Kaikaku vs. Kaizen: When Radical Change Beats Incremental Improvement

(Kaikaku vs. Kaizen: Transformación Radical vs. Mejora Incremental)

Why Incremental Improvement Alone Often Isn’t Enough

(Por qué la mejora incremental no siempre es suficiente)

Webinar Description

Register to receive Spanish and English recordings.

Many organizations rely heavily on Kaizen events to improve performance—yet still struggle with slow progress, limited impact, or “continuous improvement fatigue.”

The missing piece is often Kaikaku.

In this on-demand KaiNexus webinar, Albanesa Amaya explains the critical difference between Kaizen (incremental improvement) and Kaikaku (radical transformation)—and why sequencing them correctly is essential for real, lasting Lean transformation.

Drawing on more than 17 years of experience leading Lean transformations across manufacturing, medical devices, electronics, and service organizations, Albanesa shows how Kaikaku enables organizations to redesign entire systems, not just fix isolated problems.

Este seminario combina conceptos fundamentales de Lean, Kaizen y Kaikaku, presentado en inglés (with Spanish roots and context), making it valuable for global teams working across cultures and regions.

View all previous KaiNexus Continuous Improvement Webinars

What You’ll Learn

• The four types of Kaizen—and why most organizations only use one

• The difference between solving a problem and transforming a system

• How Kaikaku impacts safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people simultaneously

• Why Kaizen events often stall without a Kaikaku foundation

• When to use incremental improvement vs. radical change

• A practical Lean transformation formula that combines Kaikaku, Kaizen Events, and Kaizen Teian

Who This Webinar Is For

This webinar is especially valuable for:

• Continuous improvement, Lean, and operational excellence leaders

• Manufacturing, healthcare, and service organizations

• Leaders frustrated with slow or limited Kaizen results

• Teams managing large-scale change or system redesign

• Organizations operating across English- and Spanish-speaking environments

Key Insight: Transformation Before Optimization

Kaikaku creates the breakthrough.
Kaizen sustains the gains.

When organizations rely only on incremental improvement, they often optimize broken systems. Kaikaku resets the system—allowing Kaizen to actually work.

Primero la transformación. Luego la mejora continua.

The Presenter:

Albanesa Ymaya

Albanesa Ymaya, from the Dominican Republic, is Founder, President and CEO of Ymaya Lean Academy Inc. With more than 17 years as an Industrial Engineer working with Lean Transformations in the Manufacturing sector (Medical Devices and Electronic), she has a post-degree in Quality and Productivity Management and specializations in Project Management and Logistic Management. Certified as Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Six Sigma Green Belt, Six Sigma Yellow Belt, ISO and TL 9000 Auditor, Kepner Tregoe Practical Problem Solving, Maynard Operation Sequence Technique (MOST), and is Shingo Model trained. 

Albanesa has more than 17 years as professor on Institutes and Universities. She has trained more than 6,000 people from different countries (Latin America, Caribbean, United States and Europe).

She has been in Lean Manufacturing environments since she started her career as an industrial engineer where she occupied different roles, from Lean technician to Lean Six Sigma Regional Manager for Americas and Europe. She has led different Lean Transformations in different countries (Dominican Republic, Mexico, North Carolina, and Herlev). She has managed project portfolios of more than $10 million and has received different International Awards (“Lean Coach of the Year” - “Plant Lean of the Year” - “Operations Excellence Award”).

Recently she started to support the Love and Kindness Project Foundation with the role of Caribbean Region Director.

• Dominicana
• Fundadora, Presidente y CEO de Ymaya Lean Academy Inc.
• Experiencia Docente de más de 17 años. + de 6,000 personas capacitadas en LATAM, USA, EU.
  
• Más de 17 años como Ingeniera Industrial. Con Post grado en Gerencia de Calidad y Productividad. Especialización en Gerencia de Proyecto y Logística.
  
• Certificaciones internacionales: LSSBB, SSGB, SSYB, MOST, KT-PPS, Auditora Interna ISO y TL 9000.
  
• + de 17 años liderando Transformaciones LEAN en empresas multinacionales en diferentes países (República Dominicana, México, Carolina del Norte, y Herlev).
  
• He ocupado varias posiciones dentro de la industria y dentro del área de Excelencia Operacional y Mejora Continua de Procesos (desde Técnico 1 hasta Gerente Regional para las Américas y Europa).
  
• Manejo de Portafolio de proyectos + de 10 MM USD$.
  
• Formadora de Líderes de Trabajo y equipos de alto rendimiento.
  
• Lean Coach, Asesora y Consultora Senior.
  
• Directora Regional para el Caribe en la Fundación Internacional Love and Kindness Project Foundation.