Bônus sem ônus? Efeitos do Kaizen nas empresas brasileiras

Abstract

One of the key factors in increasing productivity in companies is management. An effective management practice is kaizen. Originating in Japan, the basic concept of kaizen is continuous improvement with the involvement of the entire workforce. Using the company-stratified data set obtained from Brazilian industry and innovation surveys, this article quantitatively assesses whether kaizen has affected the performance of national companies. Initial results suggest a productivity premium for kaizen adopters; however, when this materializes, it is not detectable in the short term. Furthermore, the impact on innovation is observable after kaizen implementation. Understanding these results from a qualitative approach, this analysis highlights the importance of this tool in innovation, especially in improving worker time on the production line, as well as kaizen's long-term vision for productivity.