Jayanth Murthy on Implementing Kaizen Principles Across Africa’s Emerging Markets
In this comprehensive interview, Jayanth Murthy, CEO of Kaizen Institute for India and Africa, outlines how the organization specializes in operational excellence consulting and strategy execution support—bridging the critical gap between planning and implementation. Rather than offering traditional advisory services, the Institute takes a hands-on approach, focusing on continuous improvement methodology and delivering results at the frontline level.
Murthy emphasizes that Kaizen implementation is about “improvement without addition,” meaning companies can boost efficiency and performance using existing resources, without needing new investments. This focus on no-cost productivity improvement and waste elimination in business is central to their Lean transformation services.
The Kaizen philosophy is deeply rooted in Japanese principles like Muda (waste), Mura (inconsistency), and Muri (overburden), with a strong emphasis on Gemba-based process improvement—observing real work in real places. Through management consulting in India and Africa, Kaizen Institute has worked across diverse sectors including agriculture, healthcare, garments, manufacturing, and government.
With over 90 consultants from 11 countries, the firm operates as a “small multinational,” using structured methods like value stream mapping and real-time data to drive results. The company conducts weekly internal training reflections to sharpen skills, foster innovation, and promote business process standardization.
Murthy highlights that true transformation comes from involving frontline teams, encouraging a mindset of “learning to see,” and focusing on resource optimization in operations. In his words, empowering frontline teams and standardizing improvements are vital for resilience and sustainable growth.
Finally, as Kaizen expands in emerging markets like India, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, the company is seeking strategic partnerships to scale. Murthy underscores their core belief: efficiency must come before investment, and in a world overloaded with data, leaders must find the “vital few” insights that drive real change.
