LIVE BOOK TOYOTA AUTOMOTIVE

Buyer Beware
I think this book, similar to Dr. Liker's The Toyota Way, misleads the reader into believing that if the reader employs these principles and programs, that their enterprise/business will be successful like Toyota. Why? The authors fail to inform the reader that Toyota, at least in the Georgetown plant, where I am and have been employeed for many years, uses temporary employees extensively to produce the Camry, Avalon, and Solara. By extensively I mean temporary employees who remain employed from 3 to 4 to 5 years on the production line alongside regular team members. The advantage to Toyota is the temps are paid approx. $10 per hour less; receive no health benefits from Toyota; are entitled to 4 vacation days per year; have abolutely no guarantee from Toyota of permanent employment ( Toyota does occasionally hire some of these people after exploiting their service for 3,4, or 5 yrs.); receive no pension; earn no bonus or performance award, etc....Folks I could go on & on with how these temporary employees are exploited for Toyota's financial gain. Neither Dr. Liker or David Meier tell the reader that this practice of using temporary employees is a fundamental key to controlling cost, particularly labor costs. What Toyota sacrifices in exchange for the financial gain is quality. In the past 5 years no Georgetown Toyota produced vehicle has earned a J.D. Power Gold Award. Why? Because Toyota in Georgetown (TMMK) does not completely follow the standards/principles in this fieldbook or The Toyota Way. I say buyer beware because if you as the reader opt to adapt your business to the guidelines in this book, you will be successful, but it will cost you more that it does Toyota. I firmly believe in the 14 principles outlined in Liker's The Toyota Way and I believe in the guidelines in this fieldbook. I work at TMMK and I've seen the successes gained many years ago when TPS was being taught to new hires when were under Japanese management. Today , as we have for the past 5 years, have an American manager, Gary Convis, formerly with GM. I'm simply stating that these authors fail to tell the reader that many of Toyota's recent financial successes is derived by deviating from TPS by using non-permanent Team Members who loyalties are subject to question. Afterall, why should a temporary employee provide 100% effort to Toyota if Toyota will not promise them a job or share in the profits through performance awards and/or bonuses? One of the points brought up in this book is that David Meier used to be a Group Leader at TMMK. Indeed he was; he was one of the first hired. He remembers how TMMK produced quality vehicles which earned numerous vehicle and plant Gold awards from J.D. Power before the use of temps on a long term basis. In those days, temps were utilized to cover for summer vacations and medical leaves, but only temporarily, not long term as they are now. Permanent Team Members went through an extensive screening process to ensure Toyota was comfortable with their skills to be such that they could be molded to TPS requirements. Those hired were offered and earned full benefits from day one. These temps today are not screened as extensively and are not compensated accordingly. Why Doesn't Mr. Meier inform the reader of these facts? Why? It all boils down to credibility. In my opinion, this book is not credible in terms of conveying to the reader the way Toyota really conducts business. I say, buyer beware. One of the concerns I have is that David Meier reviewed Dr. Liker's The Toyta Way last year and failed to qualify that review by informing the reader that he was working with Dr. Like on this book. Credibilty is everything; just ask Oprah or Mr. Frey.

The best book for lean implementers
This temendous book is the best book I have read on the specifics of TPS so far, and the one closest to it's elusive spirit - it's an absolute must read for any lean implementer. Far beyond the description of tools, it's a brilliant attempt at giving a feel for what TPS is truly about. For instance, there's a lovely story of one of the authors looking at a westerm traditional automotive assembly chain. At some point, he spots a problem with a carpet in the cars being assembled. Instinctively, he looks for the andon cord, before reminding himself that, of course, there would be one. Then he points out the defect to the supervisor, who answers, that, yeah, he's right - they'll probably spot it at rework and deal with it. Should they talk to someone upstream? Not necessary, the previous process is probably aware of the problem and trying to do something about it. The author then describes his moment of total anguish at seeing a defect go through the process and not being able to do anything about it.

This, I believe is a reflection of the true TPS spirit. I know a plant manager who used to work with Toyota before chosing to come back home and take a local non-Toyota plant. The first thing he did was set up an andon board. At first, he was puzzled to see the lights never went off. Then he realized there was nothing, but absolutely nothing in the current social system of the plant that would make the operators trigger an andon signal, or the management react to it. To implement TPS, everything had to be constructed from scratch.

The Toyota Way Fieldbook is far more than a companion to The Toyota Way, which is a great management book about Toyota. The Fieldbook goes explicitly into some of the least described aspects of TPS: the development of people thorugh constant problem-solving. The Fieldbook describes both techniques to follow people development, and problem-solving processes which are, in my mind, at the heart of the TPS. I can't recommend this book enough to all readers out there who struggle in trying to implement lean without access to a sensei. This won't replace the sensei, but it's the closest thing to it.




Car Living My Way,
I have a history of living in cars several times (less than a month each time) well before this book was written. I see the book as a good way to consider the idea, if time is available to consider it. The whole thing is based on the actual experiences of car living people, organized by a writer to give it coherence. Organization counts here.

AJ Heim starts by considering the reasons people live in cars (or trucks, vans, etc.) and "mental preparation" for doing so. This is important for people who are considering car living as one choice among others. Part I continues with specifics of packing, parking, cleanliness and other important topics, winding up with a chapter on Feng Shui as related to car living. Part II contains the stories. The stories matter to me because (a) they show how the "parts" in Part I make "whole" stories of people and (b) they give the reader a chance to explore attitudes that work for living in cars.

In short, the combination of AJ Heim's writing skill with the actual experiences of car living people makes a useful and interesting book.

Disappointing waste of money
She reminds me of Amy Dascyzyn...the Frugal Zealot...Amy is a "Frugal Snob"...this chick is a "Gypsy Snob"...In her own words.."I was at the Country Club the other day, and shocked to discover a friend's daughter had lived in her car for a few months..." This book is for people who do this for kicks...you know, something to shock your friends with at the Country Club, or rather than jetting off to wherever...Not for the Rainbow Family, back-to-the-land types.