P3DBA1-1
Table of Contents
Case Study
After World War II, the Japanese auto market was struggling while other car manufacturers like Ford and General Motors were expanding rapidly.Understanding that something major had to be done in order to keep pace with their Western rivals, Taiichi Ohno, an engineer at Toyota, convinced his managers to implement the just-in-time approach to manufacturing.Instead of having to order and store an insane amount of heavy equipment and machinery, Ohno thought it made a whole lot more sense to receive supplies the moment they were ready to be used.
- What risks could have been involved in this change?
- What contingency plans do you think Toyota might have put in place?
- Why would it be important for effective leadership of the change?
- How do you think Toyota could have evaluated the impact of the change following implementation?
It is rare that there is just one way to respond to a scenario or situation, so do not consider that the response you have chosen to this scenario will be judged as right or wrong. Share your scenario with a work colleague and ask them to tell you if they think you have responded appropriately. Ask them to challenge your response if necessary. You do not need to submit this task for assessment unless asked to do so by your tutor.