Answer: B - Hoshin Kanri, also known as Policy Deployment or "catchball," is a strategy and management technique used by organizations to align their long-term goals and objectives with the actions and efforts of their employees. The name "catchball" comes from the visual representation of the process as a ball being thrown back and forth between different levels of an organization to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals.
The Hoshin Kanri process typically involves the following steps:
- Defining the organization's long-term vision and objectives.
- Developing a strategy to achieve these objectives and cascading it down to specific goals and action plans for each department and employee.
- Regularly reviewing progress and making adjustments as needed to ensure that the organization remains on track towards its objectives.
The aim of Hoshin Kanri is to ensure that everyone in the organization is aware of the company's goals and is working towards them in a coordinated and aligned manner. This helps organizations avoid having employees work on tasks that are not aligned with the company's objectives and ensures that resources are used effectively to achieve the company's goals.