Gemba Kaizen: A Commonsense Approach to a Continuous Improvement Strategy, 2nd ed.

Gemba Kaizen: A Commonsense Approach to a Continuous Improvement Strategy, 2nd ed. 2012. Masaaki Imai. New York: McGraw-Hill. 448 pages

Gemba Kaizen provides both a guide to action and a model of what success can look like. The author explores concepts and language that are likely to be familiar to readers with a background in continuous improvement. What is unique is that Gemba Kaizen also provides context for many of the Japanese terms frequently referenced in a "lean" environment. By placing the terminology and tools in context, readers begin to understand the broader intent of the language and gain back what has been lost in translation. Many of the Japanese words used in quality management have a much deeper meaning than the abbreviated translations people have become familiar with, and this context is critical to the development of the real spirit and culture of...