4. The Toyota Way

“The bug is never just a mistake, it represents something bigger. An error of thinking.” (Mr. Robot, S01 E03, a TV series released by Universal Cable Productions, created by Sam Esmail, 2015).

http://​mashable.​com/​2014/​03/​19/​toyota-lied-aceleration-recall/​

http://​www.​justice.​gov/​opa/​pr/​justice-department-announces-criminal-charge-against-toyota-motor-corporation-and-deferred

http://​www.​theguardian.​com/​business/​2010/​feb/​24/​akio-toyoda-statement-to-congress

http://​www.​scdigest.​com/​assets/​On_​Target/​10-03-03-1.​php

http://​www.​scdigest.​com/​assets/​Newsviews/​04-08-12-1.​cfm?​cid=​470

For sometimes startling employee opinions please visit http://​www.​glassdoor.​com/​Reviews/​Toyota-Motor-Manufacturing-Kentucky-Reviews-E19267.​htm

http://​www.​popularmechanics​.​com/​cars/​a5514/​4350856/​

ibid.

“Employees are governed by fear, fear of failure, fear of disappointing their hierarchy, fear of broken careers, and fear of undeployment.” (Kobayashi 2009, 74 %).

Yamazaki et al. (2013).

Cf. with a book review of Liker’s Toyota Way published at amazon.com, quoted verbatim. “This book outlines many fine principles that Toyota Motor Corporation used to build this company. However, if Dr. Liker had devoted an extensive period of time in the Georgetown, KY facility, TMMK, where I’ve been a Team Member for 13 years, he would have gained a better perspective as to how the modern Toyota system operates, quite unlike the blueprint outlined by this company’s founders. Quality is not the same as it was 10 years ago and cost cutting is the flavor of the day. Our workforce consists of a large percentage of temporary non-Toyota employees, many who have been here online for over 4 years. We have not earned a J.D. Power award in a few years either. Mr. Convis, who authored the forward, is the President of TMMK and has recently been engaged in thwarting a union movement by nearly 40 % of the regular Team Members. In short, Dr. Liker’s failure to extensively study Toyota in action in todays environment failed to appreciate the notion that the 14 principles are ideal, but only if practiced. I welcome anyone at Toyota to prove me wrong. I will say this: When Mr. Cho opened this plant back in 1988, we were a much better run organisation and we earned many J.D. Power awards because the environment at that time was the application of many of these 14 Principles—not so today. I believe the author should rethink the way he writes his next book—this one isn’t accurate and the reader is being misled if he or she thinks that Toyota adheres to this philosophy.” http://​www.​amazon.​com/​review/​R1709PSRQ6IXKN

For a balanced view the read may consider Jeffrey Liker’s response: “I wrote Toyota Culture with Mike Hoseus who worked in the plant for years and we have detailed accounts of many fine team members who appreciate working in one of the best run plants in America that kept them employed even when they were not needed during the recession. We also point out there have been ups and downs in the plant, like any other, but the average is very high. They did develop team members and leaders to a great degree during the down time of the recession and there was plenty to learn as there always is and always will be. For many accounts by many team members who appreciate what they have seen: One Team on All Levels: Stories from Toyota Team Members, Second Edition.” (ibid.) In sum, there is room for improvement in Georgetown, even for its long past (est. in 1988) among similar hybrid plants. The system itself does does vouchsafe for anything unless backed up by proper leadership.