Moreover, it means continuing improvement in personal life, social life, and work life. T his statement from the book's glossary sums up the problem facing Western manufacturers when attempting to implement suggestion programs and other types of productivity improvement projects. It is not part of our culture as it is in Japan. High technology and innovative products drive Western improvement.
Progress tends to be uneven and usually involves only engineers or other specialists.
The improvement graph for them is gradual rather than spiky, and rarely if ever goes in a negative direction or returns to a former level. It compares the Japanese and Western management styles to demonstrate the power of teamwork, as opposed to an almost adversarial relationship with blue collar workers. T he road to a successful continuous improvement program is long and difficult, but the payoffs are large. This book is a useful resource to have on this journey.