While my “data” is admittedly anecdotal, it does reflect the experiences of myself as well as some previous co-workers who had collective experience across about a dozen major companies, many of them household names, in a wide range of industries. (aerospace, construction equipment, hand tools, hydraulic components, electrical products, electronics, consumer goods, chemical processes to name a few.)

The areas in those companies which did better than others, especially at sustaining, were the ones which made the mental shift from kaizen as an “event” to daily problem solving, focusing on the things which were actual disruptions to smooth work.

Thanks for your comment – It will probably trigger a follow-up post.