4 comments about The Machine That Changed the World: The Story of Lean Production-- Toyota's Secret Weapon in the Global Car Wars That Is Now Revolutionizing World Industry.

1. The Machine That Changed the World and the subsequent articles that Mr. Womack has written for the Wall Street Journal almost make him look like a shill for Toyota. This book either omits or minimizes the importance of developments that lead Toyota to the Toyota Production System. I expected a more independent and intellectually honest viewpoint because Mr. Womack passes himself off as a top academic.



2. Just an excellent research effort -- one of best I've read -- I'd compare with Jim Collins Good/Great and Built to Last work. I'd recommend...



3. I have read a lot of the so called quality books, and have a master's degree in the field, and I have found few books that had this kind of relevance to how things are produced and why they work or don't work. More importantly, this is one of the few 'academic studies' (I recall this one came out of MIT) that is actually clearly written and straightforward.
   
   Yes, Toyota is much of the focus in this book and it can sometimes seem to border on the PR level, but that doesn't take away from the information in this book. Having had access to most of the auto manufacturers when this study was done, and seeing the nuts and bolts, it is what people do wrong at other places that is as important as what Toyota had been doing right (a trend, I might add, that in recent years has dimmed, Toyota has had embarassing quality faults recently). The book does mention that what Toyota "pioneered" was not entirely homegrown, many of the techniques existed, but Toyota was unique in the auto world in the number of things they chose to adopt (as a counterpoint, when the 70's hit and the US auto makers started having real competition, they hired Dr. Edwards Demming as a consultant, he told them many of the things that this book points out and they basically paid the check, used it for PR about how they were serious, and ignored him).
   
   And these are not new issues and continue to plague companies, fallacies like:
   
   1)"It is the fault of the labor force"..while the UAW has not exactly been cutting edge, what this book points out is something known in quality circles for years, that most of the problems are using your labor force badly, not listening to them, and just plain bad management.
   
   2)"The secret is robotics"..GM under good ole Roger Smith spent umpteen billions of dollars on robots, and their cars were still crap (and even better, when GM and Toyota did a joint factory in California in around 1980, they discovered that the most hi tech thing in the plant was a secretary's typewriter)
   
   3)"Cheap Labor"....nuff said about that
   
   4)"We could build as good a car as them (meaning Toyota, Nissan, etc) if we built only a few models". Problem? Toyota had more product lines then any of the big 3 at the time.
   
   5)"We have team labor".....on the surface, yes, but when looked at you find the same old hierarchical management and decisions made by beancounters.
   
   There are a lot of lessons to be learned in this book, and some surprises (anyone wanna know why Benz bought Chrysler? Benz production capability is one of the lousiest in the world as written about in this book, and I hear it isn't much better today).
   
   One of the things that this book teaches is that a lot of the cost of vehicles is based in bad design, poor management and in an attitude that problems, no matter how small, can be overlooked. People are asking how developed countries can compete with third world labor, this tells how.



4. Lean production (now frequently called Lean manufacturing) has melded into several industries here in the United States, but back when this book was written, it was just catching on. I read the book in 2000. Many of the concepts are still worthwhile in this book, both for the historical significance as well as the lean ideas presented.
   
   The Machine that Changed the World is a fascinating book that teaches what the Japanese learned and how to apply their ideas to the US auto market. Competition is always tough, but these tools provides a competitive advantage to those companies who embrace them and make them part of doing business. Not all ideas are applicable to every application, but there are plenty of diamonds to be farmed here.
   
   Well trained employees, a commitment to excellence by everyone (from the janitor to the CEO), teamwork, flexibility of skill sets, and learning lessons from successes and failures are all important elements of lean manufacturing. Setting up manufacturing lines efficiently, working closely with suppliers, line smoothing, encouraging innovative and cost saving suggestions and much more are also critical lean concepts.
   
   Lean manufacturing doesn't happen overnight and a company and its employees must be diligent in their efforts to put high quality products at reasonable prices out the door.
   
   The Machine that Changed the World is highly rated by many people and should be. It has timeless ideas to produce higher quality products and recommends never being completely satisfied. Well written and researched, this is a top notch book!
   
   The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

5 comments about Toyota Talent.

1. 
   Liker and Meier did it again and wrote again an excellent book. This time it's the first in a new series about Toyota. I cannot wait for the next ones to be released.
   
   Toyota Talent's main content is the training methods used by Toyota which originates from the Training Within Industry, Job Instruction module. Training within Industry was a US program to help the war effort. After the war, they send the trainers to Japan to help the Japanese industry. The TWI material made it in Toyota and they improved it and started using it.
   
   I was aware of the TWI JI module before reading this book. I always found it interesting, however, my main job has always been in product development. So, before reading this book, I was quite biased that "it will not work for product development".
   
   Liker and Meier gradually tackled my bias. In chapter 5 they introduce the excellent task variety table. This makes a distinction between the different type of tasks, from routine to nonroutine. Then they continue describing that every job consists of all the different types of tasks. More mechanical jobs contain more routine tasks, more engineering will contain more craft tasks. I slowly move over my prejudice and start to see that even my own job has a whole bunch of routine tasks. Doing this in the beginning of the book made me more open towards reading the rest.
   
   After this Meier and Liker go into very much detail on how to standardize work, break it down and how to train it to other people. The descriptions are incredibly detailed, concrete and clear.
   
   In the end, it shortly talks about the talent development approach to nonroutine work, but unfortunately this was only 3 or 4 pages. The books could have included more on that subject also still.
   
   Anyways, I learned a lot. I don't know yet how to apply this knowledge in real life, but I'm sure, somehow I will and this book will be very beneficial. Great work.



2. This book started off as a pretty boring book running on and on. It must have stated one point 3 different ways before it went to the next point. After about the 1st hundred pages it finally stopped doing that and became an enjoyable Toyota Way book that will surely help my company in our future implementation plan. I think one of the negatives is that the author made reference that this is not a DIY project (meaning that companies with no lean experts could handle this is absolute BS). I think the use of skilled trainers and some insights in using the TWI material was great. I wouldn't recommend this book, but it wasn't a total waste of a reading like Lean Thinking was.



3. Liker and Meier did a good job to explain the TWI and Standard Work in different types of industry. This book also provides many detailed examples with implementation instructions for developing talented people within organizations. As a lean practitioner, this book becomes very handy when I work with cross-functional teams. This is a must read book to all decision makers who work with people!!!



4. I have to say the book I received is pretty much what I expected. The book is new, in great conditons with a nice hardcover.
   I am pretty satisfied with my aqquisition.



5. Information on the Toyota Production System has been widely available for over 30 years - yet, no other company has been able to completely duplicate its success. The missing piece, according to the authors, is Toyota's people. Toyota believes that this is its true sustainable competitive advantage.
   
   A key point is made early in the book - managers want to manage; however, they must also be teachers. Another key point is Toyota's success lies not in simply picking the best people - it took one of GM's worst performing plants (NUMMI) and made it successful while retaining 80% of its original work force. (My recollection is that all were offered jobs - some, however, declined.)
   
   The vast bulk of "Toyota Talent" is taken up with breaking down various H.R. functions to not only provide readers with an understanding, but lead them into implementation as well.

5 comments about The Toyota Product Development System: Integrating People, Process And Technology.

1. Very interesting topics covered. Strongly recommended for engineers in the automotive industry.



2. This is the third book I've read about Toyota and by far the best one. I'm an engineering manager and found dozens of simple, new ideas in this book. This is a very thorough & practical guide to the inside workings of Toyota's PD system. There are many examples and sufficient details that you can easily understand them and also try to implement them in your own organization.



3. Although this book is very popular today, the authors offer no new approaches to new product development. Companies should strive to leapfrog Toyota. Similarly to Demmings' focus on quality, every aspect of Toyota's NPD process was first developed in the USA, which still ranks as the World's leading innovation source.



4. This book is based on lean product development in the automotive world and has some shortcomings when it comes to applying what Toyota does to other industries. However, with Toyota's success lately their are few arguments against not studying how Toyota approaches product development and applying it to our specific industries. I think the hardest thing for most American companies will be having the long-term discipline to implement what Toyota has done.



5. I bought this book as a part of my classroom text material. It's an interesting book that talks about how Toyota uses its system to achieve lean manufacturing by integrating people, process and technology. This is coupled with the lean design guide book for our text. It is informative.

5 comments about Lean Production Simplified.

1. "Lean Production Simplified" is essential reading for anyone new to lean. With a wonderfully clear writing style Pascal Dennis gives an overview of the structure and tools of lean including an excellent short history. Dennis clearly explains the concepts and philosophy of lean - though this is not a "how-to" book and does not give detailed methods for the tools. The book is an excellent introduction to lean. For example, I found its 20 pages on Hoshin planning explained the process better than any other work I've read.
   
   You can tell when an author really understands the lean process - they emphasise the importance of behavioural and cultural aspects of lean and recognise that these are at least as important as the tools. Dennis's chapters on involvement and lean culture are excellent. He clearly lives the lean philosophy. "Lean Production Simplified" is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand lean.



2. This book explains lean manufacturing in the TPS (Toyota Production System) method. The sentences tend to be short and choppy, but if you have a basic understanding of lean this book can enrich knowledge and provide specific examples.



3. Lean Production Simplified provides a great practical guide to the implementation of lean principles. The author gives enough history and background of lean production to put the concepts into context. He then covers all the basic concepts with a unified approach. We are using this book to orient several new team members to the concepts as we implement important lean projects.



4. I thought this book did a good job in giving you an overview of the lean tools. It is a good reference point if you would like to further study lean activities.



5. I've read many of the more popular lean books (see our other reviews), and have been doing lean full-time since 2000. In my view this book has the best, most complete field of view of them all, touching on several concepts that get no attention in any other lean overview text. It should be noted that as far a depth goes however, the name says it all... Lean Production Simplified.
   
   Pro:
   -Shingo prize winner
   -Brief yet complete coverage of lean topics
   -Coverage of several topics not found elsewhere, including the much ignored hoshin kanri
   -Decent chapter summaries, ample examples and figures
   
   Con:
   -I guess about the worst you can say is there's too many misspellings for a 2nd edition.
   -Perhaps too many sentences that start with, "At Toyota" which create some repetitive reading.
   
   Bottom line: Highly recommended for exposure to the basics.

5 comments about Understanding A3 Thinking: A Critical Component of Toyota's PDCA Management System.

1. It is very expensive book.
   Only 165 pages. Not 184.
   Got mine from Barnes and Noble, but arrived damaged. Amazon is much better than BN, but I wanted to save few dollars with BN, I'm now paying hte price.



2. I am trying to get it from amazon since two months ago.
   It has not been in stock since the very begining.



3. Having begun a career as a engineer in the early 80's, everything I heard Deming talking about the PDCA Cycle made sense, but it was often hard to move it into action. Back then it was much harder (for many reasons) to find good reference resources (and leaders) with the focus and depth of knowledge about deployment that is presented in this book. This is a nice fast read that helps you think through the thinking process, provides the basic framework and guides you through examples.



4. I finally got my copy of this book in the mail last week. I guess it is sold out and hard to obtain at any site. I'm glad to finally have mine. Given some of the comments above I'm guessing there was either a delay at the publishers or they simply did not anticipate all the demand. I did finally get mine however...
   
   Regardless I am please to note that this book is an excellent summary of A3 Thinking. I've had some exposure to the topic in the past and always been left wanting more. This finally gets at a lot of questions I had about the concept. If you have ever wanted to learn what an A3 report is and more importantly the thought process behind one then this is the best place to start that I know of. The print is a little small and the text is 164 pages I think the 184 page figure comes from including the other pages in the foreword, acknowledgements, and introduction sections etc. However there is no shortage of good information inside. I zipped through it over the weekend and got some great insights right away.
   
   The contents of the book include the following eight chapters. Each is roughly about 20 pages in length.
   
   1. A Basis for Managerial Effectiveness
   2. A3 Thinking - the Seven Elements
   3. The Problem Solving A3 Report
   4. The Proposal A3 Report
   5. The Status A3 Report
   6. Notes on Form and Style
   7. Supporting Structures
   8. Conclusion
   
   I thought the second chapter on the seven elements A3 Thinking was particularly insightful and appreciated the advice on the different types of examples as well. The book is both a good "what is" summary of the topic and contains some very practical advice about "how to" write different types. Equally importantly for me at least it included some insight on how to critique A3's as well. I give the work five stars as it fills a void in the lean literature in a very readable manner.



5. Practical and informative, this will prepare you to implement structure and visibility of your process improvement transformation

5 comments about Toyota Culture: The Heart and Soul of the Toyota Way.

1. Lean is not sustainable without the culture to support it. This culture is a complex amalgam of leadership values, open communication, training and development, and measures to build trust. People are the key and, indeed, the early name for the Toyota Production System was the "Respect for Humanity" system. "Toyota Culture" describes how a supportive and continuously improving culture has been developed at Toyota's American plants. The book goes into considerable detail of the "People Value Stream" at Toyota and how it is sustained and developed. It is a long book packed with insights and case studies, but there are no quick fixes here - no "do this and you'll be sorted in a year" magic pills. It's a slow process of building trust and working together. That's what lean is all about and this book is essential reading for any manager aiming to build a continuously improving lean organisation for the long term. It is true that there are no quick fixes but surely the results, and the joy of working in such an organisation, make the effort worthwhile.



2. While more 'quality' orientated this book should be read by every safety manager too as it has application outside the production line.



3. Jeff Liker has done an absolutely wonderful job of explaining the Toyota way and the cultural aspects. I worked at Nummi early on as the Program Manager for the 1989 Prism and Corolla. I could see and feel the Toyota Way but myself and my peers could not articulate it as well as Jeff has.
   
   This is a very good book for understanding. It gives you the vision and what your organization could be. Toyota has an advantage over most compnaies because their new places do not have a legacy culture that needs to change. That is a much bigger challenge than Toyota has. You need the vision and understanding of "Why they do it" and it can fule your improvement. Hat's off to Jeff and mike.
   
   John Casey



4. Toyota Culture is the 5th book in "the Liker Toyota series". After Toyota Way, Toyota Way Fieldbook, Toyota Product Development and Toyota Talent, you would expect that there is less news to write about Toyota. Well, not true. Toyota Talent is the thickest book in the series with it's almost 600 pages of Toyota info.
   
   Toyota Culture mainly covers HR practices and related policies. It describes this as "the people value stream". How does Toyota hire and train people (the detailed training processes are described in Toyota Talent). How do they grow inside the company. How does Toyota work with the local communities.
   
   The book is separated in five parts:
   - What is Toyota Culture?
   - The Quality People Value Stream
   - People Supporting Process
   - Organizational Supporting Processes
   - Learning from Toyota
   
   The first part is some-of an introduction. It explores what "company culture" means by referring to the work of Ed Schein. Then it introduces "the people value-stream" which the rest of the book is organized around. Part 2 is about the value stream itself while part 3 and 4 are the supporting processes of the people value stream.
   
   Part 2 talks about how Toyota does hiring and how they grow the people within the company. It starts with the hiring and from there onto the training part (which had some duplication with Toyota Talent) and then moved into problem solving, one of the essential parts of the Toyota culture. It ends with how Toyota builds its image and works with the local communities to improve the life of its employees.
   
   The third part starts by looking at the Toyota organizational structure, work teams and the team leader role. From there it moves to safe workplaces and how the standard problem solving is also applied to workplace safety problems. The last 2 chapters are about visual management and servant leadership. How management acts as servants and teachers to the workers, enabling the value-added work.
   
   The fourth part looks at organizational supporting processes and especially HR processes. Toyota still want people to have a job for life, even though this is not common outside Japan. It talks about how Toyota deals with ups and downs in resourcing and moves to HR policies and rewarding policies (an very interesting chapter!). Chapter 15 is a short introduction to Hoshin Kanri.
   
   The last part is about learning from Toyota, the "what can you do" part which many books end with. The first two chapters describes a couple of Toyota Way implementations within Toyota itself, to try to learn from that. The last chapter (probably the best) looks at lean implementations and wonders why they fail. It tries to find general change recommendations to try to learn from Toyota while creating your own company culture.
   
   Parts of the book were extremely good and, at other times, parts of the book were somewhat long and boring. I'd give it 4.5 stars if I had that possibility and decided to go to 5 stars since I felt the last chapter was really very good.
   
   A couple of things that I didn't like. Most of the book talks about Toyota in the US and seldom talks about the Toyota culture in Japan. It's obvious the authors are most familiar with the Toyota US situation. Also, most of the book still has a manufacturing focus. There is very little about other functions (e.g. product development) within the book itself. The culture in the different functions is probably similar, but will also have differences. Things like organizational structures and teamwork will be different in the different functions and thats not covered.
   
   All in all, another great Toyota book. Highly recommended for people who are interested in how Toyota works and why. I wouldn't recommend it as your first Toyota book, I'd probably then start with the Toyota Way book and move to this one after that.



5. This is again a Jeffrey Liker book (although probably mostly written by Michael Hoseus). And that means that you can learn, but also that you will suffer. Because you have to understand the 'living' meaning behind the words. And that is not gooing to be easy ...
   Learning items are for example:
   - what is lean culture and what is the impact on business
   - how to hire/select/train people and what to train
   - people and organisation as work teams, team leader. But also visual management and the role of management
   - HR processes including Hoshin Kanri
   and so on.
   
   This book again cannot bring you anything unless
   - you have read The Toyota Way, The Toyota Way Fieldbook, Learning to see, Kaizen (Imai) and ...
   - and most important, you have to be active in finding your own lean path in your organisation for at least a couple of years.
   
   If you only read this book in your chair within practical experience, it is all time lost.
   If you read it, because you are struggling within your organisation with very real issues, then this book will become alive. This is a book (as The Toyota Way is) that will be a good friend on your journey to Lean (but this friend will also ask attention and you will have to invest time for him!).

5 comments about Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic: Inside One of the Worlds Most Admired Service Organizations.

1. This book very beautifully and eloquently conveys the heart of service quality and excellence - building, nurturing, and protecting a strong services brand that revolves around the core humane values of integrity and customer respect. The hallmark of this book is the compilation of inspirational real life stories of staff and patients sharing their experiences of the successful customer-focused culture of Mayo Clinic. Moreover, the book very effectively sheds light on the importance of competing for talented employees and encouraging teamwork at all levels of the organization. Thus, it is a must-read book for the managers, administrators, and service providers across all industries.



2. An excellent book with practical principles that work and can be applied in any healthcare/service setting, large or small. I like to underline noteworthy thoughts as I read. My problem was that so much of the book was underlined when I finished. I then ordered 30 copies from Amazon to give to team members, plus have recommended this book to a number of others outside our health system.



3. This book hardly needs my imprimatur, but I thought I would share my feelings about yet another customer experience book. Just when you thought there were more books on the topic than you could possibly explore, along comes one that I think is unique. Some may think this is just for health-care professionals, but I believe it includes powerful lessons that transcend the industry. The nicest aspects of this book are the stories about just what it takes to establish and maintain great service, even when you're one of the most respected 'brands' in the world. I used to live in Rochester, NY, and once made the dopey mistake of flying from O'Hare to Rochester, MN. I thought, 'Since I'm here, I might as well go to the Mayo Clinic, which I have always wanted to see.' This book makes that stupid airplane flight totally unnecessary. Anyone involved in dealing with the public should read this book. Maybe the lessons aren't totally fresh, but we need to be reminded of them constantly. Isn't that why we go to church on Sunday?



4. Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic is akin to Donald Trump giving tact lessons Bill Clinton and John Edwards giving Monogamy Lessons and Don Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney giving effective War strategy lessons. Mayo Clinic is the New York Yankees of Medicine. Like the Yankees of this decade and the Soviets of the 1980's, Mayo is its own 'Evil Empire' of the Healthcare business. Like the Soviets of the early 80's and the present day NY Yankees, Mayo's deep pockets and exorbitant spending make up for more than its share of Management mistakes. Its Assembly line heathcare model and constant harping about expenses hardly makes it a needs of the patient come first healthcare organization. Like so many other businesses including the 'evil' Insurance Companies, it is all about the bottom line at Mayo. Many former Physicians and staff have said so. When you have a management and decision making system that closely, if not identically, resembles Washington DC, you are if for trouble. Layer after layer of bureaucracy, committees, sub-committees, focus groups, polarizing board members, and the like are firmly embeded in the Mayo Culture. As Washington DC is broken, so is the Mayo Management and decision making model. I'm not saying you should not read this book, I think you should read it. If I am a young Program Director, Manager, Administrator, Nurse Manager, Supervisor, Department Head, etc. I would read this book and then immediately read 'Moneyball' by Michael Lewis, and Rule #1 Investing by Phil Towne. I would look at the Mayo way and do just the opposite whenever and wherever I could. Many if not all Healthcare Institutions can't compete with Mayo's deep pockets, so if you do business and run your ship like they do, you are doomed. There are inefficiencies in any market, you just have to work hard to find them and take advantage when you do. Look for ways that the conventional wisdom is wrong and do the opposite. The two books mentioned above will help you do this. Take a Paul Volcker approach to your healthcare management decisions. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Mayo Clinic has bad healthcare providers, bad technology, bad equipment, bad people, etc. I'm saying it is a bogged down, social engineering, bueracratic nightmare. Mayo better hope there is not a Billy Beane or Phil Towne of healthcare lurking on the horizon in another competing organization. If there is, they better adapt quickly or they will be in trouble, big trouble.



5. This is an excellent book for a Manager in any industry. It's a MUST READ for a Manager in Health Care!

5 comments about The Toyota Way Fieldbook.

1. I added this book to my lean collection over a year ago. Those of us that have 10+ years experience with lean, we will find this resource very basic. What the author created was a resource tool for training. I utilize this resource for introducing new leaders to the concepts of lean. In addition, this resource is especially helpful for those who have zero understanding and are somewhat resistant to embrace lean / systems thinking.
   
   I find the author created an introduction tool for front-line leaders. Therefore, this is a must have for people at this level.
   
   Unfortunately, I have recognized a number of gaps with this text. First, if your culture does not promote these concepts, forget it. If you are a supervisor in a ridged union shop, you will have a hard time implementing these concepts, since the thrust is aimed at non-union and high-performance driven cultures. My second issue is the overall simplistic approach granted to cultural transformation. Even in the best, most highly motivated environments, a lean transformation requires great time and patience. A change agent must understand that positive change occurs when these excellent concepts are `top down, bottom driven.'
   
   Lastly, I would like to see more case studies. More specifically, this audience needs case studies on how to transform a culture (from mass production to lean for example) in small pieces. Leaders need more than concepts to learn. As we know and have experienced, leaders, especially front-line leaders, need a road map of how to start. I recommend small case studies that illustrate small success stories.
   
   I still highly recommend this resource, for all levels. The author created an easy-to-read guide that motivates the reader to begin cultural transformation. I would like to see a dedicated resource on case studies for (a) union and non-union shops; (b) lean with limited resources such as organizations with few employees, start-ups; (c)lean in highly challenging, toxic work environments; and (d) lean in distribution industries.



2. This is a must read and reference book for any lean implementer. After reading the Toyota Way I wondered how the Fielbook could be any better or even the same. I was totally shocked when it was as good if not better than the Toyota Way. If you are thinking about buying this stop thinking and buy this book.



3. Simply the most important book to have on your shelf if you are serious about lean manufacturing. This book is less about theroy and more about practical advice. I find it is the book I take with me as a senior lean consultant. Dave and Jeff have done an excellent job putting these concepts and experineces into word.
   
   Some miss the wisdom in these pages but I find it right on the money. Chapter 4 is a chapter I have asked people to read over and over. In my opinion it is were most companies are and don't know it.
   
   I recommend this book very highly. Get it, read it more than once.



4. I thought this book did a nice job of describing not only the "tools and techniques" that US mfgs try to copy from Toyota, but also the underlying culture of excellence and high-performance organization that is the support structure of Toyota. Too many American manufacturers try to copy the "lean" techniques without understanding how the "Toyota Way" really drives excellence in both short- and long-term. This book does a really good job providing that insight.
   Tom Nettleman - [...]



5. Our company is introducing Toyota Production System methodologies, and we all had questions about "Why do we use 11x17 paper for presentations?" and "How do we perform this task ?". This is a very good reference book for our specific case. It is written in a pragmatic way, with examples to follow, and good guidance. The other books (Toyota Way, etc.) are not as helpful to people that are practicing the methods already. After all, following TPS means regular practice and improvement of the methdologies; not merely studying the Toyota culture from a distance !
   -Dave Goetz-

5 comments about Lean Thinking : Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation, Revised and Updated.

1. The book was truly eye-opening for me! Having spent more than enough time with management consultants and the "programs of the week," misguided Six Sigma projects, etc., I am very cautious about "new" programs. The simple, clear, transformational philosophy of the book was amazing to me. While the book does not outline the steps to take for making a Lean transformation, it should be required reading, before any venture into Lean management. Without an understanding of the philosophy behind Lean, many people mistakenly try to use it as a "tool" to cut costs, which will fail miserably. Lean - the new paradigm.



2. Lean is a specific management technique to make an organization more efficient (and a private sector company more profitable). This book is a well written introduction to the subject. The authors, James Womack and Daniel Jones, provide lots of examples to illustrate their basic points. Thus, this is a very useful introduction to the subject, for those of us who are not experts on this matter.
   
   To start at the beginning. . . . The enemy is "Muda," a Japanese word that means "waste," in all of its manifestations. Lean is an approach to reducing Muda. Pie in the sky? Toyota is one of the pioneers in this movement, and it is now the # 1 automaker in the world--so, maybe, we ought to pay some attention to the concept. As the authors note (Page 15): ". . .Muda is everywhere." And the antidote to muda is lean.
   
   The Introduction itself does a nice job of laying out the key concepts of Lean. Then, each part of the book builds on that foundation. Key points: (1) Value. Value is defined by the ultimate customer. The problem? Corporations and other organizations often think that they know best and do not really understand what the end user wishes as value. As the authors note (Page 19): "Lean thinking therefore must start with a conscious attempt to precisely define value in terms of specific products with specific capabilities offered at specific prices through as dialogue with specific customers." (2) The Value Stream. This is the actions needed to bring (Page 19) ". . .a specific product (whether a good or a service. . .) through the three critical management tasks of any business." (3) Flow. Outline the step-by-step process by which goods and services are delivered and identify muda, so that waste can be reduced/eliminated. (4) Pull. Develop a process such that customers pull the product from the source/supplier. (5) Perfection. Keep working on improving the product/output, by incremental changes leading to further reduction of muda.
   
   Examples abound. Think of the miserable experience these days of flying from place to another. Muda is everywhere (see the discussion on pages 32-35).
   
   Part I lays out the lean principles in much more detail (Value through Perfection, steps 1 through 5 already summarized). Part II explores lean in more detail (including comparing lean versus the German approach). And so on.
   
   Want to know about lean? This is a pretty good introduction, as far as I can tell, for a lay audience. I'm not an expert, but I think that I have learned quite a bit of value from reading this work.



3. I was fortunate enough to participate in the Pratt & Whitney lean transformation described in Lean Thinking.
   
   While it is not a "how to" book, it does a good job of describing the lean initiatives undertaken.
   
   This book is a classic "lean must read."



4. The only way to be competitive in the world marketplace is to be much more efficient. In other words "lean and mean." Efficient at engineering, efficient at manufacturing and efficient at meeting/exceeding customer expectations are all keys to becoming more competitive.
   
   This book and their Machine that Changed the World are good resources for manufacturing facilities more lean. And...lean thinking leads to more lean thinking.
   
   Using the Toyota system as a guide, Womack and Jones address how companies can eliminate waste and increase profits. They write:
   
   "Our earnest advice to lean firms today is simple: To hell with your competitors; compete against perfection by identifying all activities that are muda and eliminating them. This is absolute rather than a relative standard which can provide the essential North Star for any organization."
   
   Well written with many telling examples. Recommended!
   
   The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking



5. This book is a very good introduction to "lean manufacturing". I would say it is aimed at managers or other interested people in implementing lean manufacturing in their organizations. It is a perfect book to gain adepts for the lean cause, so if you are finding resistance in your organization to implement it, you could give out some copies of this book.
   
   This book is more a general reading book (basics & benefits, resistance you might encounter, etc.) than a deep study or detailed guide. If you need deeper knowledge of the different tools, more specific applications or more detail on how to apply them, you will require other literature.
   
   Another introduction to the subject is a novel called The Gold Mine: A Novel of Lean Turnaround, both books address the topic highlighting different key aspects of lean, so reading both gives you probably a broader perspective. The gold mine goes a little deeper into the subjects and its emphasis on key concepts is very appealing.

5 comments about The Toyota Way.

1. Great for those that are on the go and would like to learn a little more about TPS and lean manufacturing.



2. The Toyota Way certainly does provide the foundation of using operational excellence as a strategic weapon. With increased competition, companies are continuously challenged to achieve operational excellence in a better way than its competitors, and use this as their strategic weapon or at least ensure that they are meeting/exceeding industry standard in this area. This book contributed many ideas to my MBA dissertation, in creating a profit for an insurance company that had been making continuous losses for a number of years. The continuous process flow mentioned in the book was adopted and resulted in significant cost savings, by eliminating certain processes and improving the quality control.
   
   This book has also influenced me to purchase a Toyota Fortuner, moving from the Honda brand that I had driven for years.
   
   Judith Kean, FCCA



3. This is an excellent book to uncover the beautiful simplicity of the Toyota Production System. Although simple is always best, with complicated cars, machines and huge sums of parts, it sometimes is lost in the jungle of the manufacturing floor. This is where a company's leadership is key to the success of the lean manufacturing endeavor. Obviously, the Toyoda family had a long line of brilliant individuals that have not only kept the principles alive, but continued to drive the company to record growth and profits. This book is very good for showing the way, but there is a lot more detail requred to actually implement the system. As an introduction to the system and the philosophies, this book is excellent. If you are looking to implement lean manufacturing, you will need more than one book to accomplish the task, and you will need leadership within your organization that is willing to change and embrace a new way. Most company efforts will collapse due to managment not having the stamina it takes to fully change their plant floor, their material flow and their processes. With the Toyota Production System, you are never "done" but you continue to look for improvement forever.



4. 
   I read this book when it was first published in 2004 and recently re-read it, curious to know how well Jeffrey Liker's explanation of Toyota's management principles and lean production values have held up. My conclusion? Very well.
   
   No good purpose would be served by merely listing the 14 management principles, out of context. Liker devotes a separate chapter to each, carefully explaining not only what it is but also how it guides and informs everyone at all levels and in all areas of the Toyota organization. What Liker also accomplishes, and what cannot be adequately summarized in a review such as this, is to explain how all 12 principles are interdependent. Together, they serve as the company's DNA. In the Preface, he recalls asking Fujio Cho (President of Toyota Motor Company) what was unique about his company's remarkable success. His answer was quite simple: "The key to the Toyota Way and what makes Toyota stand out is not any of the individual elements...But what is important is having all the elements together as a system. It must be practiced every day in a very consistent manner." To understand Toyota's success, therefore, it is important to understand that lean production is not a methodology, it is literally a way of life.
   
   The 14 principles are divided into four sections:
   
   Having a long-term philosophy that drives a long-term approach to building a learning organization
   
   Absolute faith that the right process will produce the right results
   
   Adding value to the organization by developing its people and partners
   
   Continuously solving root problems to drive organizational learning
   
   As Liker points out, it is important to understand that the Toyota Production System is not the Toyota Way. TPS is the most systematic and highly developed example of what the principles of the Toyota Way can accomplish. The Toyota Way consists of the foundational principles of the Toyota culture, which allows the TPS to function so effectively.
   
   How does lean improvement differ from traditional process improvement? "Briefly, wheras the traditional approach to process improvement focuses on local efficiencies, in a lean improvement initiatuve, most of the progress comes from a large number of non-value steps being squeezed out. For example, overproduction, delays, and wasted motion. In fact, the ultimate goal of lean manufacturing is to apply the ideal of one-piece flow to all business operations, from product design to launch, order taking, physical production, and shipment."Some of the differences are subtle but no less significant.
   
   To repeat, anyone can read this book and then uncerstand what the Toyota Way is. Possessing a gourmet chef's recipe, however, does not ensure that a gourmet meal will be prepared. Toyota has its own way. Other companies must develop theirs based on their own "roots." In other words, lead from their traditional strengths but not be limited by them. In fact, companies may need to re-invent themselves, not once but several times. That is what Toyota did...and continues to do. Use operational excellence as a strategic weapon and the rewards and results will far outweigh the great effort required.
   
   That said, Liker does provide 13 "general tips." The first is to begin with action in the technical system and then follow quickly with cultural change. Other suggestions include learning by doing first and training second, using value stream mapping to develop future state visions to help "learn to see," and being opportunistic in identifying opportunities for big financial impacts. They are provided with brief but precise explanations on Pages 302-307.
   
   It remains for each person who reads this book to determine which of the 14 management principles are most relevant to her or his own enterprise, and then to determine how to translate each into effective action. Presumably Liker agrees with me that most companies have 3-5 areas in which "lean" initiatives are urgently needed. Developing an execution plan can be tricky, however, because all business transaction involve a process of some kind and improvement of one process inevitably has a direct impact on several others. Here's one possibility, suggested to me by a COO to whom I gave a copy of this book: Read the final chapter, Chapter 22, first. It's title is "Build Your Own Lean Learning Enterprise, Borrowing from the Toyota Way." He thinks that will provide an appropriate framework within which to proceed from Gary Convis' Foreword and Liker's Preface to the conclusion of Chapter 21. That suggestion is worth consideration.
   
   Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Liker's Toyota Culture: The Heart and Soul of the Toyota Way as well as Matthew Mays' The Elegant Solution: Toyota's Formula for Mastering Innovation, David Magee's How Toyota Became Toyota: Leadership Lessons from the World's Greatest Car company, and What Is Lean Six Sigma? co-authored by Michael L. George, David Rowlands, and Bill Kastle.



5. Book seller presented accurate information regarding the condition and quality of the book. Book receipt time was excellent and well within the timeframe given to the purchaser. Thanks for the great service.