Continuous Improvement: Explain The Concept Of Executive Management

Task 2.2
Explain the concept of continuous improvement

Continuous improvement is defined as a strategy to consistently strive to improve products or services according to the highest standards. Continuous improvement is a process which is long term. It encompasses:
• Customer focus
• Improved quality of service delivery
• Simplified processes and procedures
• Permanent changes in the workforce’s attitude towards all aspects of their job

Continuous improvement is a concept that is going to have a long lasting effect on a product or service during its life. Improvements can have many effects on the physical product, the way it is used and the way it is supported. Without continuous improvement, the company’s products or services could stagnate.

People, processes, management practices, and products should improve continually.

Kaizen value system
The underlying value system of kaizen can be summarized as continual improvement of all things, at all levels, at all time, forever. All of the strategies for achieving this fall under kaizen. Executive managers, middle managers, supervisors, and line employees all play key roles in implementing kaizen.

Role of executive management
Executive managers are responsible for establishing kaizen as the overriding corporate strategy and communication this commitment to all levels of the organisation, allocating the resources necessary for kaizen to work, establishing appropriate policies, ensuring full deployment of kaizen policies, and establishing systems, procedures, and structures that promote kaizen.

Role of middle managers
Middle managers are responsible for implementing the kaizen policies established by executive management, establishing, maintaining, and improving work standards, ensuring that employees receive the training necessary to understand and implement kaizen, and ensuring that employees learn how to use all applicable problem solving

Total quality management focuses on continuous improvement of organisational processes resulting in high quality products and services. The ideal goal of total quality management is to do things right the first time and every time. The customer is the ultimate judge of quality.

Quality cannot be improved without significant losses in productivity. It is imperative that the top management provides leadership and support for quality initiatives. Quality goals are moving targets and improving quality requires establishment of effective metrics. The major aspects of total quality management are counting, employee commitment, customers and culture. Customer’s impression of quality begins from the initial contact with the company and continues throughout the life of the product. All departments of the organisation must strive to improve the quality of their operations. Value based approach relies on service dimensions like reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and