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I can tell you all about the California coast, its cultural and economic dynamics, my favorite hideaway beaches and eateries, and I can attest to the wisdom of never turning your back to the surf. I know these things because I've lived in The Golden State most of my life, but I've never ever been to Japan. All I know about its culture is what I’ve gleaned from the news, B movies about giant radioactive lizards, and books that espouse kaizen culture. Woefully inadequate insight when trying to understand and implement lean and kaizen training.

What is kaizen?

According to the Kaizen Institute “Kaizen is the practice of continuous improvement.” Kaizen was originally introduced to the West by Masaaki Imai in his book Kaizen: The Key to Japan’s Competitive Success (McGraw-Hill Education, 1986). Today, kaizen is recognized worldwide as an important pillar of an organization’s long-term competitive strategy.”

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