Comments on: GM’s Success in Copying Toyota’s Shopfloor System? http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/gms-success-in-copying-toyotas/ Mark Graban's leanblog.org - Lean Healthcare, Lean Thinking, Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Production System Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:59:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: mike http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/gms-success-in-copying-toyotas/#comment-6684 mike Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:08:41 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/gms-success-in-copying-toyotas-shopfloor-system/#comment-6684 Copying toyota for GM means giving one worker so much work that that they mess up the product, and then they ad someone else to just get the job done as cheaply as possible. It's not quality related..just like their cars are an example of getting the job done as cheaply as possible. Just nice enough to keep the majority of owners from complaining. I had never bought foreign products until i got a job working for GM and saw what "Lean Manufacturing" did to them. Now it's just German vehicles in my garage. Copying toyota for GM means giving one worker so much work that that they mess up the product, and then they ad someone else to just get the job done as cheaply as possible. It’s not quality related..just like their cars are an example of getting the job done as cheaply as possible. Just nice enough to keep the majority of owners from complaining. I had never bought foreign products until i got a job working for GM and saw what “Lean Manufacturing” did to them. Now it’s just German vehicles in my garage.

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]]> By: Rob http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/gms-success-in-copying-toyotas/#comment-4334 Rob Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:34:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/gms-success-in-copying-toyotas-shopfloor-system/#comment-4334 I think Ford stopped being customer focused a long time ago.<br/><br/>Adapting to change, i.e.—refining a corporate culture and aligning it with today’s economic imperatives—is one of the toughest jobs that a company will ever undertake. Yet it could possibly be the difference between weathering the downturn—or not; or between surviving and thriving.<br/><br/>Most companies have difficulties dealing with change because a company’s culture forms over a period of many years. Typically, the culture is defined by the dominant functions. It is then reinforced as new people are hired, in part, because they fit the prevailing culture.<br/><br/>Over time everyone gets comfortable and resists change.<br/><br/>Within the automotive industry, finance and manufacturing long ago became the dominant functions, which drove the company culture and and ultimately dictated the products that the company made. How else do you explain the Pontiac Aztec?<br/><br/>While the Big Threes quality is now approaching Toyotas, the cars they design and build are not based on what we want. They were designed and built based on what the company wants to build.<br/><br/>Remember: The dealers are not end point in the value stream. I think Ford stopped being customer focused a long time ago.

Adapting to change, i.e.—refining a corporate culture and aligning it with today’s economic imperatives—is one of the toughest jobs that a company will ever undertake. Yet it could possibly be the difference between weathering the downturn—or not; or between surviving and thriving.

Most companies have difficulties dealing with change because a company’s culture forms over a period of many years. Typically, the culture is defined by the dominant functions. It is then reinforced as new people are hired, in part, because they fit the prevailing culture.

Over time everyone gets comfortable and resists change.

Within the automotive industry, finance and manufacturing long ago became the dominant functions, which drove the company culture and and ultimately dictated the products that the company made. How else do you explain the Pontiac Aztec?

While the Big Threes quality is now approaching Toyotas, the cars they design and build are not based on what we want. They were designed and built based on what the company wants to build.

Remember: The dealers are not end point in the value stream.

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]]> By: Mark Graban http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/gms-success-in-copying-toyotas/#comment-4333 Mark Graban Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:03:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/gms-success-in-copying-toyotas-shopfloor-system/#comment-4333 This comment was sent to me by the retired UAW worker I interviewed <a HREF="http://www.leanblog.org/2008/04/leanblog-podcast-40-uaw-retiree-on-lean.html" REL="nofollow">in an earlier Podcast</a>.<br/><br/>He wrote:<br/><br/>Well as far as small teams go I am sure they do have them are they empowered????? I would have to hear it form the workers before I belived it. My guess it is just on paper. As far as fixing issues as they occur there again I would have to see proof. I would want to see computer print out of down time issues. My guess it is very limited and limited to serious quality issues. My guess is that they are still not addressing the Little ones that always add up to BIG ones.<br/>I would be real interested in seeing the OWI'S and the born date and revision dates on them!!!<br/>Lets take a tour thru any plant with a stop watch and we will know by the end of the visit. (The stop watch will more then likely not be needed). This comment was sent to me by the retired UAW worker I interviewed in an earlier Podcast.

He wrote:

Well as far as small teams go I am sure they do have them are they empowered????? I would have to hear it form the workers before I belived it. My guess it is just on paper. As far as fixing issues as they occur there again I would have to see proof. I would want to see computer print out of down time issues. My guess it is very limited and limited to serious quality issues. My guess is that they are still not addressing the Little ones that always add up to BIG ones.
I would be real interested in seeing the OWI’S and the born date and revision dates on them!!!
Lets take a tour thru any plant with a stop watch and we will know by the end of the visit. (The stop watch will more then likely not be needed).

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