Although especially aimed at applications in manufacturing, it can be useful also to transfer the core concepts of systematic improvement approach to people involved in operational activities in non-manufacturing businesses (i.e. services, indirect corporate functions).
After World War II it was necessary to reconstruct the foundations of the Japanese industrial system: in May 1946 (year 22 of the Showa era) the Japan Management Association (JMA) decided to start off a course specifically conceived for the development of those skills and knowledge required to production technicians.
Such formula was based on the scheme of a former practical course held by the Nihon Kōgyō Kyōkai (日本工業協会),[1] which included in-depth study of operational activities and was 2 to 3 months long.
This course had been created by the joint effort of JMA and the Japanese Government intending to supply the most promising enterprises with the right tools and operational know-how in order to get the maximum value by the least investment from the resources of a Country willing to go a step further the post-war reorganization.
That is performed by setting the activities at the shopfloor of a real factory and using that place as a classroom and the problems arising with the production of that shoploor as training material.
This happens by pursuing two main objectives on top of others: Alternation of theoretical and practical sessions continues to be one of the distinctive and valuable features of the course.