 "A very good value" | 2009-09-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2I9P3VCVZOEB0 |
| I've seen other books on "Lean" and "Lean Production" carrying much higher prices for less than half the content. This book is a good value and easy read - explains the history of Toyota and then carries their expansion and influence across the water to the US and our challenges. I'm not necessarily obsessed with Toyota - the principles actually started with Ford and the book aptly gives credit to Henry as well. |
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| "A must read for all lean practitioners!" | 2009-09-23 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2HKCZRLS37C39 |
Like three books in one this book covers the history of the Toyota Way, the 14 principals of the Toyota Way, and how organizations can apply the Toyota Way. While it is not a quick read it does read well for a "business book".
This book emphasizes the philosophy and long term thinking that embody the foundation of the Toyota Way. While many lean practitioners are familiar with the tools of the Toyota Production System (TPS) not all understand why Toyota has been able to apply them so effectively. It all comes down to the culture created by the Toyota Way; described in the book as a consistent way of thinking, a total management philosophy, focus on total customer satisfaction, an environment of teamwork and improvement, a never ending search for a better way, quality built in process, organized & disciplined workplace, and evolutionary.
The book goes into depth on several concepts that make the Toyota Way different from most Western companies. These include Hansei (self reflection), Genchi Genbutsu (personal involvement), Hoursnsou (method for receiving advise), Jishuken (voluntary study groups), and Nemawashi (consensus building).
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| "A life changing book." | 2009-08-22 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3KDH35C223VG5 |
This book has changed my life. It has changed the way I see business and management. Along with The Toyota Production System by Taiichi Onno, this book is simply genius. The toyota Talent and The Toyota Culture are high in my long books wish list. I am applying the principles to my everyday life, not only to my business and I am witnessing amazing results.
The management principles related to human resource management are the ones I have been more able to implement, and I can tell I am now proud of the culture we have achieved in our very small enterprise. The alignmment towards a common vision by all members of the team gives us a feeling as Mr. Taiichi describes in "The Toyota Production System" as being part of something great and unique, even when the dollar amounts in our accounts are indicating otherwise. There are no short-term results focus in our organization. We are and have a customer-centric culture. We are far from being a true lean enterprise but we are in our way, and it couldnt have been done without the insight provided by this book. I read it twice and I am looking forward to read it again.
I feel the need to congratulate and say thanks to Prof. Liker. You have done an awesome job at describing one of the most impressive orgaizations of all times. I hope the following books are on par to this one, although I am honestly not waiting all that much (I think it is more than difficult to at least match or even get to the same level of this work).
If I have to recommend one business book only, this one would be my pick and the second is not close... |
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| "The Toyota Way gave me some invaluable insights." | 2009-07-31 |
| - Reviewed By bginnj |
Heard the CD version of THE TOYOTA WAY by Dr. Jeffrey Liker,
a professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University
of Michigan.
Dr. Liker has studied Toyota for some 20 years and, in particular,
the 14 management principles and philosophy that drive the
company's quality and efficiency-obsessed culture . . . he then
proceeds to take his research to show how it can be applied
to any organization, whether in services or manufacturing.
The key is to create a culture of continuous learning and
improvement . . . best of all, this isn't rocket science . . . as
pointed out in the Preface, Dr. Liker remembers asking Fujio Cho
(president of Toyota Motor Company) what was remarkable
about his company's success . . . his response was simply:
* 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."
Given that I own and love a Toyota (the Avalon), I had a particular
interest in this book given that I wanted to see what helped
make my vehicle as fine a car as it is . . . THE TOYOTA WAY
gave me some valuable insights as to why that was the
case . . . in addition, it gave me many ideas with respect to
how to better assess what other companies need to do to
become better and more competitive in the marketplace.
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 "Driven to perform....and excel" | 2009-07-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: A37GLNTRQ7HGAH |
After Allied Forces decimated the Japanese geography, spirit and psyche with atomic weapons in World War II - nobody thought anything would rise from the ashes of the "Country of the Rising Sun." However, within a single generation, that nation has become one of the most affluent consumer markets in the world and a global leader in many industries. In fact, given the recent bankruptcies of U.S. car makers, Chrysler and General Motors, the international market dominance of Toyota is even more miraculous. University of Michigan professor and author, Jeffery Liker writes about his year-long research project at Toyota to help divine its success secrets. Dr. Liker's book, "The Toyota Way," is an operational management treatise that focuses on the company's lean production and just-in-time inventory practices. However, Soundview recommends this book because Dr. Liker goes farther and shows how the commitment to process has led to an organizational discipline that permeates every aspect of the Toyota business model and how it can be duplicated at other organizations. It makes you wonder where GM and Chrysler might be if executives at those Detroit-based companies had adopted the book's Toyota-tested principles of a long-term outlook coupled with problem solving, partnership, process and empowerment.
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| "Great book!!!" | 2009-03-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: A32Y9EKUJMBZJ2 |
| This is a great book. I have read "Lean Thinking" and "The Machine that Changed the World" and those are very good books, but "The Toyota Way" definitely does a great job explaining the Toyota Way principles and their applications. This book is very easy to read and you will not want to stop reading. Chapters are short giving you the sense that you are moving forward faster. If you want to really understand the history, the thinking, and the principles of the TPS then you should consider reading this book as your first option. I didn't give it 5 out of 5 because then there is no room for continuous improvement. |
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