Counting on Japan’s aid, the preparation of the plans for the training camps began, and the first advisory teams arrived from the Asian country to nationally extend this philosophy and technique based on the improvement of quality and productivity. Ethiopia wants to revitalise its manufacturing sector, particularly the light one, to move from the traditional agricultural economy to an industry-centred structure and thus strengthen competitiveness.
In that sense, Tefere Ahmed, an expert in economic issues, explained that one of the measures to achieve such goal was to introduce the kaizen methodology in 2009, which emerged in Japan, and it brought the successful enhancement to the factories; therefore, to all the manufacturing industry in that nation.
In 2011, the Kaizen Institute of Ethiopia was established as a central government agency responsible for training human resources to extend the quality management method so well known in the industrial world and put it into practice.
Through several projects, the entity provides cooperation to strengthen the organisational system and leadership capacity in public and private companies to settle itself down as a representative kaizen agency for Africa, according to analysts.
