As the congressional hearings on the Toyota recalls continue on Capitol Hill here in the US, Zogby International released the results of this interactive poll. Although it's interesting that most of the general adults surveyed still believe that Toyota vehicles are more safe than those produced by other automobile manufacturers, it's the information gleaned from current Toyota owners that's the most revealing: 39% believe that Toyota vehicles are more safe than other vehicles while 47% believe that Toyota vehicles are equally safe as other vehicles.
As the hearings continue today with testimony scheduled from Toyota president Akio Toyoda and the resulting media analysis and spin, most will be curious to see how these poll results might change. What are your thoughts of this poll? Are you surprised by the results? In regard to the congressional hearings, there has been much conversation about the intent and motives. Do you feel the hearings are providing a fair forum for Toyota and its customers?
Showing posts with label Toyota recall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toyota recall. Show all posts
2.11.2010
Taking Toyota Out of Lean?
Like most lean advocates, I surely enjoy reading about presentations or case studies that detail the application of lean think and culture to new business and nontraditional industries. I was quite happy to read this article about a presentation given by Darren Bassett from FormaShape (a Canadian company that produces huge water slides) given at the recent "Composites 2010" convention in Las Vegas. He explains the benefits the organization received after adopting a lean initiative and, more specifically, how a specific TAKT time was established.
What I find curiously interesting about the article is the section that gives a brief background on the origin and history of lean. It states that the beginnings of lean manufacturing date back to Henry Ford's early 20th-century plants, but then continues with "the concept was taken up by the Japanese in automobile manufacturing in the '40s...." Not once is there a mention of Toyota! In addition, most lean practitioners know that lean culture was not something generally "taken up" by all Japanese automobile makers. The term lean was coined retroactively to describe the Toyota Production System -- the methodologies and culture we call "lean" were specifically honed at Toyota.
Do you think that because of the negative press Toyota has been receiving lately in regard to its recall of so many vehicles, writers are now shy to associate benefits derived from the most-powerful production system of the past 60 years with its originator? I might be reading too much into this one specific article, but do you think committees and organizations that sponsor lean and performance-improvement conferences will start to explicitly downplay the association of lean with Toyota?
What I find curiously interesting about the article is the section that gives a brief background on the origin and history of lean. It states that the beginnings of lean manufacturing date back to Henry Ford's early 20th-century plants, but then continues with "the concept was taken up by the Japanese in automobile manufacturing in the '40s...." Not once is there a mention of Toyota! In addition, most lean practitioners know that lean culture was not something generally "taken up" by all Japanese automobile makers. The term lean was coined retroactively to describe the Toyota Production System -- the methodologies and culture we call "lean" were specifically honed at Toyota.
Do you think that because of the negative press Toyota has been receiving lately in regard to its recall of so many vehicles, writers are now shy to associate benefits derived from the most-powerful production system of the past 60 years with its originator? I might be reading too much into this one specific article, but do you think committees and organizations that sponsor lean and performance-improvement conferences will start to explicitly downplay the association of lean with Toyota?
2.08.2010
The Toyota "Crisis" -- Is it the Problem or the Response?
I’m sure all lean practitioners and advocates are quite dismayed and disappointed with the continual reports of Toyota’s problems with their accelerators and braking systems emanating from all the news outlets. Of course, unfortunately, the current situation has also provided endless fodder for sarcastic sniping throughout the blogosphere. Although I think these current woes in no way repudiate Toyota’s noted production philosophy and culture or its massive accomplishments during the past 50 years, the credibility issues cannot be ignored. When reading or watching the news coverage, one realizes that the central topics -- Toyota’s equipment failures and its supply-chain process – have been overtaken by the debate of whether Toyota’s response to the crisis has been clear, timely, and at least adequate.
I’d very much like to hear the opinions of this blog’s audience – Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with Toyota’s response to this crisis? How has this crisis been affecting Toyota’s reputation? Do you think many business leaders and pundits will co-opt this crisis as an opportunity to wrongly declare that ultimately lean methodologies are critically flawed? Most importantly, what do you think Toyota can learn from its own lauded production system during this time?
I’d very much like to hear the opinions of this blog’s audience – Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with Toyota’s response to this crisis? How has this crisis been affecting Toyota’s reputation? Do you think many business leaders and pundits will co-opt this crisis as an opportunity to wrongly declare that ultimately lean methodologies are critically flawed? Most importantly, what do you think Toyota can learn from its own lauded production system during this time?
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