So I learned about kaizen at school, and we defined the word as meaning "continuous change and improvement for the better".
The word kaizen seems to have a bigger and deeper meaning than this simple definition implies. Does this word have a significance or meaning that one might not be able to learn from a dictionary definition?
I love the word and idea behind it, but I was wondering what the exact meaning was so that I could use kaizen for my college essay, which asks "what word in another language cannot, or should not, be translated from its original language?"
Answer
From my research, I believe that Kaizen ((改善) refers to the continual betterment of an activity, be it healthcare, banking, or education. But it must include all employees, from the CEO/President to the janitor to make things better for everyone. Is this close to what you were looking for? The basic premise is that by making things better, or more efficient, it will reduce waste.
It appears to be an idea that was implemented after WWII. Simply the word means "good change". But it has taken on a very business oriented definition since WWII.
I think this link has a really good explanation of the term: http://lifehacker.com/207029/practice-your-personal-kaizen
I hope this helps! Best of luck with your essay!
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