Big 3 fail to learn Toyota's lean lessons

Quite an interesting read. I was trying to find the quote that I had heard before. "Toyota is the world best / most sucessful / number 1 / whatever"

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0406/28/a15-195556.htm

TBH - I have to say the build quality in the Soop is sooo much better than Nissan

Although I have never really looked over USA builds in great depth?

Started reading it, goes on abit though, so stopped. I'm sure the rest of it was good though:p

Big up TOYOTA.

The problem is one of culture.

The "lean" methodology, as well as those of all employees carrying the company's honour equally on their shoulders, and all employees' opinions being equally valued is embedded deeply in the Japanese work ethic. You can write down what they do and try to apply it to other demographic groups but the real difference is that while anyone can do it, the Japanese believe in it.

When a (for want of a better term) Western manufacturer tries to adopt the same practises they are like "Woo-hoo! Look at us! We're being all, Japanese like!" And the workers grumblingly comply with today's management consultency fad (no doubt marketed to them at great expense by an external firm). This continues until, unsurprisingly (because few people give more of a toss about the company than they do their own wellbeing), it has a limited effect and becomes to difficult to maintain at the fat profit levels we demand, and then probably gets binned.

The Japanese just get on and do it.

When I was working with a Japanese oil pump manufacturer, my opposite number in the design team bought a camper van so he could sleep in the carpark just to be into work early then next day when deadlines were tight.