When I came across an article in Nikkei Asia about Toyota’s approach to lean manufacturing (“Toyota’s Kaizen Mindset Drives Global Success,” Nikkei Asia, March 15, 2024), it resonated deeply with my interests as a future engineer. The article described Toyota’s relentless focus on kaizen—continuous improvement—and its willingness to empower every worker, from assembly line to management, to suggest changes and challenge inefficiencies.
As a student in Korea, I often hear about innovation as something driven from the top: CEOs set the vision, and the rest follow. But Toyota’s model shows that real progress happens when everyone is encouraged to contribute, and when even small improvements are celebrated. In my STEM club, our most successful project wasn’t the one with the biggest budget, but the one where every member felt comfortable sharing ideas and iterating quickly.
I hope Korean industry can learn from this mindset, building a culture where continuous feedback and collective responsibility are the norm. As an aspiring industrial engineer, I want to foster environments that value every voice and never stop improving—not just for productivity, but for the well-being of everyone involved. Reading the article, I realized that the best systems are not static; they evolve, grow, and adapt, just like the people who make them work.
Sunho Lee
- South Korea
- Male
- 12th Grade, Cornerstone Collegiate Academy
- Intended Major: Industrial Engineering
- Role: Managing Editor
- Introduction:
Curious about how technology can improve lives, I thrive on building systems that bring people together. As Managing Editor, I enjoy coordinating projects and helping our team grow. I hope to pursue industrial engineering and design solutions that bridge the gap between innovation and real-world needs.