Celebrating 40 Years of Business Excellence

This year, we celebrate 40 years of Kaizen Institute. Founded by Masaaki Imai in 1985, we pioneered the original KAIZEN™ consulting firm, specializing in Continuous Improvement and enterprise-wide business excellence. Today, we are a global consultancy active across all sectors. We take pride in our rich history of serving clients and strengthening the KAIZEN™ community through consultation, training, certification and award programs, networking events, and publications. Please enjoy reading our 40th Anniversary website about our amazing and never ending Continuous Improvement journey!

HISTORY TIMELINE

1930s

Masaaki Imai is born in Tokyo in 1930. The first domestic automotive production is planned in Japan, and the Just-In-Time concept is observed.

1940s

The ´always striving to do better´ attitude (later known as KAIZEN™) is evident in thousands of pages from young Masaaki Imai’s diaries.

1950s

Masaaki Imai works at the Japan Productivity Center in the USA and accompanies executives to learn from US manufacturers.

1960s

Masaaki Imai works with Shoichiro Toyoda to observe the American business practices.

1980s

Kaizen Institute Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland in 1985. Kaizen: The Key to Japan’s Competitive Success book is published in 1986.

1990s

Gemba Kaizen: A Commonsense, Low-Cost Approach to Management book is published in 1997.

2000s

The proprietary KAIZEN™ Management System, later to be known as the KAIZEN™ Change Model and the KAIZEN™ Business System, is developed as a corporate consulting model.

2010s

Kaizen in Logistics and Supply Chains book is published in 2013. Strat to Action: The KAIZEN™ Method for Turning Strategy into Action book is published in 2019.

2020s

Strategic KAIZEN™: Using FSL™ to Measure and Strengthen Operational Performance book is published in 2021.

Today

Kaizen Institute supports organizations to achieve sustainable growth and continues to spear-head the development and application of the KAIZEN™ methodology.

See full timeline

“The KAIZEN™ Philosophy assumes that our way of life – be it our working life, or our home life – deserves to be constantly improved.”

— Masaaki Imai, Founder of Kaizen Institute —

LISTEN TO KAIZENERS AROUND THE WORLD

Statement

Edgar Hoyos

Managing Director

Kaizen Institute Colombia

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Jayanth Murthy

Joint Managing Director

Kaizen Institute South Asia and Africa

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José Carlos Pires

Senior Partner

Kaizen Institute North America & Western Europe

Interview

Stanislaw Motylski

General Manager

Flex in Poland

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Aleix Borrego Claveria

Managing Director

Kaizen Institute Poland

Statement

Ruy Cortez

Managing Director

Kaizen Institute Brazil

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Carmen Beernaert

Managing Director

Kaizen Institute Germany

Statement

Alessio Vignato

Partner

Kaizen Institute Italy

Article

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS

Inspiring Voices: António Costa

António Costa, CEO of Kaizen Institute Ltd., reflects on our 40-year journey and how far Kaizen Institute has come. From our humble beginnings in 1985, inspired by Masaaki Imai’s vision of introducing KAIZEN™ to the Western World, Kaizen Institute has grown into a global leader in Continuous Improvement.

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Inspiring Voices: Clients Who Embrace KAIZEN™

Learn from Rui Castro, Production Director of Lactogal, about their collaboration with Kaizen Institute Portugal to improve cheese yield and optimize post-production operations. The story highlights the lasting impact of Continuous Improvement.

Learn more