KAIZEN LEAN Tour Japan - Healthcare/Service, 15. Mar - 20. Mar 2010, Japan

KAIZEN Tours are an integral part of the services offered by the KAIZEN Institute worldwide. Enclosed is a snapshot of our International KAIZEN LEAN Tour.

Join participants from around the world on a remarkable five-and-a-half-day tour and experience 6-7 world class Japanese companies mainly in the Nagoya area of Japan (it may include Tokyo or Kyoto). Our KAIZEN LEAN Tour hosts are successful companies, often honored with awards in their respective sectors. This tour affords a ‘behind the scenes’ view into the service facilities of the host organizations, with a special emphasis on Healthcare and Service Secotrs, providing a look at current KAIZEN trends in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.

These are the tentative host companies on our list: *

• Toyota Memorial Hospital
  This general hospital is managed by the Takahama City and 8 Toyota group companies including Toyota Industries, Denso and Aisin. As such, under the philosophy "Patient First", it has introduced many KAIZEN practices commonly observed among the Toyota group companies, such as establishing numerical KAIZEN target for improvement for each department, improving the efficiency of the servicing processes and material managing system.
  
  
• Ohgaki Kyouritsu Bank
  This bank received the No. 1 customer recognition as the friendliest bank in Japan in 2005. It has developed many new services, among them are long operating hours of ATMs, everyday banking, ATM game services and unique employee training programs in unrelated industries which resulted in high employee motivation.
  
  
• Matsunami Hospital
  At this hospital, TPS (Toyota Production System) has been practiced and various KAIZEN activities will be presented inlcuding the use of FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) in preventing the nurses' mistakes and improving the quality of care for the patients, etc. This hopital is the largest hospital in the Gifu region.

• J Art Restaurant Systems
  A chain restaurant which received the Japan Quality Management Prize in 2005. The motto of this company is customer first, skill development, employee emphasis and harmony with community. It places great emphasis on each employee's creativity, individuality and consderation for others. It has developed unique internal tools such as information cards, management quality check sheets, QSC checks (60 checking items to compare with other stores) and a New Menu contest.

• Toyota Motor Corporation
  Visit the final assembly plant, with a possible chance to observe their engine assembly or welding operations, too.  A "must" visit if one wishes to see the real source of the Toyota production (lean production) while in Japan.

• Mirai Industries
  A manufacturer of electric-, gas- and utility-related parts and components and is known for their unique system for personnel management. 

• Nabeya Hi-tech Company
  Nabeya is specialized in producing many different metal products like operational elements, miniature and precision shafts, coupling, screws, clamping elements, power-transmission elements, etc. This company calls its mode of operation as "Sushi-Bar Production System" which allows to produce even a single product based on orders and ships the items on the same day as the orders are received down to a single item. Sushi bar means to make a single product based on customer orders and ship it immediately on the same day. In fact, several thousand items they ship every day are for single items. This will be an informative opportunity for the participants to see the different approach of the company against the Toyota way.

• Murakami Hospital
  A hospital, attached to the Asahi University, where KAIZEN activities like QC (Quality Control) circle and other group activities and suggestion system are positively carried out. 

*) These are the tentative host companies on our list, but their final decisions can only be made one or two months prior to the visit. In case they are unable to host, equally qualified companies will be selected. KAIZEN Institute reserves the right to make changes in the program.

 

Who Should Attend

Top and senior management, division and team managers, industrial engineers, training and HR managers, quality and logistic personnel, KAIZEN LEAN promotion managers.

Downloads

• 2010-03 KAIZEN Tour Japan TOUR-110-GLO