Bridging Management and the Shop Floor with the “Morita Shikumi”
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From my experience managing factories in Japan and abroad, I’ve seen many companies face the same struggles: persistent quality issues, lack of skilled people, and difficulty applying the Toyota Production System effectively.
To solve these challenges, I developed the “Morita Shikumi” a framework that links management with the shop floor, from supervision to worker level. It drives sustainable improvement, encourages open communication, and builds a workplace that is brighter, more positive, and more energetic.
Please feel free to reach out whether through this site, chat, or email. All consultations and Q&A are free of charge.
Manufacturing Expert | Creator of Morita Shikumi
Connecting Management and the Shop Floor with the “Morita Shikumi”
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Transforming factory operations worldwide through a people-centered approach
I began my journey in manufacturing at Toyota in 1978. Over the next 48 years, I led operations at Toyota plants in Japan and overseas, focusing on quality, talent development, and building sustainable production systems.
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The Essence of Toyota: People Development
While “Jidoka” and “Just-in-Time” are known as the two pillars of the Toyota Production System, its true foundation is developing people—emphasizing awareness, communication, growth, and a culture of learning, respect, and open dialogue.
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Why TPS Often Fails to Take Root
Many companies attempt to adopt TPS, but struggle because:
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Improvements don’t translate into management results.
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Activities remain partial, lacking leadership and horizontal deployment.
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There is no unified system connecting shop floor to top management.
Sustainable improvement requires a framework that links people, priorities, and Kaizen across all levels.
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The “Morita Shikumi” Approach
By introducing management indicators by job level and a shared dialogue framework, the Morita Shikumi enables :
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Clear visibility of challenges across all layers
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Timely prioritization and problem-solving
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Results that unite management and shop floor
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Development of supervisors and future leaders
It is both a tool to oversee the company as a whole and a foundation for people development, supporting higher-level management and workplace transformation
Morita Shikumi
Step 1
Customer 1st - Culture of Honesty
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Visualize the flow of "materials" and "information" throughout production including customers, upstream/downstream processes, and internal operations.
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Identify reasons for downtime and eliminate Muri (overburden), Muda (waste), and Mura (unevenness) to improve quality and productivity
SERVICE
Support Services
If you are facing difficulties or would like to discuss improvements, please feel free to contact me by email. (Free of charge)
For those who wish to discuss matters in greater detail, I also offer one-on-one individual consultations (paid service).
In addition, I provide corporate consulting to address company-wide challenges. Together, we can advance Kaizen and build effective systems that lead to better activities and higher goal achievement.
I will do my utmost to support you with sincerity and dedication.
