One of the ongoing discussions I have on the genba, is the discussion on what productivity is, and how to measure it to spark and track improvement in productivity. Productivity is not the same as efficiency. Unfortunately, people commonly throw both terms into the conversation without properly defining what they mean with these words. During my tenure at a global tier one automotive supplier in the early 2000s, management decided to introduce a new measure, called Kosu (or Kousou). I was skeptical at the beginning but have become a huge fan since. I’ll try to explain how Kosu can help you to improve productivity. (more…)
