Synopsis
Every company's pursuit of quality improvement must begin with the basics, namely the 5S's - a campaign dedicated to organizing the workplace, keeping it neat and clean, and maintaining the standardized conditions and discipline needed to do a good job. The name '5S' is derived from the first letters of the Japanese terms for; organization (seiri); neatness (seiton); cleaning (seiso); standardization (seiketsu); and discipline (shitsuke). The adoption of these 5S's, company wide, can yield tremendous results: preventing accidents; reducing downtime; enhancing operational control of processes; and creating a healthier corporate climate. This book explores the basic philosophy behind the 5S campaign, explains how every workplace can benefit from its use, discusses how a company can mount a successful 5S movement, and delves into each of the 5S's in detail. A thorough examination of the role the 5S's play, both on the shop floor and in the office environment, is also included. Written in an easy-to-understand style, this text avoids the technical jargon that permeates so much management writing.
It is accessible to any reader, underscoring Osada's conviction that the 5S's are for everyone, not just a few experts.