Anxiety that drives kaizen: a strategic blueprint for kaizen implementation across borders

The emotional and behavioral antecedents of kaizen are the focus of this chapter. In particular, the author focuses on the role of anxiety in driving individual and team proactive behaviors that support kaizen. To understand why kaizen is widely practiced in Japan but difficult to transfer to other countries, the author argues that we must address two crucial questions: (1) Does higher personal anxiety contribute to improved kaizen performance? and (2) Do Japanese individuals experience higher levels of anxiety compared to people in other nations? Answering these questions helps uncover the cultural and psychological factors influencing kaizen implementation globally. The insights of the chapter shed light on managerial and leadership challenges to create a kaizen culture and provides original research avenues to strengthen this perspective.