Western Governors University (WGU) MGMT6020 C215 Operations Management Practice Exam

The concept that emphasizes continuous improvement through small incremental changes is Kaizen. Kaizen is a Japanese term that means "change for better" and focuses on making ongoing, incremental improvements in processes, products, or services. This philosophy involves everyone in an organization, from top management to frontline employees, encouraging them to identify areas for improvement and to implement small changes consistently over time.

Kaizen promotes a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, where employees are encouraged to suggest improvements and participate in problem-solving. The power of Kaizen lies in the belief that small, consistent changes can lead to significant enhancements in efficiency, quality, and overall performance without the need for large, disruptive changes.

Other options like TQM (Total Quality Management) focus on long-term success through customer satisfaction and involve broader organizational strategies for quality assurance. Lean Manufacturing aims to reduce waste and increase efficiency but may not specifically focus on small incremental changes. Agile Management is oriented towards flexibility and rapid responses to change, particularly in project management and software development, rather than a continuous improvement philosophy.