- They are similar. Both have keystones of continuous improvement, usually in goods and services.

However, TQM is generally applied at the philosophical and company culture level , while Kaizen principles are more frequently cited at the "ground floor" level. There are very specific "Kaizen" tools aimed at improvement, such as the Shewhart cycle and the infamous "Kaizen blitz". It often has very specific goals and targets associated with it. TQM, on the other hand, is usually used to mold general HR practices and company policies. It is more "human" focused, targeting human wisdom as the source of improvement and superior company culture. But to be honest, to the average plant manager, Kaizen has simply displaced "TQM" as the latest buzzword on a concept of continuous improvement that has been around since post-WWII. Except for the true experts, the only difference between a person who quotes "TQM" and a person who quotes "Kaizen" is that the second person learned more recent buzzwords on the subject