targets of TAKT PROFIT at all levels of an organization seek to ensure profitability by increasing productivity in the short term, but especially in the medium and long term in a scientific and consistent way. I found in Alin's new book the only practical material for Strategic Kaizen thinking for simultaneously obtaining the expected financial and operational results by increasing productivity, by reducing losses and waste, based on leadership with a focus on long periods of time and on the basis of a more scientific, data-rich approach. I found a new way to measure and strategically and systematically improve the efficiency and effectiveness of people and processes throughout the organization without involving large amount of money.The book kept me motivated and curious to pursue the understanding of Strategic KAIZEN methodology by making it easy to understand the sequence of steps and understanding how to replicate Strategic KAIZEN methodology to achieve annual and multi-annual target profit for stakeholders and also to meet customer needs. -- Monica Vuscan, Technical-Production Director at Farmec (Gerovital), Romania Alin Posteuca, Ph.D., did a great job taking us from the Kaizen culture to the profit dimension by improving productivity. In as much as he did not condemn Kaizen, he only did a deep analysis of the concept of Kaizen and how profit-making is a good way to measure performance for many organizations. Yes, the company is reducing waste, and increasing efficiency but can we see the result on our balance sheet? You need to read the book to find out how he provides answers to the profit-measurement dynamics and achieving target profit regardless of the sales trend (increasing or decreasing). I recommend the book for top leaders, managers, supervisors, HODs, team leads, and productivity practitioners to help them find a new and effective, and economical way to evaluate and increase productivity beyond the data but also in considerable and measurable profit margin for the organization. This book will revolutionize the productivity industry from the core angle of profit measurement and growth, beyond just the efficiency or effectiveness of people, processes, and products. -- Remi Dairo, President, Institute of Productivity and Business Innovation Management (IPBIM)

As he does in all his books, Alin provides examples of organizations that are striving to follow his ideas, to place KAIZEN at the heart of their strategic planning, and to target, and achieve, increased profits. Those with experience with KAIZEN and similar productivity improvement approaches will recognize many of the issues raised, the tools and techniques referenced, and the overall guiding methodology but may be surprised by the sheer level of detail that Alin includes and the way that the various components of the approach are stitched together into a seamless whole that, as the book title suggests, goes beyond earlier approaches that attempted to make KAIZEN a feature of manufacturing strategy. This is not a book that promotes a simple panacea. Alin is not claiming he has found a 'silver bullet'. The approach takes hard work, detailed analysis, consistent and comprehensive application of a range of tools and techniques and deep immersion in the concepts and practices of KAIZEN. It is these factors that have enabled Alin to have constructed his unique approach. This approach also stresses the need to maintain the application of the methodology over the long term to achieve continuous and constant improvement. The inclusion of the example companies is very useful in helping understand the key messages of Strategic KAIZEN thinking for performing synchronous profitable operations. By reading and applying the Strategic KAIZEN thinking from this book, you have the opportunity to realize the rewards of the most comprehensive and complete approach to KAIZEN adoption yet seen -- John Heap, Managing Director of The Institute of Productivity (UK); Past-president of the World Confederation of Productivity Science; President of the European Association of National Productivity Centres; Member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Consultancy and Productivity Research (India); Director of Juice e-Learning; Visiting professor at Srinivas Institute of Management Studies in Mangalore, India. Alin Posteuca, Ph.D., researched and studied to develop and implement his unique management technologies for various companies over time. He has studied unique methodologies of world renown in terms of productivity and profitability so far. One of his powerful methodologies is Strategic KAIZEN. In the book Beyond Strategic Kaizen he created a totally new way, both theoretical and practical, that is effective and supported to apply a real way of thinking about KAIZEN to simultaneously and consistently achieve the expected financial and operational results strategically. I recommend this book honestly in order to benefit from what is useful and effective in KAIZEN thinking as strategic practices. -- Shigeyasu Sakamoto, Ph.D, Fellow of the World Academy of Productivity Science (WAPS), CEO, Productivity Partner Inc, Japan This offers a new way of thinking and action for managers who aim to improve the productivity and profitability by applying the new Strategic KAIZEN principles presented in this book at length. In this book, Alin Posteuca continues his series of books that focus on his concept of Strategic KAIZEN and its application in the manufacturing sector and takes Strategic KAIZEN thinking to a new level. This time, the author presents to us the Strategic KAIZEN concept and methodology, highlighting the importance of synchronizing all aspects of an organization to achieve maximum profitability through continuous productivity growth guided by the need to successively reach TAKT PROFIT targets. The book provides concrete examples and case studies to demonstrate how these principles of Strategic KAIZEN can be applied in real-world scenarios, making it a valuable resource for managers, practitioners and professors in universities. One of the strengths of this book is its emphasis on the practical aspects of implementation. The author offers clear and actionable insights into how managers can create a supportive environment for strategic improvement, including the role of culture and leadership in driving change. The book is an essential new way of thinking for those who are looking to take their operations to the next level. Whether you are an experienced professional or just starting out, this book offers practical, actionable insights that can help you achieve greater productivity and profitability. -- George Onofrei, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer in Supply Chain Management, Atlantic Technological University, Ireland; Executive Board Member of European Operations Management Association (EurOMA); Area Editor for Operations Management Research Journal; Board Member of the West/North West Lean Network Alin Posteuca continues to develop his concept of Strategic KAIZEN for the manufacturing sector from his previous books. This time, my first curiosity was the title. How can an organization be beyond Strategic KAIZEN? Then I understood that the seven processes of Strategic KAIZEN through the continuous application of the seven own principles to achieve the successive targets of TAKT PROFIT at all levels of an organization seek to ensure profitability by increasing productivity in the short term, but especially in the medium and long term in a scientific and consistent way. I found in Alin's new book the only practical material for Strategic Kaizen thinking for simultaneously obtaining the expected financial and operational results by increasing productivity, by reducing losses and waste, based on leadership with a focus on long periods of time and on the basis of a more scientific, data-rich approach. I found a new way to measure and strategically and systematically improve the efficiency and effectiveness of people and processes throughout the organization without involving large amount of money.The book kept me motivated and curious to pursue the understanding of Strategic KAIZEN methodology by making it easy to understand the sequence of steps and understanding how to replicate Strategic KAIZEN methodology to achieve annual and multi-annual target profit for stakeholders and also to meet customer needs. -- Monica Vuscan, Technical-Production Director at Farmec (Gerovital), Romania Alin Posteuca, Ph.D., did a great job taking us from the Kaizen culture to the profit dimension by improving productivity. In as much as he did not condemn Kaizen, he only did a deep analysis of the concept of Kaizen and how profit-making is a good way to measure performance for many organizations. Yes, the company is reducing waste, and increasing efficiency but can we see the result on our balance sheet? You need to read the book to find out how he provides answers to the profit-measurement dynamics and achieving target profit regardless of the sales trend (increasing or decreasing). I recommend the book for top leaders, managers, supervisors, HODs, team leads, and productivity practitioners to help them find a new and effective, and economical way to evaluate and increase productivity beyond the data but also in considerable and measurable profit margin for the organization. This book will revolutionize the productivity industry from the core angle of profit measurement and growth, beyond just the efficiency or effectiveness of people, processes, and products. -- Remi Dairo, President, Institute of Productivity and Business Innovation Management (IPBIM)

Author Information

Alin Posteucă, Ph.D., is a consultant in productivity and profitability and the CEO of Exegens® (Romania). Prior to this position, he held top management positions in manufacturing and services companies. His major research and practice areas include manufacturing policy deployment, profitable production planning, strategic kaizen, and kaikaku. His recent research and practice include the impact of Industry 4.0 on planning and developing synchronous profitable operations. He received his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Bucharest (Romania) and Ph.D. in Managerial Accounting from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (Romania). He was a PhD research fellow at Institute of Technology, Linköping University, Sweden. He received his MBA from the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Romania. He has a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Business Computer Science from the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Romania. In addition, he is a certified public accountant in Romania and a Traian Vuia Prize Laureate of the Romanian Academy (highest scientific prize in Romania). He has been actively involved in various industrial consulting and training projects for more than 20 years, delivering training/workshop programs in productivity, innovation, business transformation, and leadership, and has been published in various research journals and presented papers at numerous conferences regarding productivity, quality, and industrial engineering.

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