The Toyota Way - 14 Management Principles from the World’s Greatest Manufacturer - by Jeffrey K. Liker - Introduction

• Introduction
• PART I: USING OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AS A STRATEGIC WEAPON
• PART II: FOURTEEN PRINCIPLES—THE CULTURE BEHIND TPS
• PART III: APPLYING TPS AND THE TOYOTA WAY
• Remarks
• Reading Suggestions
• CONTENTS
• About the Author

Introduction

When Gary Convis, managing officer and president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Kentucky, joined Toyota after working in the U.S. auto industry for 18 years, he witnessed how one of the worst workforces in General Motors was transformed into one of the best in any U.S. manufacturing facility. This transformation, which occurred at NUMMI (the Toyota/GM joint venture plant in Fremont, California), was a direct result of the “Toyota Way,” the fundamental method by which Toyota does business. This approach, when coupled with the Toyota Production System—the basis for much of the worldwide “lean production” movement—makes up Toyota’s “DNA.”

The Toyota Way describes the 14 principles that form the foundation of this uniquely successful management style. Using profiles of a diverse group of organizations, from a variety of industries, it demonstrates how this model of success can be applied in any organization, to improve the quality, efficiency, and speed of any business process, including sales, product development, marketing, logistics, and management. This blueprint of Toyota’s management philosophy offers managers in blue-collar, white-collar, manufacturing, or service environments specific tools and methods for becoming the best in their industries on cost, quality, and service.