Practices and Challenges of Kaizen Implimentation in The Case of Metehar Sugar Factory
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2024-10
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main objective of this research was to study the practices and challenges of kaizen implementation at Methara Sugar Factory. The researcher used descriptive research method. Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were used in the study. 287 respondents were selected randomly after stratified sampling of tare gate population was selected in a group manager, supervisor, change management officers and production workers. To collect data questionnaires were distributed to 287 respondents and in addition to this direct observation of the researcher supported with checklist were employed. To analyze the collected data SPSS and excel software were used. To extract findings the researcher use mean, frequency and percentage accordingly. The findings of the study showed that, most of the respondents agree the factory is benefited by implementing kaizen in terms of both in terms of both financial and non-financial aspects like improving efficiency, increasing work employees’ motivation, increased safety and occupational health and others, Metehara sugar factory practiced kaizen philosophy good way, the housekeeping and standardization were good but waste elimination was not sufficient there, lack of management support and poor training are the main challenges. And lack of employee’s motivation and skilled man power are also somehow challenging the factory to implement kaizen and, even if most of the workers had perceived kaizen positively there are also workers who had perceived negatively. Based on the findings of this study, the researcher concluded that kaizen implementation in Metehara sugar factory is in a good level, but there is a gap in implementation of 5S, especially in waste elimination and somehow in implementation of standards. Regarding challenges faced the factory to implement kaizen, the researcher concluded that lack of management support and lack of training are the main challenges in the implementation of kaizen management in the factory. Finally, Metehara sugar factory had benefited with implementation of kaizen, which enabled to improve financial and non-financial performance in different aspects. But, it failed to bring about a change in the reduction of transport costs due to gap in implementation of kaizen
Keywords: kaizen, implementation, challenges, the three pillars of kaizen