Promotion of Hoshin Kanri

Born as a part of TQM, hoshin kanri is a system for quality control and continuous improvement activities. It has been given various definitions, the simplest of which are listed in Table 2-1. Table 2-1 Definitions of Hoshin Kanri November 1984 K. Nayatani, Way of Looking and Thinking of Things (JUSE): Hoshin kanri is a systematic control activity for the achievement of annual management policy (president's policy) based on a company motto, management concepts, long/medium- term plans, etc., on which all job levels perform PDCA for harmonizing each policy. November 1984 S. Mizuno, Companywide Overall QC (Nikka-Giren): Hoshin kanri is to improve performance continuously by disseminating and deploying the direction, targets, and plans of company management to top management and all employees so that all job levels can act on the plans, evaluate, study, and feedback results while continually performing PDCA. The purpose of hoshin kanri is to break away from the status quo and make a great leap up by analyzing current problems and deploying in response to environmental conditions. January 1985 S. Miura, ed., TQC Terminology Dictionary (Japan Standards Association): Hoshin kanri: All activity within an organization for systematic achievement of medium/long- term management plan or annual management policy, which is established as the means for achievement of management purpose. Often, it is used for annual management policy. March 1986 T. Sugimoti, ed., QC of Clerical-Sales Service Work (Nippon Kikaku Kyokai): Briefly, hoshin kanri is a system for effective achievement of target (Q, C, D, often) by banding all capabilities of the total organization of a company. 1987 Summary Definition Hoshin kanri is, for the achievement of management's purpose, a system of enhancement of the company's overall capability and banding together all capability of the company for improvement of performance, through: deployment of a unified policy and plan (implementation, check, action for improvement) established as an annual management plan based on a company motto (basic company management concept). Management strategy is a form of long/medium-term management plan annual management plan, by: utilizing major resources for management (people, goods, money) and optimally bonding together quality, volume, cost, and timing (delivery). (Use of QC concepts and methods in the above-mentioned processes is necessary.)