The Toyota Way and Open Source
More news of Toyota taking out GM -- Toyota’s
Sales Projections Show It Surpassing G.M. And more analysts are
pointing to the famous "Toyota Way" business processes the company uses
as the critical factor. From the Times article:
"Enshrined as the industry’s gold standard, and the model to mimic," eh? That sounds like open source coming to the auto industry. After all, Toyota's processes are open, aren't they? But the notion of simply mimicking someone else's processes sounds trivial. The implementation is just as important as the source or specification of any business process. And that's much more difficult to mimic because what makes an implementation special is buried deep within the culture of every person doing the implementing. It's not necessarily secret, but it's oftentimes incomprehensible.
Toyota’s rise would also prove a
victory of sorts for its unique corporate culture, the so-called Toyota
Way, which is rooted in an obsession with craftsmanship and constant
improvement, or "kaizen." Analysts said the Toyota Way would likely
become enshrined as the industry’s gold standard, and the model to
mimic or surpass for new challengers from South Korea and China.
"Enshrined as the industry’s gold standard, and the model to mimic," eh? That sounds like open source coming to the auto industry. After all, Toyota's processes are open, aren't they? But the notion of simply mimicking someone else's processes sounds trivial. The implementation is just as important as the source or specification of any business process. And that's much more difficult to mimic because what makes an implementation special is buried deep within the culture of every person doing the implementing. It's not necessarily secret, but it's oftentimes incomprehensible.
Posted by John Siewert on December 24, 2006 at 01:40 AM JST #
Posted by William R. Walling on December 24, 2006 at 11:46 AM JST #
Posted by Jim Grisanzio on December 25, 2006 at 11:11 PM JST #
Posted by Jim Grisanzio on December 25, 2006 at 11:13 PM JST #