Toyota is in trouble---where is lean six sigma

[G35COUPE]

There are 4 concrete internal issues any corporation must focus on. They are (1) structures (2) processes (3) culture (4) resources---human, financial, etc.

Lean Six Sigma addresses item 2 above----processes. It fails miserably and woefully to address items 1, 3 and 4.

How one intends to improve quality while ignoring structures, culture, and reosurces, within the organization, is well beyond me.

Coroporations that adopt Lean Six Sigma are simply suggesting to the world that they have no intentions of adjusting or changing their culture and structure, but will gladly adjust or change their processes. Such a stance is the height of the worst illusory, magical, and dishonest position any organization can adopt. Unfortunately, many processes in organizations, as benign as they may appear, are still functions of organizational structures and culture.

And so I ask, if the organizational structure supports ineptitude and sycophancy, what good will Lean six sigma do to correct any defects or problems, when a culture and structure that supports ineptitude, continues to exist and flourish?

[LTSmash]

so, why does any corporation bother with it, at all???

Didn't it work out well for GE?

[Dino Scuderia]

"Ford stopped production of full-size commercial vehicles in China after learning that the gas pedal came from the supplier involved in Toyota's recall."

WSJ

[G35COUPE]

Didn't it work out well for GE?

During the 2008 recession, here is a comment echoed by a financial analyst, directed at GE's CEO (Jeff Immelt):

During the conference call, analyst Scott Davis of Morgan Stanley questioned GE's strategy.

"I think an earlier question asked are there cultural issues that just prevent you from kind of thinking out of the box of maybe this business model worked 10 years ago, but it's just — you have underperformed in the up cycle and now you are on pace to underperform in the down cycle," he said."

GE reports unexpected 6% profit drop; stock pounded - USATODAY.com


I beleive that analyst is pointing to the same concerns I am focusing on.

[Alastor]

Lean six Sigma is the farthest idea from any semblance of quality. Quality starts with a thought process and culture. lean six Sigma does absolutely none of these, well. so, why does any corporation bother with it, at all???

And, i do have my Nissan glasses on.

To be fair "Lean" and "Six Sigma" are really two different concepts, with only the former originating from Toyota while Six Sigma originated from Motorola.

I would probably agree with you on Lean since I have never really seen it implemented or explained in way that could be applied to 'my' reality. Edit: I forgot someone did tell me once that if I cleaned the area around my desk to improve my efficiency, then I could log that time as a "lean event"

However, I think the foundation (I am sure implementation varies between companies) behind Six Sigma makes sense to me. The number of production defects is directly proportional to the number of field defects. If you reduce the first, then you reduce the second. Seems like a powerful concept in my opinion.

But I agree to achieve any kind of real quality change it takes real process changes across the entire development/product life cycle. Much easier said then done.

[G35COUPE]

I would probably agree with you on Lean since I have never really seen it implemented or explained in way that could be applied to 'my' reality. Edit: I forgot someone did tell me once that if I cleaned the area around my desk to improve my efficiency, then I could log that time as a "lean event"

But I agree to achieve any kind of real quality change it takes real process changes across the entire development/product life cycle. Much easier said then done.

I would throw darts at anyone who even remotely makes me do "lean" things. I love having my desk disorganized. I seem to be able to find things on my desk relatively easily that way. Lean, and any semblance of it, is a threat to my autonomy, independence, and creativity.

[pimento]

I would throw darts at anyone who even remotely makes me do "lean" things. I love having my desk disorganized. I seem to be able to find things on my desk relatively easily that way. Lean, and any semblance of it, is a threat to my autonomy, independence, and creativity.

On the other hand, a clean, uncluttered, mostly empty workdesk works wonders for others' autonomy, independence, and creativity. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr-e3qGQ884"]Diff'rent strokes[/ame] et all.

That automatic youtubing really stuffs this post up.. is there a way to kill that on a one-off basis?

[wwgkd]

I think the point that everyone is missing is that the quality control issues are clearly stemming from their use of immigrant slave labor and that those slaves are rebelling by building cars which try to kill you.

[Equinox]

I'm not sure why the bad stigma is being attached to Toyota since it wasn't their part. It was a third party part supplier that made the pedal. They were also put into Ford trucks in China. Yes, Toyota could have done tests on the part themselves, but they put their trust in the the other company, that tested and passed the pedal.

Now Honda is recalling over 400,000 vehicles over an issue.

I remember saying to a friend awhile ago when Ford, GM, and Chrysler were having trouble. I said you watch... When Ford, GM, and Chrysler start doing better, the other big brands will start to have trouble. Now they are. It seems to be a circle.

The company that supplied the pedals to Toyota, also supply parts to Nissan, Ford, Honda etc. They just have a different design. So I blame the company that built the pedal, not Toyota.

[jcp123]

Toyota's quality isn't what it used to be...we had an '04 Sienna van, and it was one of the least reliable vehicles we've ever had. Can't say I'm surprised at their woes.

[G35COUPE]

I'm not sure why the bad stigma is being attached to Toyota since it wasn't their part. It was a third party part supplier that made the pedal. They were also put into Ford trucks in China. Yes, Toyota could have done tests on the part themselves, but they put their trust in the the other company, that tested and passed the pedal.

Now Honda is recalling over 400,000 vehicles over an issue.

I remember saying to a friend awhile ago when Ford, GM, and Chrysler were having trouble. I said you watch... When Ford, GM, and Chrysler start doing better, the other big brands will start to have trouble. Now they are. It seems to be a circle.

The company that supplied the pedals to Toyota, also supply parts to Nissan, Ford, Honda etc. They just have a different design. So I blame the company that built the pedal, not Toyota.

You will be fairly surprised to learn how far Toyota went in order to avoid admitting that they had a problem.


Toyota safety recalls were years in the making - USATODAY.com

[Equinox]

Anyone read about the Prius now getting brake complaints?

TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp. has been hit by over 100 complaints in the U.S. and Japan about brake problems with the popular Prius hybrid, the latest in a spate of quality troubles for the automaker as it grapples with massive global recalls.

Full read: Toyota hit by over 100 Prius brake complaints - Autos - MSN CA

[G35COUPE]

Life is really gonna get complicated for Toyota. I hate to imagine being the head of Toyota as a corporation, at this time in its history. I wonder which and who of the Japanese samurai executives of Toyota is gonna take his life with a sharp and shiny samurai sword over this crisis?

[2ndclasscitizen]

Anyone read about the Prius now getting brake complaints?



Full read: Toyota hit by over 100 Prius brake complaints - Autos - MSN CA

Wow! 100 complaints! And how many Prius' have they sold?

[Equinox]

^ Thats what I was thinking. It's a small percentage of the total number of Prius cars on the road. But the number can always rise. It always starts with a small amount, then more and more.