Kaizen as Engineering Change and Follow-up

This paper explores the idea of Kaizen as Engineering change and follow-up in both Product - and Process Development. Typical problems faced by organizations is the integration of product development and production, and the implementation of new technologies in both product and processes, including supporting processes. We suggest that Kaizen could be a valid approach to mitigate these problems if applied systematically as an integrated part of the engineering change process related to both product changes and process changes. To explore this hypothesis, we have carried out case study research of four different manufacturing companies from three different countries and combined it with a literature study of both Kaizen, and Lean Engineering/Lean Product and Process Development. From the resulting findings we have developed a framework for Kaizen as engineering change and follow-up that could be further explored by researchers and practitioners alike.