WSJ.com – Requires Subscription
As Toyota grows, they are struggling with finding/keeping enough people who truly understand TPS tools and the Toyota Way
I'll try to find a “free” version of this article but here are a few highlights (trust me, the WSJ subscription at $79 a year is worth it).
“Many quality gurus at those subsidiaries are well-versed in Toyota's methods. But one big risk to the auto maker is their level of expertise as younger and less-experienced engineers are entrusted with managing some day-to-day operations outside Japan.”
Below, this is an issue that any company with a very strong unique culture and operating system struggles with, including a company like Dell Computer (which isn't really a “Toyota Way” company even if some people call them “lean”).
“In another effort to deal with the lack of manufacturing resources in North America, Toyota is likely to locate a future plant close to an existing facility in what the company calls a “concept of satellite plants” to share the experience and expertise of an existing assembly plant.”
If you’re working to build a culture where people feel safe to speak up, solve problems, and improve every day, I’d be glad to help. Let’s talk about how to strengthen Psychological Safety and Continuous Improvement in your organization.
