Synopses & Reviews
What we can all learn from the strategies that have made Toyota the worldas best car company
Everyone who follows the auto industry knows that Toyota has had an amazing twenty-five-year run, rising from humble Japanese start-up to thriving global giant. But the big puzzle is how Toyota did it while so many other car companies have struggled or failed.
Journalist David Magee dug deeply into Toyotaas past and present, interviewing senior executives who rarely talk to the press, along with many other sources. And he found that the companyas famous mastery of lean production is only part of the story. Magee explains the surprising power of Toyotaas corporate culture, which includes:
a Focusing on the long term: While most companies worry about the next quarter, Toyota is thinking about the next quarter century
a Jumping beyond the current trend: When Ford was still ramping up its gas-guzzling SUVs, Toyota was very quietly taking a huge lead on hybrids
a Making quality everyoneas responsibility: Toyota expects people at every level to think and act like quality-control inspectors
a Managing individual strengths: Toyota is revolutionizing the way people are managed, to maximize their strengths instead of criticizing their weaknesses
The lessons that Magee explains here will be valuable for managers in all disciplines and industries.
Review
The factors that fueled Toyotas drive to the summit of the auto industry sare all well recounted here.
Newsweek
Magee runs through lessons in leadership and strategy, weaving in colorful snippets from Toyotas 70-year history.
Fast Company
Magee convincingly argues that the spirit of Toyota people, as much as anything, has determined Toyotas success.
BusinessWeek.com
He celebrates Toyotas willingness to acknowledge production problems quickly, to adapt its methods to varying markets, and to ask for feedback from its workersthereby empowering them
The Wall Street Journal
An excellent view of a shining business model.
Booklist
Synopsis
Journalist Magee explores Toyotas past and present in order to reveal how this car company has sustained such tremendous success. The lessons that Magee explains here can be valuable for managers in all disciplines and industries.
Synopsis
Everyone knows that Toyota has had an amazing twenty-five- year run, rising from a humble Japanese start-up to a thriving global giant. But
how did it pass Ford and GM to become the world?s largest auto manufacturer? And how does it continue to thrive while so many competitors are struggling and failing?
Journalist David Magee dug deeply into Toyota?s past and present, interviewing senior executives who rarely talk to the press, along with many other sources. The powerful lessons that he distills, especially about corporate culture, are valuable for managers in all industries.
About the Author
David Magee is the author of eight nonfiction books, including Turnaround: How Carlos Ghosn Rescued Nissan and The John Deere Way. He is also the founder and president of Jefferson Press and the co-owner of Rock Point Books, a Chattanooga, Tennessee, independent bookstore.