MBA 571

BEFORE BEGINNING WORK ON THIS ASSIGNMENT:

Read the Toyota Case Study

STUDY HINT:
This is a very famous case, and most Lean practitioners say that the problems in this case
occurred because the company was not staying true to all the tenets of Lean. The American
workers are not comfortable using the Toyota method for solving problems? Why not?

A big part of America’s manufacturing strength today comes from the fact that companies have
found a way to adapt Toyota’s ideas to American culture. I believe we will see this same
adaptation in the next 20 years in Chinese companies, but it will be very difficult. We are still
searching for the best way to use Toyota’s methods for problem-solving in a way that has
“Chinese characteristics”. Examine this case study to see that same challenge as it happened
in America in 1992.

Homework Assignment #1:

Please write a response to the case. In your response, address this question:
What mistakes have been made, and how do you suggest the firm should respond to the
problems in the case?