Toyota Process Identification and Improvement

In the book, The Toyota Way, Jeffery Liker provides an in-depth account of, not only the tools and methods of Toyota’s Production System, but also a broader explanation of the principles at work in the Toyota culture. This philosophy of manufacturing can be summarized through two important pillars: “Continuous Improvement” and “Respect for People.” These pillars help define Toyota’s approach to doing business, were the focus is on continuous learning and embracing change. By incorporating this ideology and its 14 principles into its manufacturing operations, Toyota has become the greatest manufacturer in the world. In this essay, I will provide a synopsis of Toyota’s 14 principles and also offer my own account of lean manufacturing at CNH Industrial.

The lean thinking has been established in a well manner in the competitive world. The countless business industries have proved their effective growth in terms of brand recognition and in terms of the good profit amount with the effective application of the lean production system in their operational activities. Toyota has added their name in the application of the lean thinking in their production process first in the global competitive market. The book “the Gold mine” written by Freedy and Michael Balle is a definite attempt to highlight the challenges that the leaders are facing in the perfect transformation of the lean thinking in their operational activities. This essay has discusses the direct connection between the content the

According to Toyota Way 2001 (n.d.), “The Toyota Way is supported by two main pillars: ‘Continuous Improvement’ and ‘Respect for People.’” The unit is continually making improvements to our process by “putting forward new ideas and working to the best of our abilities” (Toyota Way 2001, n.d.). Also by respecting the organization and our leadership’s decisions each individual’s effort affects the unit’s success.

This Process Identification and Improvement Plan will begin with a summary of the Toyota Motor Corporation and core commitment to safety, quality and volume. It will also refer to the case study review titled “Toyota: The Accelerator Crisis (2010), by Greto, Schotter, and Teagarden for a synopsis of the accelerator and automobile recall crisis that affected the company’s reputation, image and near financial collapse. It also identifies two distinct process areas have been targeted for

Toyota Motor Manufacturing, U.S.A. (TMM) is deviating from the standard assembly line principle of jidoka in an attempt to avoid expenses incurred from stopping the production line for seat quality defects. This deviation has contributed to the inability to identify the root cause of the problem, which has led to decreased run ratios on the line and an excess of defective automobiles in the overflow lot for multiple days. If this problem isn’t fixed quickly, an increased amount of waste will continue to be incurred and customer value will be threatened.

In the 1950s Toyota came up with the idea of lean thinking which is a set of functioning ideas and techniques that helps generate the greatest importance for individuals by decreasing waste and delays” (Feeney, 2015). The purpose of this systematic approach was to change the establishments thought process and value, which would eventually lead to the conversion of the

Yet, the public perceptions may be at odds with the objective measures. In Toyota’s case, there have been indications that the quality level of the company’s products had fallen off in a span of few years. There are changes that have taken place during a period when most of the company’s close competitors, such as Fords, were producing more cost-effective and efficient automobiles. In addition, the company’s unique production approach and the emphasis on continuous improvement and learning coupled with a matrix structure are key reasons for the company’s leadership in the cat manufacturing industry. Toyota’s Production Systems (TPS) was founded in the principles of “Just-in-time. This approach has less opportunity for slack resources and focuses of the benefits of efficiency on the part of employees and reduction on waste resources (Griffin and Gregory, 5). Further, Toyota Company enacts its production system with the assistance of its human resources strategies, culture, and organizational structure. Toyota’s Production System emphasizes on learning and modesty when it comes to assessing past success and differentiated them from

2.2. In what ways can the Toyota Production system be seen as rare and difficult to imitate?

Toyota is making only "what is needed, when it is needed, and in the amount needed. Toyota is using impute from workers and their culture encourages employees to learn from their mistakes and successes and failures of each other.

According to theoretical measures in Toyota, there is no inventory since they applies Just-in-Time philosophy. However in practice this may not be possible. Therefore, they have very very small inventory due to lead times. Most of the inventory is pipeline inventory. In TMMT Part Supply Management department is divided to three different groups to manage inventories according to supplier locations. These are local, Europe and Japan. All have different lead times and different inventory policies. These are related with supply of mass production parts. And TMMT also has chemical material inventory.

Lean manufacturing originated long before Toyota and Ford, however the thought that it originated with Toyota is flattering since they are the ones who perfected it. By creating the Toyota Production System (TPS), Toyota found a better way to produce large quantities of product efficiently with eliminating the waste factor and while cutting down cost. Taiichi Ohno a former Toyota vice president promoted the idea of JIT (Just-in-Time) which means “producing the necessary units in the necessary quantities at the necessary time.” (Monden) Which leads to Toyota’s ultimate goal in the TPS is to improve productivity for better return in investment. To have continuous flow in a production system Toyota sought out to achieve the concept of JIT and autonomation . Since the TPS is what creates the parts who monitors the JIT system? The kanban system which is an informational system that controls quantities being produce in each process. As the discussion carries on throughout this paper about Toyota and their use of the kanban system the topic

One of Toyota’s issues was their lack of organizational culture, perceived or real. Thus, organizational culture is the shared values that are accepted by members of the organization (Bethel, 2016). Unfortunately, Toyota’s corporate culture was one of total secrecy, which left many feeling there was something amiss. Further, “corporate arrogance, complacency, and company insular nature” were evident (Parnell, 2014, p. 603). Additionally, newly appointed CEO Akio Toyoda was invisible, which created contention amongst others in leadership. There seemed to be a belief that family members were focused on safety, while non-family members were focused on profits (Parnell, 2014).

Toyota is one the most storied companies in the world today, an aspect that has led to it drawing the attention of researchers, journalists and executives who are seeking to benchmark its production system that is extremely famous across the world. This is influenced by the company’s ability to outperform its competitors in terms of cost reduction, reliability, quality and market capitalization. This was exhibited by the company’s ability to replace Daimler Chyrsler as the third largest car company in North America in 2005 in terms of both sales and production.

Jacobs has adopted the “Toyota” way of life when they implemented their quality management system and has achieved quality in its processes through decades of continuous improvement. Jacobs strives for

Toyota is also the birth of kaizen. Toyota company tries to persistently enhance their standard procedures and strategies keeping in mind the end goal to guarantee most extreme quality, enhance effectiveness and dispose of waste. This is known as kaizen and is connected to each part of the organization's activities. Kaizen is the heart of the Toyota Production System. Like all large scale manufacturing frameworks, the Toyota process requires that all tasks, both human and mechanical, be decisively characterized and institutionalized to guarantee most extreme quality, dispose of waste and enhance effectiveness. Toyota Members have an obligation not just to take after nearly these institutionalized work rules additionally to look for their constant change. The everyday changes that Members and their Team Leaders make to their working practices and gear are known as kaizen. The term likewise has a more extensive meaning: it implies a constant making progress toward change in each circle of the Company's exercises - from the most essential assembling procedure to serving the client and the overall