Lean Study Tour to Japan: Executives Experience Lean and Kaizen
Radio Hoy | Chile | 26 April 2022 | Originally published in Spanish
In order to improve the understanding of how lean management is implemented and maintained, Shinka Management, a global consulting company, is organising study tours to Japan so that leaders from various organisations can experience in situ and at the source, how companies work with this model that seeks to improve productivity and efficiency.
Eliminate losses to increase the value of what is delivered to customers is one of the principles that governs the lean/kaizen model, a work philosophy of Japanese origin that seeks to boost productivity in organisations, eliminating activities that do not generate value to customers (internal and external).
With a regional office in Santiago, Chile, Shinka Management provides training and consultancy through its lean consultants supporting companies in implementing this model in their operations. Additionally, Shinka Management runs a program that allows leaders of these companies to be trained directly in the country of birth of this method: Japan.
“In general, the leaders of organisations in Latin America have not experienced a successful case of this model to gain experience as to what works and what does not; they do not know the details that can make the difference between success and failure of an implementation of this model and this is a great opportunity for them to experience it. The Lean Japan Tour is run by Shinka Management and our aim is that managers and leaders within organisations can immerse themselves in both the original Japanese thinking behind the lean/kaizen method and its successful application in a number of companies in different industries,” says Gustavo Norambuena, Regional Director for Latin America at Shinka Management.
Japanese Experience and Culture
The lean study tour to Japan is run over a week and includes visits to organisations, from public hospitals to robot manufacturing companies, discussions with senior management, training days at a Toyota group lean training centre, and Japanese cultural experiences. With this, the consultancy firm explains, they seek to imbue participants with the culture and business wisdom of this country.
“Our first lean tour in Japan took place in 2007, and since then the program has been attended by business leaders from more than 60 countries. From the moment people land in Tokyo, we ensure that they enjoy Japan as a unique and enriching experience, including train transfers and private bus transportation, first-class accommodation and meals, cultural orientation and Japanese to English interpreter services, and we are evaluating Japanese to Spanish as a future option. Our lean tour is made up of a combination of seminars, hands-on training experiences, discussions and visits to the facilities of lean companies. These 15 years of experience organising these trips has allowed us to design the best combination of activities allowing participants to develop awareness and capacity in lean management, and have the tools to solve challenges in their own companies with their own realities,” says Gustavo Norambuena.
Among the companies that are frequently visited are Toyota, Rinnai Corporation, Subaru, Mitsubishi Motors, Yamaha, Panasonic, Osaka City University Hospital and Taikoh Transportation.
“We look forward to reactivating the trips from November 2022, following suspension due to the pandemic. We have customers on standby since the end of 2019, so we already have dates on offer until July 2023. Originally there were 20 participants per trip, however due to the health conditions caused by the pandemic, to ensure the safety of our travelers and to comply with Japanese health regulations we have had to halve the quotas, so we have increased the frequency of these trips. We hope to return to the original quota by 2023. Registrations are accepted on a first come, first served basis, for which I invite you to visit our website and register to reserve a place on the available dates,” says Gustavo Norambuena of Shinka Management.
About Shinka Management
Shinka Management is a global lean management consulting firm, with a regional office in Santiago serving Latin America. The company specialises in the transfer of Japanese management knowledge to industry worldwide. Shinka Management’s lean consultants support clients in over 60 countries with lean consulting, lean training and lean study tours to Japan.