Implementing Hoshin Kanri: How to Manage Strategy Through Policy Deployment and Continuous Improvement

This book focuses on the implementation of Hoshin Kanri. It is a response to most books on strategic planning that tend to downplay the implementation and only describe the fully implemented planning process. The power of this book originates from a project in which a team of five professionals over a period of three years implemented Hoshin Kanri in 14 companies; results were drawn from 130 workshops with leadership teams. The project team subsequently ran several accelerators inside large and small companies as well as public institutions. All these experiences together form the implementation focus of the book.

Moreover, the organization of the book mirrors the message of its scientific thinking, which is also the basic principle of Hoshin Kanri:

• Chapter 1 focuses on the basic analysis―Is Hoshin Kanri something for your organization?
• Chapter 2 addresses the ambition―What is the vision for strategy work in your organization?
• Chapter 3 presents the conditions needed for effective strategic work.
• Chapter 4 discusses the choice of implementation strategy and your role as the change agent.
• Chapter 5 describes how Hoshin Kanri works when implemented.
• Chapter 6 addresses coaching/mentoring and the Kata philosophy.
• Chapter 7 presents important analytical tools.
• Appendix 1 describes the journey made by a medium-sized construction company.

Essentially, this book describes in a concrete and structured way how you―the change agent―can use Hoshin Kanri in your organization to tackle large and complex challenges.

Anders Melander is an associate professor in business administration at Jönköping International Business School. Anders researches and teaches strategic change, business development and strategy work. He has extensive experience in business development and action-based research, especially in collaboration with small and medium-sized companies.

David Andersson has worked with strategic development for two decades in the role of leader and consultant, both professionally and as a volunteer. His focus is on creating an ability to change. Over the past five years, David has worked together with researchers at Jönköping University on developing effective methods for strategic development processes.

Fredrik Elgh is a professor of product development at the School of Engineering, Jönköping University. Fredrik has held various management positions in the area of education and research for more than a decade. He has a great deal of experience of research and development work in close collaboration with the industry, and he has worked actively with Hoshin Kanri for five years.

Fredrik Fjellstedt has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics with a focus on strategy and leadership. Fredrik has over ten years of experience with regard to lean thinking, leadership development and Hoshin Kanri at Toyota. He is the first person outside of Japan to become a Master Trainer in Toyota’s eight-stage problem-solving method, and he has coached over 1,500 leaders. Today, Fredrik works as a consultant with a focus on Hoshin Kanri.

Malin Löfving has a PhD in production strategy and works as a project manager at Träcentrum Nässjö Kompetensutveckling AB. Malin has previously researched manufacturing strategies and taught at the School of Engineering, Jönköping University.