The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer
by Jeffrey K. Liker · 2004
In a nutshell
By Jeffrey K. Liker (2004, McGraw-Hill, 2nd edition 2020), this book codifies the management philosophy behind Toyota's manufacturing success into 14 principles around long-term thinking, continuous improvement, and respect for people. It's the foundational text behind much of modern 'lean' management.
Overview
Jeffrey K. Liker, a University of Michigan professor, published The Toyota Way in 2003 through McGraw-Hill, distilling decades of research into Toyota's production system into 14 principles, with a second edition in 2020.
Key Ideas
- Base decisions on long-term philosophy, even over short-term financial results.
- Create continuous process flow to surface problems quickly.
- Use 'pull' systems and avoid overproduction.
- Build a culture where stopping to fix problems is encouraged, not punished.
- Develop people and partners deeply instead of treating them as interchangeable.
Best For
Operators and operations-minded founders wanting the original source behind lean manufacturing ideas.
Reference
The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer — publisher / official page. Summary adapted from the Awesome Startup Books collection.
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