{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"AM022 Today, we do something different","description":"\r\n\r\n&amp;ldquo;Kaizen&amp;rdquo; is Japanese for &amp;ldquo;change for the better&amp;rdquo; or &amp;ldquo;continuous improvement&amp;rdquo; in business activities.&amp;nbsp; This could be beneficial to accountants when you consider the problems of &amp;ldquo;digital disruption&amp;rdquo; and Standard Business Reporting (SBR).\r\n&amp;nbsp;\r\nKaizen is a business philosophy of continuous cost reduction, reducing quality problems and waste and delivery time reduction through rapid team-based improvement activities.\r\n&amp;nbsp;\r\nFor change to happen in the workplace, you have to change actions.&amp;nbsp; If you work the same way today as you did yesterday, you will end up with a same result.&amp;nbsp; The key factors within Kaizen include:\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; planning the job;\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; work backwards from the shipping date;\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; dissect the job into its components;\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; set a time for the job;\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; use a production management whiteboard;\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; set targets; and\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; measure the performance.\r\n&amp;nbsp;\r\nKaizen embraced the Five S framework of:\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; good housekeeping\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; tidiness\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; orderliness\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; cleanliness\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; standardised clean up practices\r\n&amp;nbsp;\r\nThe management&amp;rsquo;s role in the Kaizen system is to:\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; secure the work;\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; itemise the details of the job;\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; establish management systems so that actual performance can be measured;\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; encourage suggestions from team members; and\r\n&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; introduce small rewards.\r\n&amp;nbsp;\r\nThe team&amp;rsquo;s role is to sort the job out for themselves.&amp;nbsp; Do it first then think.&amp;nbsp; Try and improve productivity and tidying up.\r\n&amp;nbsp;\r\nKaizen&amp;rsquo;s overall strategy is to empower individuals to improve their productivity.&amp;nbsp; In other words, today, we do something different.&amp;nbsp; I believe that understanding the Kaizen culture will assist accountants to meet the challenges of 2015.\r\n&amp;nbsp;\r\n&amp;nbsp;\r\nPeter Towers\r\nMANAGING DIRECTOR\r\nESS BIZTOOLS PTY LTD\r\n+61 7 4724 1118 | 1800 232 088\r\npeter@essbiztools.com.au\r\nwww.essbiztools.com.au | www.essbizgrants.com.au","author_name":"ESS BIZTOOLS Podcast (Accountant's Minute)","author_url":"https:\/\/essbiztools.com.au","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/3497506\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/item\/3497506"}