On March 27, representatives of Lviv-based furniture companies joined a specialized seminar dedicated to the Japanese methodology of Kaizen — the philosophy of continuous improvement and lean production. The event was organized by the Lviv Furniture Cluster in partnership with Kaizen Institute Ukraine.
The seminar brought together furniture manufacturers, managers, and industry experts who aim to improve production efficiency, optimize processes, and implement modern management approaches.
The Kaizen methodology is closely associated with Masaaki Imai — the person who introduced this concept to the global business community. Thanks to his work, the philosophy of continuous improvement became an integral part of modern management practices worldwide.
Working with leaders of Japanese industry, including Taiichi Ohno from Toyota, Imai formulated one of Kaizen’s key ideas: a stable and well-designed process inevitably leads to high-quality results.
He also popularized the concept of Gemba — “the place where value is created,” emphasizing that managers should not rely solely on office-based decisions but must regularly be present where the real work happens. Kaizen is built on systematic daily improvements and does not require major investments, as change begins with the resources a company already has.
The seminar opened with welcoming remarks from the Mayor of Skadovsk, Oleksandr Yakovliev, who also serves as the coordinator of the cultural hub “Pivden.” The venue hosted the participants and speakers of the event.
In his speech, he emphasized the importance of long-term value in Ukrainian products, sharing the example of an authentic wooden chest from the Zaporizhzhia Oblast that is more than a hundred years old and still remains in excellent condition.
“Create Ukrainian products in such a way that even in 100 years these pieces of furniture will still have meaning and value,” said Oleksandr Yakovliev.
Volodymyr Turchyn, CEO of WOWIN, shared his personal story of discovering the Kaizen philosophy and explained how the principles of continuous improvement can be applied not only in company management but also in everyday life.
During the seminar, participants explored the differences between the concepts of Kaizen and Lean. Ivan Sarwar explained that although these approaches are often perceived as identical, they differ significantly in essence.
Lean primarily focuses on eliminating waste and optimizing production processes. It represents a set of practical tools aimed at improving efficiency. Kaizen, on the other hand, shapes a culture of continuous improvement within the organization — a mindset that becomes part of the company’s corporate culture.
“Lean is a set of tools, but they cannot work effectively without the foundation — the philosophy of Kaizen,” explained Ivan Sarwar, Managing Director of Kaizen Institute Ukraine.
Another important part of the seminar focused on change management. Kostiantyn Hlazkov, consultant at Kaizen Institute Ukraine, explained that resistance to transformation is a natural reaction within teams and often depends on the level of trust, previous experiences with change, and the pace at which new approaches are introduced.
According to him, any transformation triggers an emotional response from employees.
“Resistance to change is a decrease in employee engagement caused by negative expectations. Employees rarely try to sabotage changes deliberately. More often, they simply stop doing certain things or continue working by inertia, performing actions that are no longer needed,” the expert noted.
This session also addressed tools for team collaboration, including Kaizen boards, which help systematically collect and implement improvement ideas from employees. Particular attention was given to team motivation, building trust within organizations, and effective cooperation between departments.
Practical experience in implementing continuous improvement principles was shared by Mariia Diakiv, Head of Programs and Projects at the Morshyn Mineral Water Plant. She spoke about the role of teams in change processes and how involving employees in problem-solving helps build a culture of continuous improvement.
Participants also discussed the stabilization of production processes. Serhii Chornyi highlighted the importance of standardized work as a foundation for efficient production.
“Standardized work is the most efficient, simplest, and safest way for an operator to perform a task that is currently known,” he emphasized.
Summarizing the seminar, consultant Kostiantyn Hlazkov outlined several fundamental principles that furniture companies can use to begin implementing the Kaizen philosophy in their organizations.
“First, never stop improving. Kaizen is based on continuous improvements, even when they seem small.
Second, standardize changes. If improvements are not documented in processes, the system quickly returns to its previous state.
Third, share experience. A culture of improvement develops when teams and companies exchange practices and learn from each other.
Fourth, recognize that people think differently and each employee has their own paradigm. A manager’s role is to unlock the potential of every team member.
And fifth, work with a broader purpose — develop your business, contribute to the country’s growth, and find satisfaction in your work.”
Participants noted the practical value of the seminar and the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in their companies.
Oleh Besh, Head of the Processing Department at Meblens, said the first step after the event would be sharing the knowledge with his team.
“After the seminar, the first thing we need to do is share what we learned with our employees and gradually introduce the Kaizen culture in the company. I believe it will help make our work more standardized and our processes more stable,” he said.
Maryna Leskiv, Head of Marketing at Meblens and project manager of the Modulna furniture line direction, noted that the most valuable part for her was understanding the philosophy of Kaizen itself.
“What interested me the most was the philosophy of Kaizen. If we talk about the development of our country’s economy, I believe this philosophy can help Ukraine increase the global competitiveness of our products,” she said.
The seminar became a platform for professional exchange and once again demonstrated that implementing Kaizen principles goes far beyond production optimization tools. At its core, Kaizen represents a shift in mindset that enables companies to systematically improve efficiency, product quality, and competitiveness.
Such a culture of continuous improvement can become one of the key drivers for the development of the Ukrainian furniture industry.
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