The Toyota Kaizen continuum: a practical guide to implementing lean

Table of Contents
Introduction
Don’t Believe Everything That You Read in a Book
ABC’s of TPS
The Kaizen Continuum

Foundational Elements of the Toyota Production System
An Overview of the Toyota Production System
Toyota’s Recent Turmoil
A History of the Toyota Production System
Kentucky Alchemy
Keep It Simple
The Toyota Production System versus Lean Manufacturing
Standardization
Quest for the Cube
Visiting the Plant Floor
Understanding Standardized Work
Just In Time (JIT)
The Pull System
Flow Production
Takt Time
Jidoka
Continuous Improvement (Kaizen)
Developing the Tools

Why the Toyota Production System Makes Sense: Common Sense
Common Sense 101
Understanding Value
Understanding Demand
Common Sense in Action

Common Misconceptions and Misunderstandings Regarding the Toyota Production System
TPS Misconceptions and Misunderstandings
Which Way Is Best?
Toyota Production System Historical Overview
Kanban System Overview
The Toyota Way
The Customer Knows Best
Go. See. Act

Waste Management … Improving the Manufacturing Process One Kaizen at a Time
Gap Management
The Three M’s
Muda
Transportation
Waiting
Overstock
Overproduction
Repair
Overprocessing
Non-Value-Added Work
Muri
Mura
Classification of Muda
Transportation
Waiting
Overstock
Overproduction
Repair
Overprocessing
Non-Value-Added Work
Muda Countermeasure Methods
Waste Elimination Example

The Golden Rules of the Toyota Production System
Fundamentals
The Golden Rules of TPS
Simplify
Standardize
Specialize
Capital Investment Guidelines
Tangible Return on Investment Period
Recycle, Redeploy, and Reuse
Simple, Safe, and Reliable

Cost Management for Profitability
Understanding the Death Spiral
Understanding the Cost Structure
Fixed and Variable Costs
Minimum Variable Costs
Break-Even Point
Managing Costs
Managing Cost Example

Execution
Facing Reality
The Five-Step Process for Executing Improvement Initiatives
Assessment: Understanding the Business
Setting the Course
Identify the Project Leader
Completely Understand the Project Assessment
Completely Understand the Project Target
Identify the Project Resources
Determine the Roles and Responsibilities
Develop the Plan
Completely Understand the Costs
Communicate
Execution
Rapid Implementation
Stabilization
Continuous Improvement
Conclusion

Index

Book Description
Written by a recognized leader in the manufacturing industry with nearly two decades of experience working for Toyota, this book supplies a firsthand account of the realities behind implementing the Toyota Production System (TPS). The Toyota Kaizen Continuum: A Practical Guide to Implementing Lean presents authoritative insight on how to use the TPS to drive operational value and improvement across all segments of an organization.

Highlighting valuable lessons learned directly from the TPS masters at the Toyota factories in Japan, John Stewart provides a time-tested approach for implementing a process of continuous improvement. Delving into his wide-ranging experience—that includes time as a team member on the assembly line and managing the vehicle assembly division for Toyota’s largest European operation in the United Kingdom—he explains how to get the process started, how to get senior management excited about the possibilities, and details a process for implementing the TPS in your organization.

Written by an industry veteran named one of the Top 10 Automotive Executives by Automotive News in 2007
Unveils the methods used within the walls of the world’s premier manufacturing organization
Illustrates valuable lessons learned with real-world examples of TPS implementations
Describes five simple steps for executing the change in any organization
The book includes case studies that illustrate real-life successes and failures behind the walls of the world’s largest automobile manufacturing organization. Detailing a five-step process for executing improvement initiatives, it supplies you with the tools and understanding of the core principles of the TPS needed to implement and sustain a culture of continuous improvement in your organization.