APPLICATION OF KAIZEN TO IMPROVE THE WORK PROCESS OF SALESEMPLOYEES : A CASE STUDY OF A PRIVATE COMPANY IN SAI MAI DISTRICT, BANGKOK
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Abstract
This participatory action research aimed to (1) analyze the causes of delays and errors in the quotation preparation process of sales employees, (2) develop process improvement guidelines by applying Kaizen principles integrated with the ECRS concept, and (3) evaluate the effectiveness of the improved process in terms of operational performance. Prior to improvement, the quotation process consisted of 11 redundant steps, with an average lead time of 7,720 minutes, including a prolonged waiting time of 7,200 minutes for cost calculation. Document preparation errors accounted for 63.6 percent, reflecting wastes related to waiting and unnecessary processes in accordance with Lean principles. This study employed participatory action research combined with a mixed-methods approach. Qualitative data were collected through observation, interviews, and brainstorming sessions with sales employees, while quantitative data were obtained from work time measurements and error frequency records. Process mapping and fishbone diagrams were used to identify root causes of the problems. Subsequently, the ECRS principles Eliminate, Combine, Rearrange, and Simplify were applied to redesign the process by removing non–value-added activities, consolidating redundant approval steps, and rearranging workflow sequences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, before-and-after comparisons, and qualitative content analysis.
The findings, aligned with the research objectives, revealed that (1) delays and errors were mainly caused by prolonged waiting for cost information, multiple document handoffs, and the absence of standardized work procedures; (2) the application of Kaizen integrated with ECRS effectively eliminated non–value-added steps and reduced process redundancy; and (3) after implementation, the number of process steps was reduced from 11 to 7, the process lead time decreased from 7,720 minutes to 1,380 minutes (a reduction of 73.3 percent), and document preparation errors were significantly reduced. In addition, behavioral changes among sales employees were observed, including increased participation in continuous improvement activities and a stronger sense of process ownership, consistent with the Kaizen philosophy. The results demonstrate that integrating Kaizen with ECRS in sales-related processes can generate measurable performance improvements and support the establishment of standardized work through PDCA and SDCA cycles, contributing to sustainable process improvement in the long term.
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References
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