Gemba

<h2 id="etymology">Etymology</h2>
<p>The word <i>genba</i> is a <a href="/facts/Japanese_language/EEv485a5">Japanese</a> term meaning "the actual place" and is used in non-business contexts to refer to <a href="/facts/Crime_scene/NHyakvAJ">crime scenes</a> or topical locations where TV may report. In a movie set, <i>gemba</i> refers to the practice of shooting a scene at the actual location rather than a studio.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> 
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<h2 id="gemba-walk">Gemba walk</h2>
<p>Toyota executive <a href="/facts/Taiichi_Ohno/nAwC9zaL">Taiichi Ohno</a> developed the gemba walk as a way for staff to stand back from day-to-day tasks and walk the floor of their workplace to identify wasteful activities.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> The objective of gemba walk is to understand the value stream and its problems rather than review results or make superficial comments.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> Along with <a href="/facts/Gembutsu/pcLzaSdW">Genchi Genbutsu</a> or "Go, Look, See", gemba walk is one of the 5 <a href="/facts/Lean_Six_Sigma/MGxgMQzV">Lean</a> guiding principles that should be practiced by Lean leaders on a daily basis. The gemba walk, is an activity that takes management to the front lines to look for waste and opportunities to practice <i>gemba <a href="/facts/Kaizen/xFvBM9kk">kaizen</a>,</i> or practical shopfloor improvement.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a>
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<h2 id="variations">Variations</h2>
<p><a href="/facts/W._Edwards_Deming/ytaxg6sv">W. Edwards Deming</a> suggested a similar idea of looking at the system from suppliers, through the entire organization, and to customers. Deming shared the idea during a 1950 visit to Japan.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> The commonly used models of production associated with lean, such as "<a href="/facts/Value-stream_mapping/fVpKDwJm">value-stream mapping</a>," do not extend to include suppliers, customers, or include a feedback loop to foster continual improvement of the system.
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<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Genchi_Genbutsu/pcLzaSdW">Genchi Genbutsu</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Imai, Masaaki (1997). Gemba kaizen: a commonsense low-cost approach to management. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-07-031446-7. <a href="978-0-07-031446-7" target="_blank">978-0-07-031446-7</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Womack, Jim (2011). Gemba Walks. Lean Enterprise Institute, Inc. p. 348. ISBN 978-1-934109-15-1. <a href="978-1-934109-15-1" target="_blank">978-1-934109-15-1</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>Delisle, Dennis R. (July 2012). "Book Review: Gemba Walks, by Jim Womack". American Journal of Medical Quality. 27 (4): 352. doi:10.1177/1062860611434364. S2CID 74508872. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>Mann, David (Fall 2009). "The Missing Link: Lean Leadership". Frontiers of Health Services Management. 26 (1): 15–26. doi:10.1097/01974520-200907000-00003. PMID 19791484. ProQuest 203892154. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>Daetz, Doug (1990). Quality function deployment: a process for translating customers' needs into a better product and profit. GOAL/QPC. OCLC 25351789.[unreliable source?][page needed][non-primary source needed] <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>"Daily Walking Is a Healthy Activity in Lean Plants". Archived from the original on 26 May 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023. <a href="https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/94291-daily-walking-is-a-healthy-activity-in-lean-plants" target="_blank">https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/94291-daily-walking-is-a-healthy-activity-in-lean-plants</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>Castle, Andrew; Harvey, Rachel (6 March 2009). "Lean information management: the use of observational data in health care". International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management. 58 (3): 280–299. doi:10.1108/17410400910938878. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>Womack, James (22 July 2011). "Getting Over Gemba-phobia". Lean Enterprise Institute. Archived from the original on 22 August 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2022.[self-published source?] <a href="https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/getting-over-gemba-phobia/" target="_blank">https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/getting-over-gemba-phobia/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:9"><p>Imai, Masaaki (1997). Gemba kaizen: a commonsense low-cost approach to management. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-07-031446-7. <a href="978-0-07-031446-7" target="_blank">978-0-07-031446-7</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:10"><p>"Speech by Dr. Deming to Japanese Business Leaders in 1950 - The W. Edwards Deming Institute". deming.org/. Archived from the original on 2024-08-22. Retrieved 2021-10-16. <a href="https://deming.org/speech-by-dr-deming-to-japanese-business-leaders-in-1950/" target="_blank">https://deming.org/speech-by-dr-deming-to-japanese-business-leaders-in-1950/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
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Gemba open-in-new

Gemba