Since hoshin kanri first appeared in the late 1960s, it has become a management system for companies to establish annual policy, pass it down through their organizations and implement it across all departments and functions.¹ Hoshin Kanri can be translated as shiny needle or compass; it sets the direction for long-term prosperity. Hoshin kanri is different than what most people think as strategic planning. It goes far beyond the typical strategic planning process and implementation.