Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Kaizen Connect
This section describes Kaizen Connect and answers frequently asked questions. Should you have additional questions or require further information, e-mail us at: info@thekaizencompany.com.
What is Kaizen Connect? (About)
Kaizen Connect is a web-portal that provides high quality management reform articles, templates, presentations, case studies, and other resources, from a variety of sources, for members to download and use. Kaizen Connect is divided into multiple communities, each focused on a core management function, to assist professionals working in this function to support each other through the transfer of ideas, experiences and expertise. Each community also provides these professionals with information on upcoming online events, from a variety of sources, and offers additional value added support from highly qualified local, regional, and international experts. Communities evolve and expand over time in response to the priorities and requests of members.
Who is it for?
Kaizen Connect is primarily for management professionals – particularly in less developed countries - who wish to enhance their individual skills and become agents of change within their respective organizations. While much of the content is highly valuable for all management professionals, Kaizen Connect currently contains English and Arabic content only and is thus particularly relevant for management professionals in the Middle East. We will add content specific to other regions and in other languages in the future.
Where does the content come from?
Kaizen connect is primarily an aggregator. Resources within Kaizen Connect professional communities come from a wide variety of highly respected public and private partner organizations, regional and international experts, and community members. Resources are vetted for quality by a relevant expert. Community members also rate each resource and provide their comments on quality, usage recommendations, and other considerations.
How much does it cost?
Membership in Kaizen Connect Professional Communities, and most available resources, is free of charge. However, members are highly encouraged to contribute to Kaizen Connect by uploading potentially value-added resources and tools, and by providing their comments and feedback to existing resources. Members who contribute actively to Kaizen Connect receive special membership status and discounted access to premier resources, which are available for a fee.
Who pays for it?
The Kaizen Company (Kaizen) owns, operates, and pays for Kaizen Connect professional communities and their upkeep. Kaizen is a management consulting firm that primarily implements projects in developing countries, mostly under contract to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (www.usaid.gov). Kaizen Connect professional communities are made available to all of Kaizen’s end beneficiaries in developing countries. Some professional communities are also turned into country-specific derivative web portals. For more information on Kaizen, visit www.thekaizencompany.com.
Why do we ask for members to contribute content?
Members are encouraged to contribute resources so as to continue building and strengthening the quality, quantity, relevance, and specificity of content available on Kaizen Connect. Resource contributions are subject to review by our experts, who will remove those that do not meet our quality standard. Resource submissions that speak to local circumstances, and the realities of managing effectively in individual countries, particularly those in the Middle East, are particularly encouraged.
Does Kaizen Connect have in-person as well as virtual events?
We are currently seeking to increase membership in Kaizen Connect Professional Communities in select countries in the Middle East. Once we have a sufficient number of members in a given country in one or more of our communities we will begin holding live events. These are in-person forums where community members come together to hear from top local and international experts, discuss emerging best practices, fortify personal relationships, highlight local experiences and successes, and support one another to drive reforms within their respective organizations.
At this time the only country in which live, in-person events are held to complement membership in Kaizen Connect communities is in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. For information on our Communities in Amman, e-mail profcom@sabeq-jordan.org.
Is the Kaizen Company seeking additional partnerships?
Yes. The Kaizen Company is interested in two types of partners: resource partners and implementation partners.
Resource partners: We seek partnerships with organizations, located anywhere, that produce high quality online content relevant to one or more of our communities. We do not pay for this content, but do allow our resource partners the right to post limited for-fee events and services on Kaizen Connect, along with the free content they provide. We encourage members to recommend prospective resource partners whose content they would like to see on Kaizen Connect. To do so, e-mail us at: partners@thekaizencompany.com with a brief note stating the organization’s name, website, and the specific Kaizen Connect community(ies) in which you would like to see the organization’s content made available.
Implementation partners: We also seek limited, country-specific partnerships with consulting firms, business associations, or other organizations, based in the Middle East, who are interested in promoting Kaizen Connect Professional Communities in their local markets and in co-sponsoring and hosting in-person community events once a sufficient number of members exist. To explore an implementation partnership with The Kaizen Company, e-mail us at: partners@thekaizencompany.com with a brief note about your organization and the country in which you would be interested in partnering.
