Title: Investigation of the potential of implementing Kaizen principles in Jordanian companies

Authors: Mohammad D. Al-Tahat, Murad Eteir

Addresses: Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan. ' Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan

Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of the ability of Jordanian manufacturing companies to apply Kaizen|s continuous improvements principles. A comprehensive study of two Jordanian industrial companies that are effectively implementing Kaizen is conducted to explore the advantages and measure how Kaizen managed to introduce changes and improvements in these two companies. Further investigation was conducted to test through a set of hypotheses the potential of implementing Kaizen in Jordanian industrial companies. A representative sample of 105 manufacturing companies were surveyed and a structured questionnaire was used to test the relationship between continuous improvement practices (Kaizen) and process improvement, upper management commitment and training and education of the workforce. The collected data from the survey are used to analyse the set of hypotheses regarding the foundations of the requirements to implement Kaizen principles and their existence in the Jordanian industrial companies| environment. The main finding of the study is that it measures the potential of the surveyed companies to implement Kaizen in their production systems.

Keywords: Kaizen; continuous improvement; lean production; seiri; seiton; seiso; seiketsu; shitsuke; 5S; production development; Jordan; manufacturing industry; process improvement; higher management commitment; employee training; workforce education; production design; production management; advanced production systems; product development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2010.029987

International Journal of Product Development, 2010 Vol.10 No.1/2/3, pp.87 - 100

Published online: 03 Dec 2009 *

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