Emi Osono, Norihiko Shimizu and Hirotaka Takeuchi
Extreme Toyota
Radical Contradictions That Drive Success at the World's Best Manufacturer
Wiley, 2008
Aperçu
Is tradition fighting innovation at your firm? Don’t worry. Such internal contradictions can generate powerful change.
Recommendation
Vast numbers of books discuss Toyota, but this one is more than just another paean to how well the firm uses its production system. Emi Osono, Norihiko Shimizu and Hirotaka Takeuchi, working with translator John Kyle Dorton, focus on several different elements of Toyota’s culture. They explain how the company’s leaders diagnose its internal contradictions and use them as a source of energy and a springboard for creativity. Where most corporate leaders see waste and a sad absence of harmonization, Toyota’s executives forge a fresh road through experimentation and continuous improvement. The book offers new ideas to help you assess your organization’s internal contradictions and turn them to your advantage. Despite being originally written in Japanese, and despite the firm’s recalls and woes, this volume reads well and features illustrations that help you understand the concepts behind the words. getAbstract recommends it to businesspeople who are curious about Toyota, its culture and the culture of their own organizations.
Summary
About the Authors
Hirotaka Takeuchi is a graduate of the University of California at Berkley and co-author with Michael Porter of Can Japan Compete? Emi Osono is a graduate of George Washington University. Norihiko Shimizu is a graduate of Stanford. They all teach at the top-rated Hitotsubashi University Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy.
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