Toyota

Toyota: differentiation and vitality

FeaturesJun 14, 2022

FEATURE – Toyota recently achieved the #1 spot in sales in the United States after 90 years of leadership by GM, which shows how capable the lean management philosophy is to overcome difficult circumstances in the market.

Post-pandemic hansei

FeaturesJun 10, 2022

Jim Womack

FEATURE – Back on the road after two years, the author reflects on how lean organizations have performed during the pandemic and addresses age-old misunderstandings about Just-in-Time.

8 key lessons from Toyota

FeaturesMay 10, 2022

Roberto Priolo

ROUND-UP – Our editor looks back at the most insightful articles Planet Lean has published on the most talked-about company in the lean world. Here are eight key lessons from Toyota, straight from our archives.

A chat with Furuta-san

InterviewsOct 28, 2021

Kiyoshi "Nate" Furuta

INTERVIEW – PL meets the author of the recently published book Welcome Problems, Find Success, who discusses bringing lean to different cultures and changing managerial behaviors.

Reflecting on Nate Furuta’s legacy

InterviewsOct 7, 2021

Mark Reich

INTERVIEW – Looking back at the time he spent at Toyota, Mark Reich reflects on his experience working with Nate Furuta and on his legacy exporting Toyota cultures around the world.

What my Toyota mentors taught me about problem-finding

FeaturesSep 20, 2021

Kiyoshi "Nate" Furuta

FEATURE – Introducing his book, the author tells us what his Toyota mentors taught him with their contrasting, but ultimately complimentary approaches to problem finding.

Don’t try to copy Toyota, understand it instead

FeaturesSep 13, 2021

Kiyoshi "Nate" Furuta

FEATURE – Based on his direct decades-long experience at Toyota, the author explains what it takes to establish problem-finding and a kaizen culture in new environments.

Creating Toyota cultures around the world

FeaturesSep 6, 2021

John Shook

FEATURE – The Lean Global Network just published a new book by Kiyoshi “Nate” Furuta sharing compelling examples of how Toyota principles and culture can be effectively spread to new environments.

Bringing Dantotsu quality improvement to parts makers

FeaturesAug 12, 2021

Toshiko Narusawa

FEATURE – Improving supplier quality and reduce defects was an important part of Toyota Industries Corporation’s (TICO) Dantotsu activities since the very beginning. In this article, the author visits two parts suppliers.

A chat with Nomura-san

InterviewsJul 22, 2021

Toshiko Narusawa

INTERVIEW – Following his 10 years at Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) teaching his Dantotsu method for radical quality improvement, Sadao Nomura spoke to Japanese magazine Kojo Kanri (Factory Management).

Superior quality to beat the competition

FeaturesJul 15, 2021

Toshiko Narusawa

FEATURE – Today we repurpose a great article published in 2016 on Japanese industry magazine Kojo Kanri that focuses on radical quality improvement at Toyota Industries Corporation.

How Dantotsu helped us to radically improve our quality

InterviewsJul 8, 2021

Stefano Cortiglioni

INTERVIEW – The former executive of the Toyota Material Handling plant in Italy reflects on how Sadao Nomura’s “Dantotsu” method helped them to drastically improve quality.

Two giants, two communities, one lasting thing

FeaturesFeb 1, 2021

John Shook

FEATURE – John Shook remembers the work of Ezra Vogel and Norman Bodek and discusses how, in their own way, each of their contributions help us to understand the Toyota Production System.

Six Toyota practices for leading with respect

FeaturesNov 12, 2020

Robson Gouveia and Tamiris Masetto Manzano

FEATURE – The authors share the main insights from a webinar with two Toyota leaders from South America, on the leadership practices that have allowed the company to sustain results for decades.

A lean view on… the fight against climate change

InterviewsOct 15, 2020

Michael Ballé

INTERVIEW – What is the contribution of Lean Thinking to the battle against climate change? Michael Ballé discusses the Toyota approach to sustainability and what it takes to push "green" to the top of the business agenda.

Passing down TPS across generations

FeaturesJun 29, 2020

Joe Lee, Toshiko Narusawa and John Shook

FEATURE – This intimate account looks back at the time one of the authors spent working with Harada-san and how it shaped his career and encouraged him to spread TPS knowledge.

Keep calm and manage stably: Akio Toyoda on crises

FeaturesMay 21, 2020

Jeff Liker and John Shook

FEATURE – Akio Toyoda’s May 12th press conference to present Toyota’s financial results offers great insights into how the company is reacting to the pandemic, say Jeff Liker and John Shook.

Harada-san and the steps to better Jidoka

FeaturesMar 23, 2020

Toshiko Narusawa, Joe Lee and John Shook

FEATURE – In the first piece of a series on Takehiko Harada’s contribution to TPS, the authors discuss the Nagara Switch and how it helps to achieve better Jidoka.

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Toyota

Toyota: differentiation and vitality

Post-pandemic hansei

8 key lessons from Toyota

A chat with Furuta-san

Reflecting on Nate Furuta’s legacy

What my Toyota mentors taught me about problem-finding

Don’t try to copy Toyota, understand it instead

Creating Toyota cultures around the world

Bringing Dantotsu quality improvement to parts makers

A chat with Nomura-san

Superior quality to beat the competition

How Dantotsu helped us to radically improve our quality

Two giants, two communities, one lasting thing

Six Toyota practices for leading with respect

Passing down TPS across generations

Keep calm and manage stably: Akio Toyoda on crises

Harada-san and the steps to better Jidoka