DO IT THE TOYOTA WAY..

I being the management student have been reading and hearing many people who
Use the expression “Toyota way or Toyota culture”. This jargon caught my attention because of the mere reason of the Toyota company’s name. In simpler words I would like to convey you what a blessing Toyota is to this globe.

Toyota was a brainchild of MR.Sakichi Toyoda. Initially Toyota was not an automobile company,it use to manufacture automatic looms. This noble thought of producing power looms was taken by toyoda in 1926 and the reason behind this set up was to reduce the agony of Japanese women who used to work their fingers to bone. MR.Toyoda held from a poor family who were living near Nagoya. His mother and grandmother used to work for living. He couldn’t just spare the trouble of his mother and hence introduced a power loom. After this invention he was on fire..!! He was referred to as japan’s “king of inventors”. Mr.sakichi toyoda had a son named kiichiro toyoda who was a genuine engineer and he started up the automobile industry.

Now i would love to enumerate some of the actual incidents of Toyota company which shall help you to form an opinion about this company.

This was the story which was taken place in TMMK( Toyota motor manufacturing in Kentucky)this was the first plant wholly owned by Toyota in U.S.
Once the former president of FORD Mr.Polling insisted on visiting TMMK. Mr.Cho agreed and made arrangements. Polling had the permission to go where ever they wish in the firm and ask any questions to their workers. After an hour and half cho asked polling what did he think? Polling said “I didn’t see anything unsual”. It was clear that polling was disappointed as he didn’t see what he had expected. After the visit cho called together all his employees and said “we learned a very valuable lesson today we have the same system and equipments as ford,but what Mr. Polling didn’t see was our competitive advantage, which is our people.”

Thousands of managers visit Toyota to know what makes their working team so attached and efficient. But all of these people have an iceberg view. This means what is seen above the surface is only one aspect of culture but the substantial part is lying beneath the sea.

“THE NEVER ENDING PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE” that’s their line!! Their belief is that they hire people for life time. Unlike other companies Toyota follows its believes. This was proven when Toyota faced a downfall in the market after venturing with America. The then managers of the company reduced their own salary than cutting off the work force.
Many people say that it is easy to do all these things when you have a ever shining company. But that’s not so. Toyota has also had its share of rocks. In late 1940’s japan had economic depression where the banks had adviced the company to reduce their team force or shut down. At that time MR.Kiichiro toyoda was the owner. First he met with the employees and explained the financial situation,informing them that the company needs to remove 1500 employees. Toyoda asked if any employee is willing to step down on voluntarily basis and with this one request he got the number without any involuntary layoffs.
He was so upset that he took all the blame of the failure of the company and resigned from his position. This when his cousin Eiji toyoda took over the business.

The Toyota culture is the book which shall narrate you all the interesting happenings in the life time of Toyota company. I found this book extremely sensational. We learn various management terms like kaizen,six sigma,lean management etc which sound so boring and redundant. Here in this book you shall have the pleasure to understand the history behind all these terminologies. It is worth mentioning that japan made America believe in their concepts!! It was creditable because it is always said that the orient is full of believes and the west has hardly any to believe in. I could easily relate to some parts of this book as I have been studying Japanese language and do know the mentality of Japanese people. Toyota has strongly believed in serving the society. Improvement and people are the two strong pillars of this company. I could easily relate Toyota to our own India company Tata.
If you find these 80 odd lines written by me interesting then definitely treat yourself by reading the whole book which shall have many more interesting events and much finer English language..!!

NO HORN OK PLEASE..!!

Why do puneites have a fetish of honking??!! It is like if you don't have anything interesting to do while riding a bike people honk!!At times while driving i feel like suggesting people to use their brakes ones in a while.The riders in this city easily swap the purpose of brakes with horns.For instance when any person happens to bump in the middle of the road,the riders prefer to honk extensively instead of applying brakes and slowing down a bit.
Somehow i find honking very much nerve recking.I use to have these silly nightmares that i am driving on my activa on a calm road with greenery following me.The road is so quiet and calm that i could hear my brain instructing my organs :) and boom a GHATEE biker with his 55hz horn honks from behind,i skip my heart beat and meet with an accident.I just hope this never become true.
Apart from all the jokes and cliches i would really like to know why doesn't our government ascertain the horn's sound producing limit?I mean the manufacturing companies must not affix a horn which produces sound more than 20hz.
I pity the city's traffic police who shall be a victim of hearing impairment with lung malfunctioning and several chronicle disabilities..!!!