The Kaizen Revolution [Hardcover]

Michael D. Regan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2000 | ISBN-10: 0966354974 | ISBN-13: 978-0966354973 | Edition: 1

The remarkable new strategy to implement lean manufacturing and improve quality, cost, and delivery. Understand why traditional improvement strategies don't work, and why Kaizen Events are the ideal tool to achieve breakthrough results. How to grow your own internal Kaizen Event leaders even if you start with outside consultants. Review a checklist of preparatory steps you must take to lead your kaizen team to success. Understand the results your Kaizen Events should deliver, and how to set achievable breakthrough goals. How to chose team members for your Kaizen Events, and why asking for volunteers is not the best answer. How to teach your team to identify and eliminate non-value-added steps, and how doing so will improve your quality, productivity, and delivery. Learn what to do each day of the Kaizen Event, and how to stay on track. How to avoid a long list of lingering action items after your Kaizen Events. How to sustain the results attained during kaizen events over the long-term. Learn the similarities and differences among lean manufacturing, JIT, demand flow, and cellular manufacturing. Gain a solid understanding of pull scheduling, one-piece continuous flow, work cells, set-up reduction, preventive maintenance, kanban, 5S and standard work. Understand the limits of Kaizen Events and how to accelerate improvement after the first two years. How to use kaizen events to improve non-manufacturing areas like product development, receiving, MIS, and accounting. And more!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael D. Regan is president of Everest Consulting Group, Inc., and the author of The Journey To Teams: The New Approach to Breakthrough Business Performance. His firm specializes in using kaizen events to implement lean manufacturing and in transforming supervisors into professional coaches. His clients include GlaxoWellcome, Borg-Warner Automotive, Nortel, Cape Canaveral Air Station, and numerous automotive and aerospace suppliers. Previously he was a manager of experimental film manufacturing at Eastman Kodak Company, and he holds an MBA in Financial Economics from the University of Rochester. Michael lives in Raleigh, NC with his wife Stacey and son Jackson.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Holden Pr; 1 edition (March 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966354974
• ISBN-13: 978-0966354973
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #295,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Kaizen Revolution, May 14, 2001

By 

Ian C. Kent (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kaizen Revolution (Hardcover)

Mr. Regan presents an easy read in novel form (ala "The Goal" by Elyahu Goldratt) giving the reader a sound introduction to the Toyota Production System (aka Lean Manufacturing). Anyone reading this book can gain a sound understanding of what steps to take, and why to take them, as you begin on the Lean journey. You'll close the back cover with an understanding of many "Lean Concepts" as well as a very sound introduction to the how and why's of preparing for and conducting a Kaizen event. The chapter summaries are very beneficial in helping you capture the nuggets of knowledge that you can easily overlook as you become engrossed in the story. Don't let this book be your only source of knowledge on TPS, but be sure to include it in your reading.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Leaner Approach to Lean Manufacturing, July 16, 2000

By 

Mike Hostnik (Brighton, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kaizen Revolution (Hardcover)

Finally a book that makes Lean Manufacturing simple, like it should be, and utilizes Kiazen's as a process instead of a series of events. The story-like approach to instructing the principles of Lean Manufacturing and the simplified approach to the use of Kiazen will make this book a must read for all level of a manufacturing organization.

I shared this book with others in my organization and immediately they desired to get started. Any book that helps break down the resistance to Lean Manufacturing concepts and shows you how to engage your workforce and their leadership in this common goal is a winner. I highly recommend this to anyone that is struggling with implementing Lean Manufacturing in their facility.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just What I Was Looking For, February 28, 2001

By 

"tnric" (Cookeville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kaizen Revolution (Hardcover)

I have about 4 years experience using and implementing many of the lean ideas and techniques described in Mr. Regan's book. I recently started a new job where one of my missions was to implement "lean manufacturing" in the facility. I have often struggled to describe the "event" tool and have had to resort to telling folks "you'll understand it when you do it." Mr. Regan's book is another tool in my personal tool box to use to effectively outline the "event" process before I throw a group of folks into one. "The Kaizen Revolution"'s narrative style is easy to read and is therefore effective for any and all levels of the organization. This is a must read for organizations considering a move to lean or are just starting one.