Shruti Bhat PhD, MBA, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
  • Home
  • About Shruti
  • Consulting
  • Workshops
  • Patents
  • Articles
    • Case Studies
    • Innovation Portfolio Development & Patents
    • Drugs-in-the- making
    • Culture Change & Business Transformation
    • Operational Excellence, Quality & Continuous Improvement
  • Books
  • Digital
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Contact

What is the difference between ISO and Kaizen continual improvement techniques?

6/1/2021

0 Comments

 
ISO and Kaizen are both time-tested continual improvement techniques. Both ISO and Kaizen can be used for continuous as well as continual improvement campaigns across all industry sectors. 
what is the difference between ISO and Kaizen continual improvement techniques
Both ISO and Kaizen bring-on organizational transformation and business growth. Therefore, the choice of selecting ISO or Kaizen or both, will depend upon the organization’s goals.

In this blogpost I shall touch upon the differences between ISO and Kaizen. By the way, when I mention ISO, I am referring to ISO 9000 series.
​
Just as there are similarities between ISO and Kaizen, there are several stark differences too. I have enumerated few differences between ISO and Kaizen below. Make sure to take cognizance of them before initiating continuous improvement culture at your workplace.

​Differences between ISO and Kaizen continual improvement techniques-

ISO

Kaizen

1.

2.



3.



4.


5.


6.


7.




​8.




​9.



10.
ISO focuses on product ‘Quality’.

​ISO focuses on product.
In ISO, process improvements happen to maintain product quality.

​ISO focusses only on the processes impacting Quality Management Systems.


​ISO focuses on process control and compliance to existing standards.

​In ISO process improvements happen on big scale.

​ISO works with Measure- Monitor- Analyze principle.

​ISO needs a single person (called as ISO champion) in each department, supervised by a lead champion to install ISO system within the organization.

​ISO requires creation of standard operating procedures (SOP) and other heavy documentation as a part of the certification process.

​ISO is a continual / continuous improvement methodology.


​
ISO certification incurs significant expenses. It is a budget heavy continuous improvement technique. Hence, it can be implemented by mid-size to large companies who have good financial muscles.
​Kaizen focuses on product ‘Value’.

​Kaizen focuses on customer.
In Kaizen, process improvement happens to delight the customer.

​Kaizen focusses on ALL processes within the organization including quality processes, that bring value to the customer.

​Kaizen focuses on continuous improvement for improving standards.

​Process improvements in Kaizen are small, incremental, done regularly over a period of time.

​Kaizen works with PDCA (plan-do-check-act) cycle.
​

​Kaizen needs teamwork. Every employee in the organization must be directly or indirectly involved in the process improvement endeavor. Kaizen increases employee engagement.

Kaizen needs only SOPs. No documentation at all. Reporting happens on a single A3 page.


​
​Kaizen plays dual role i.e. it is continual/ continuous improvement methodology as well as a change management model.

​
Kaizen works on a meagre budget. Hence, can be implemented by all companies including startups and small businesses.
To bring it all together, ISO certification builds credibility. It gives assurance to customers that the company meets a basic minimum criteria of quality standards. This can also help a company access new markets.
​
Kaizen increases value a customer gets for his/her money. This increases sales as well as market share.  Moreover, Kaizen fundamentally improves the way a business operates which increases profit figures and EPS (earnings per share). Kaizen therefore directly increases a company’s top line as well as bottom line.

Further, Kaizen implementation is simple and easy. The small, incremental improvements done regularly via Kaizen bring-on exponential benefits. Kaizen is the method of choice to bring about quick organizational transformation.
Get In Touch
Follow Shruti on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn

Related reading:

  1. Leadership Kaizen: How can leaders keep employees happy?
  2. What is ISO approach in Business Process Improvement and Quality Management ?
  3. How to cut costs strategically using Kaizen
Keywords and Tags-
​
#continuousimprovement #ISO #Kaizen #businesstransfromation #qualitymanagementsystems #productquality #processcontrol #qualitycompliance #ISOcertification #differencebetweenISOandKaizen
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Shruti Bhat, global leader in business turnaround, operational excellence and continuous improvement

    New Book Released!

    top ten strategic decision-making tools for operational excellence

    Shruti's YouTube Channel ...

    Picture

    Blog Categories

    All
    3D Printing
    5S
    Agile
    Artificial Intelligence
    Automation
    Balanced Score Card
    Biotechnology
    Books
    Business Turnaround
    Case Studies
    Change Management
    Chemical Industry
    CMMI
    Continuous Improvement
    Design Thinking
    Digitalization
    Drug Delivery
    External News Links
    Food Industry
    Hall Of Fame
    Healthcare
    Hoshin Kanri
    HR Development
    Innovation
    ISO
    Just In Time
    Kaizen
    Leadership
    LEAN
    Lean Six Sigma
    Life Sciences
    Machine Learning
    Manufacturing
    Medical Devices
    Mistake Proofing
    Motivational Cards
    Nanotechnology
    Operations
    Packaging
    Patents
    Personal Products
    Process Improvement
    Product Development
    Productivity Increase
    QbD
    Quality Management
    Robotics
    Scrum
    Service Industry
    Six Sigma
    Strategy
    Supply Chain Logistics
    Telecom Industry
    TQM
    Videos
    Voice Of Customer
    Workshops

    Shruti's books...

    Picture
    shruti bhat, business process management, continuous improvement
    kaizen for pharmaceutcials, medical devices and biotech industry book by Dr Shruti Bhat
    Book on Continuous improvement tools by Dr Shruti Bhat
    kaizen for leaders, continuous process improvement tool to increase profit and organizational excellence by shruti bhat
    kaizen, shruti bhat, continuous improvement, quality, operations management
    Picture
    how to overcome challenges of creating effective teams
    how to lead a successful business transformation

    ​Micro-Learning
    ​Partner

    Picture

    Publishing Partner

    fast read books, business management books, health and wellness books, spiritual guidance books, best online book store

    Wellness
    ​Partner

    Picture
© Copyright 1992- 2022 Dr. Shruti Bhat ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
See Terms and Conditions for details on this site usage.
SHRUTI BHAT, CONTACT
Click to connect.
Created by Macro2Micro Media