Aplicação do kaizen em empresas juniores: estudo de caso na diretoria de qualidade da Quanttum

Abstract

The Kaizen methodology, widely recognized as a continuous improvement approach originating from Japan,has been applied in various types of organizations to optimize processes and eliminate waste. In the context of junior enterprises, which face challenges such as high member turnover and limited resources, its application has been little explored. Therefore, this study analyzed the application of the Kaizen methodology at Quanttum - a junior enterprise linked to the Chemical Engineering course at the Federal University of Technology of Paraná (UTFPR) - focusing on the Quality Department, an area in which the researcher was actively involved as a member during the project implementation. Through a case study, three priority pain points were identified: the optimization of Pipefy, training for the use of the LDI (Internal Documents List), and the visibility of the Quality area. The implementation adopted a simplified PDCA cycle with a standardized spreadsheet and a pilot-area strategy, with the Quality Department working one week ahead of the other departments. Quantitative results indicated that most planned tasks were completed, with a reduction in the reaudit rate and a significant increase in the use of the LDI. The satisfaction survey, applied anonymously and voluntarily to members of the audited areas, obtained positive evaluations, with recognition given to the Media team for reducing reaudits and to the area with the best performance in PDCA tasks. Qualitatively, gains were observed such as strengthening of the continuous improvement culture, process standardization, and greater visibility for the Quality Department. The study also reflected on lessons learned, such as the need to define baseline indicators and identify external dependencies, offering recommendations for other junior enterprises interested in promoting gradual and sustainable changes in their management models.