Day January 28, 2026

Blog

What Ford and the UAW Saw in Japan in 1981 — and Why Some Leaders Missed the Lesson

1981 newspaper headlines showing mixed reactions to Ford and UAW learning from Japanese auto plants

In 1981, Ford Motor Company and UAW leaders traveled to Japan to study Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda — and they came home with very different conclusions about what they had seen. Another in this series drawn from the Don Ephlin…

Mark Graban
January 28, 2026
1 Comment

Blog

When “AI Improvement” Adds Waste Instead of Value: A Hotel Valet Example

Automated valet request process contrasted with personal hotel valet service, highlighting added steps and waste.

TL;DR: When a so-called “AI improvement” adds steps, time, and friction while ignoring frontline and customer input, it is not innovation. It is waste, just wearing a modern label. I recently stayed at a hotel in the Marriott family, one…

Mark Graban
January 28, 2026
1 Comment