Page 45 - Toyota Under Fire

TOYOT A UNDER FIRE

approach unless you focus relentlessly on continually improv-
ing all processes. As Taiichi Ohno would preach, no matter how
many times it has been improved, every step in the production
line is full of waste, and even if it is perfect today, conditions will
change tomorrow, and waste will creep in. At the root of kaizen is
the truth that nothing is perfect and everything can be improved.
This value and way of thinking often lead to misunderstand-
ing of Toyota in the popular media. Throughout Toyota’s history,
you’ll see statements from executives that the firm needs to “get
back to basics.” Fujio Cho would even say in speeches that the
company has to “reinvent itself.” These statements are usually in-
terpreted as admissions of major corporate decline. Having a kai-
zen mind, though, means that it is always appropriate to go back to
basics, to renew the focus on quality, and to critically evaluate to-
day’s condition, no matter how good you are compared to the past.

Genchi Genbutsu, or Go and See to Deeply
Understand

It would seem that going to see something firsthand is simply a
practical matter—although one that is infrequently practiced in
most firms—rather than a value. The value of genchi genbutsu
isn’t just the specific act of going and seeing, but the philosophy
of how leaders make decisions. In this sense, there are two main
aspects of genchi genbutsu. First, decisions are made based on ob-
served facts about the issue rather than on hunches, assumptions,
or perceptions. The expectation is that no problem or issue will
be addressed without the firm grasp of facts that comes from see-
ing and living with that issue firsthand. Second, decisions should
be put into the hands of those who are closest to the problem,
those who have gone to see it and who have a deep understanding

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