Kaizen in Retailing

Kaizen means contiues improvement. Improvement by eliminating ‘muda'(waste).Refining business process ‘waste’ can be reduced so that real work to be done is easily achieved.

In the retailing forum – we have manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and finally the consumer. If the manufacturer is the one producing the item and the consumer is the end user of the item, then what is the need of retailers and wholesalers.Retailers and wholesalers are basically present to refine and streamline the business process. But in the concept of Kaizen they may be considered as ‘muda’. If Kaizen principles are to be followed in product distribution by the manufucaturers, then we may gradually see the elimination of the so called middle men. We already see vending machines present across cities distributing limited items. Vending machines puking rice, cereals and other essential commodities would soon become a reality.

Having said so, this doesnt mean that all the necessary waste has been eliminated. Kaizen meaning continous improvement can be said to have been achieved if and only if producers find a way to reach the kitchens/rooms of consumers.