Winner of a 2009 SHingo Research and Professional Publication Prize. Notably flexible and brief, the A3 report has proven to be a key tool In Toyota’s successful move toward organizational efficiency, effectiveness, and improvement, especially within its engineering and R&D organizations. The power of the A3 report, however, derives not from the report itself, but rather from the development of the culture and mindset required for the implementation of the A3 system. In other words, A3 reports are not just an end product but are evidence of a powerful set of dynamics that is referred to as A3 Thinking.

In Understanding A3 Thinking, the authors first show that the A3 report is an effective tool when it is implemented in conjunction with a PDCA-based management philosophy. Toyota views A3 Reports as just one piece in their PDCA management approach. Second, the authors show that the process leading to the development and management of A3 reports is at least as important as the reports themselves, because of the deep learning and professional development that occurs in the process. And finally, the authors provide a number of examples as well as some very practical advice on how to write and review A3 reports.

Winner of a 2009 SHingo Research and Professional Publication Prize. Notably flexible and brief, the A3 report has proven to be a key tool In Toyota’s successful move toward organizational efficiency, effectiveness, and improvement, especially within its engineering and R&D organizations. The power of the A3 report, however, derives not from the report itself, but rather from the development of the culture and mindset required for the implementation of the A3 system. In other words, A3 reports are not just an end product but are evidence of a powerful set of dynamics that is referred to as A3 Thinking.

In Understanding A3 Thinking, the authors first show that the A3 report is an effective tool when it is implemented in conjunction with a PDCA-based management philosophy. Toyota views A3 Reports as just one piece in their PDCA management approach. Second, the authors show that the process leading to the development and management of A3 reports is at least as important as the reports themselves, because of the deep learning and professional development that occurs in the process. And finally, the authors provide a number of examples as well as some very practical advice on how to write and review A3 reports.

Dall'esperto del Toyota Production System, un libro per i piccoli e medi imprenditori italiani. Una vera e proprio guida rivolta a chi governa le aziende che accettano la sfida di creare profitti non riducendo del 10 o 20% i costi, ma mirando a dimezzarli. Perché questo è possibile e il libro spiega come. In un'epoca di feroce competizione sui prezzi, nessuna azienda può più considerare una "vittoria", la riduzione dei costi del 5 o del 10% ottenuta attraverso interventi mirati in alcune specifiche aree della sua organizzazione. Per non limitarsi a sopravvivere, ma per cercare di vincere le sfide lanciate dal mercato globale, l'unico obiettivo possibile, anche per le PMI, è quello di puntare a creare profitti attraverso il dimezzamento dei prezzi. Un obiettivo ambizioso, ma non impossibile, che deve coinvolgere l'intera struttura dell'azienda, partendo dal fondamentale assunto che diminuendo i costi di produzione è possibile generare profitti anche se si riduce della metà il prezzo del prodotto finale. Ovviamente, occorre affrontare una drastica revisione dei metodi di sviluppo prodotti, dei processi di produzione, nonché un impegno a dimezzare ogni elemento nelle voci di spesa, eliminando sprechi evidenti e sprechi nascosti.

Dall'esperto del Toyota Production System, un libro per i piccoli e medi imprenditori italiani. Una vera e proprio guida rivolta a chi governa le aziende che accettano la sfida di creare profitti non riducendo del 10 o 20% i costi, ma mirando a dimezzarli. Perché questo è possibile e il libro spiega come. In un'epoca di feroce competizione sui prezzi, nessuna azienda può più considerare una "vittoria", la riduzione dei costi del 5 o del 10% ottenuta attraverso interventi mirati in alcune specifiche aree della sua organizzazione. Per non limitarsi a sopravvivere, ma per cercare di vincere le sfide lanciate dal mercato globale, l'unico obiettivo possibile, anche per le PMI, è quello di puntare a creare profitti attraverso il dimezzamento dei prezzi. Un obiettivo ambizioso, ma non impossibile, che deve coinvolgere l'intera struttura dell'azienda, partendo dal fondamentale assunto che diminuendo i costi di produzione è possibile generare profitti anche se si riduce della metà il prezzo del prodotto finale. Ovviamente, occorre affrontare una drastica revisione dei metodi di sviluppo prodotti, dei processi di produzione, nonché un impegno a dimezzare ogni elemento nelle voci di spesa, eliminando sprechi evidenti e sprechi nascosti.

Extreme Toyota offers the first real, comprehensive inside look at what makes one of the world?s best companies run. With unprecedented access to the inner working of Toyota, the authors spent six years researching the company, interviewing hundreds of executives and employees, and discovering the company's secret of success. What they uncovered will surprise you and change the way you think about business. Simultaneously rigidly traditional and seriously innovative, it is precisely those internal contradictions that make the company so successful and admired.

Extreme Toyota offers the first real, comprehensive inside look at what makes one of the world?s best companies run. With unprecedented access to the inner working of Toyota, the authors spent six years researching the company, interviewing hundreds of executives and employees, and discovering the company's secret of success. What they uncovered will surprise you and change the way you think about business. Simultaneously rigidly traditional and seriously innovative, it is precisely those internal contradictions that make the company so successful and admired.

Lean Office Demystified II reveals the secrets on how Lean can be leveraged with MS Office (and other applications) to move information where it is needed, when it is needed, in error-free ways never dreamed of - at the speed of sight. Learn how MS Excel, Word, Access, Grove, and Visio, as well as ACT!, Windows Explorer, and Google Docs can be used in applying Lean tools and concepts. This is all conveyed through the Global Winds case study that is included at the end of each chapter. This easy-to-use book includes everything you need for success readiness guides, worksheets, forms, screen shots, application examples, etc. Lean Office Demystified II goes beyond theory to explain how all this works in the actual business case study of Global Winds. Lean Office Demystified II will boost office performance, reduce costs, and increase customer satisfaction, while at the same time create stress-free work place. Computer users, Lean leaders, and front-line employees of the world now unite in this tools and concepts explained in this book! BONUS! The Appendix now contains step-by-step instructions on how to: 1. Create a value stream map in Visio 2. Use Pivot Tables to help identify a value stream 3. Use Excel to create an Employee Balance Chart

Lean Office Demystified II reveals the secrets on how Lean can be leveraged with MS Office (and other applications) to move information where it is needed, when it is needed, in error-free ways never dreamed of - at the speed of sight. Learn how MS Excel, Word, Access, Grove, and Visio, as well as ACT!, Windows Explorer, and Google Docs can be used in applying Lean tools and concepts. This is all conveyed through the Global Winds case study that is included at the end of each chapter. This easy-to-use book includes everything you need for success readiness guides, worksheets, forms, screen shots, application examples, etc. Lean Office Demystified II goes beyond theory to explain how all this works in the actual business case study of Global Winds. Lean Office Demystified II will boost office performance, reduce costs, and increase customer satisfaction, while at the same time create stress-free work place. Computer users, Lean leaders, and front-line employees of the world now unite in this tools and concepts explained in this book! BONUS! The Appendix now contains step-by-step instructions on how to: 1. Create a value stream map in Visio 2. Use Pivot Tables to help identify a value stream 3. Use Excel to create an Employee Balance Chart

"How any organization in any industry can progress from old-fashioned management by results to a strikingly different and better way."James P. Womack, Chairman and Founder, Lean Enterprise Institute This game-changing book puts you behind the curtain of Toyota, providing new insight into the legendary automaker's management practices and offering practical guidance for leading and developing people in a way that makes the best use of their brainpower. Drawing on six years of research into Toyota's employee-management routines, Toyota Kata  examines and elucidates, for the first time, the company's organizational routines--called  kata that power its success with continuous improvement and adaptation. The book also reaches beyond Toyota to explain issues of human behavior in organizations and provide specific answers to questions such as: How can we make improvement and adaptation part of everyday work throughout the organization? How can we develop and utilize the capability of everyone in the organization to repeatedly work toward and achieve new levels of performance? How can we give an organization the power to handle dynamic, unpredictable situations and keep satisfying customers? Mike Rother explains how to improve our prevailing management approach through the use of two kata: Improvement Kata--a repeating routine of establishing challenging target conditions, working step-by-step through obstacles, and always learning from the problems we encounter; and Coaching Kata: a pattern of teaching the improvement kata to employees at every level to ensure it motivates their ways of thinking and acting. With clear detail, an abundance of practical examples, and a cohesive explanation from start to finish, Toyota Kata  gives executives and managers at any level actionable routines of thought and behavior that produce superior results and sustained competitive advantage.

"How any organization in any industry can progress from old-fashioned management by results to a strikingly different and better way."James P. Womack, Chairman and Founder, Lean Enterprise Institute This game-changing book puts you behind the curtain of Toyota, providing new insight into the legendary automaker's management practices and offering practical guidance for leading and developing people in a way that makes the best use of their brainpower. Drawing on six years of research into Toyota's employee-management routines, Toyota Kata  examines and elucidates, for the first time, the company's organizational routines--called  kata that power its success with continuous improvement and adaptation. The book also reaches beyond Toyota to explain issues of human behavior in organizations and provide specific answers to questions such as: How can we make improvement and adaptation part of everyday work throughout the organization? How can we develop and utilize the capability of everyone in the organization to repeatedly work toward and achieve new levels of performance? How can we give an organization the power to handle dynamic, unpredictable situations and keep satisfying customers? Mike Rother explains how to improve our prevailing management approach through the use of two kata: Improvement Kata--a repeating routine of establishing challenging target conditions, working step-by-step through obstacles, and always learning from the problems we encounter; and Coaching Kata: a pattern of teaching the improvement kata to employees at every level to ensure it motivates their ways of thinking and acting. With clear detail, an abundance of practical examples, and a cohesive explanation from start to finish, Toyota Kata  gives executives and managers at any level actionable routines of thought and behavior that produce superior results and sustained competitive advantage.