"The Toyota Way"

[TeryT]

I'm reading an interesting book called "The Toyota Way." It is perhaps the most comprehensive study done on Toyota by an outsider (American), and goes into the philosophy, history, management, and technology of Toyota.

I was wondering if anyone has read this book, and/or would be interested in discussing?

Basically, Toyota is the best run manufacturer in the world, and nearly everyone attempts to model them (usually with marginal success at best). They do everything I have been studying and promoting for years - and much more!

 

[ksneubec]

Who is the author and where did you get it?? Oh man, a whole new forum for T4R.org- The book of the month club!!! Who knew enough of us could read!!!

 

[TeryT]

My wife's niece has worked in supervision at the Kentucky parts warehouse for some time. The book was given to her by (I think) one of her managers, and she recommended it to me. The book is by a fellow named Dr. Jeffery Liker.

I'm a strong advocate of TQM & the learning organization, and Toyota is the best at this. They have taken the whole thing to a very high & applicable level, to the point that others have big trouble figuring out exactly what they're doing - it's just so foriegn to them. But that's often what happens when you have 2 differing cultures that have evolved a certain way independently.

While everyone wants to copy the more technical things, like the Toyota Production System (TPS), they don't get that's it's just part of a much larger culture & environment. Companies will often cookie-cutter some piece of TPS, and think they have it. They often do see some very good improvements in productivity, quality, etc. But then things tend to deteriorate because they don't have the rest of what it takes to support it.

For instance, Ford just had to dismantle it's latest attempt of "just in time" (JIT) inventory. They tried to cookie cutter some Toyota ideas, brought in some folks from outside to make it happen quickly (which is NOT the "Toyota way" at all), and the whole thing flopped. Turned out things were worse than before, and they struggled to go back to the previous system to regain some semblance of order.

As Deming was found of saying, American management/culture always seems to want "instant pudding".

 

[JRisner]

Yes Ive read it and use it everyday ....TPS is the foundation of everything we do at toyota.

 

[boston_kevin]

TQM is fantastic on paper, and if you can get real buy in from all parts of management and employees. The problem I have found implementing TQM in the real world is not all parties have a vested interest in the outcome. Hence the reason it does not work well in American auto manufacturing (no benefit whatsoever to the unions representing the assembly workers). Japanese auto manafacturers (namely toyota in this case) can implement TQM approach aggressively throughout the company because of the limited availability of general labor jobs and because managers are held directly responsible for quality in their area (failure to maintain quality is a disgrace and you will be retrained or replaced)

I am a software manager (have been for many years) and the approach works well even on a small scale, but in larger scale environments in the US you can never get full buy in.

 

[olliebear]

Retro chic management...

The Toyota Way? Sounds more like two decade ago when the entire US was enamored with management skills and

 

[TeryT]

Olliebear - Agree with a lot of what your said. However, Toyota uses the same JIT system inthe US, do they not? There certainly is the capability here to have 10 suppliers for each part, but they choose to limit that to a much closer circle.

Boston-kevin - While I agree to some extant, I don't beleive it will NEVER work here. Toyota seems to do pretty well with their operations in the USA. So much so that they're studied endlessly.

 

[JB.]

Re: Retro chic management...

The Toyota Way? Sounds more like two decade ago when the entire US was enamored with management skills...

...not is all well with Japanese management.

I'm tired of all these quicky replies. I want substance!!

 

[TeryT]

Sister thread on RV.net

Here's a link to the same basic thread over on the RV forum:

RVers discuss The Toyota Way

 

[TeryT]

I'm wondering how much the "Toyota Way" applies to its dealers? I wonder what kind of process they have to go thru to become a Toyota dealer? Doesn't seem that much different than any other dealership, IMHO!

 

[lexusnut]

I saw an interesting lisence plate LEXTASY on an LS430 convertable. Continuation of toyota's legacy:awais:

 

[RXvedub]

I saw an interesting lisence plate LEXTASY on an LS430 convertable. Continuation of toyota's legacy:awais:

Lextasy is a guy out here in Los Angeles who sells lexas parts. He sells the ricer stuff, and some jdm stuff. I have met him a few times, keeps asking me to turbo his Is300.

 

[TeryT]

FYI - This conversation is going quite well with some great posts over on the RV.net forum (see link I gave in msg. above). One fellow has spent significant time studying Toyota for his company. He relates some interesting & pretty funny tales about Japanese culture, etc. from when he visited Toyota City. His handle over their is "Wrace."

One thing this book doesn't go into much is discussion Toyota's rivals, Nissan & Honda. It mentions Nissan in passing as being the arch-rival. I haven't found any references to Honda at all!

 

[olliebear]

Read David Halberstam's

The Reckoning. A very good examination of the Japanese and US auto makers through the early years and how each rose and fell.