What happens after 5S

What happens after depends upon what happened before. If your 5S was an exercise or a part of a program depends upon management's intent. If there has been no strategic decision on the part of top management to pursue a quality transformation, then future efforts beyond the current 5S become doubtful, at least unlikely to have lasting, sustained effect. Lean requires a cultural transformation, a strategic application, as does Kaizen. Large and expensive efforts like 6 Sigma likewise require a dedicated, strategic foundation. Even putting an ISO program upon an organization, no less "living it", must have upper management support, at least, and participation.

If management wants the transformation and continues to participate in it, the transformation will occur. Good luck with anything else. If you try to make things better and management does not want that, keep your heads down. If your managers are authoritarian and do not, or cannot, understand systems and processes, you'll become a pain to them, making them sad. I lost at least one job due to my efforts to make things better while lacking management support, no less participation. Both those firms are in danger of closing, by they way. That's entirely on their managers.
 
I would go to the next step with TPM (Total Production Maintenance). It's a 3-legged stool with focus on maintenance, calibration and process control. Management could then instill TQM (Total Quality Management), based on Edward Demming's teachings - i'll be your "external champion".
Dan Remaley, former GATF
 

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