The Extent of Application of the Kaizen Strategy for Continuous Improvement from the Perspective of Palestinian School Principals: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the reality of the application of the Kaizen strategy for continuous improvement by school principals in the northern West Bank governorates, as one of the most important modern management methods. The researcher followed the qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews with a sample of twenty-two male and female principals of government schools in the northern West Bank governorates, who were selected using the available method. The results showed that there is a weakness among principals in modern management concepts, including the Kaizen strategy for continuous improvement, where the researcher felt the ambiguity of the concept among the principals, and through interviews it was found that principals apply some Kaizen principles routinely as part of their duties, but without knowledge and awareness as a modern management strategy or method, it was also found that the manifestations of the principals‘ application of the Kaizen strategy for continuous improvement came in varying proportions, where good planning for improvement and analysing the reality of the school occupied the highest percentage among the principals’ answers, and the results also showed that the obstacles to the application of the Kaizen strategy for improvement came within four obstacles, namely administrative, human, material and technical, and the requirements for applying the Kaizen strategy included five requirements, namely: Administrative requirements such as realistic plans with a clear vision, and technical requirements such as the availability of a qualified team to work with modern technologies, the requirements also included a qualified and harmonious human team to work in the school environment, in addition to the organisational requirements of a positive organisational climate, in addition to the material requirements of the availability of facilities, infrastructure and equipment. In conclusion, the study recommended instilling a culture of continuous improvement in the management of educational institutions, it also recommended conducting further studies on the impact of applying the Kaizen strategy in management, both on motivation and performance.