In January 2000, Mercedes-Benz started to implement the Mercedes-Benz Prod- tion System (MPS) throughout its world-wide passenger car plants. This event is exemplary of a trend within the automotive industry: the creation and introduction of company-specific standardised production systems. It gradually emerged with the introduction of the Chrysler Operating System (COS) in the mid-1990s and represents a distinct step in the process towards implementing the universal pr- ciples of lean thinking as propagated by the MIT-study. For the academic field of industrial sociology and labour policy, the emergence of this trend seems to mark a new stage in the evolution of the debate about production systems in the auto- tive industry (Jürgens 2002:2), particularly as it seems to undermine the stand of the critics of the one-best way model (Boyer and Freyssenet 1995). The introduction of company-level standardised production systems marks the starting point of the present study. At the core of it is a case study about the M- cedes Benz Production System (MPS).

The Japanese automotive industry enjoyed spectacular success in the 1980s. This was largely due to the so-called 'Lean Production System' - the combination of an efficient production system, an effective supplier system, and a product development system. In the 1990s the industry fell on hard times because of the Japanese asset price bubble and extreme currency appreciation. In this book, eminent industry specialist Koichi Shimokawa draws on his thirty years of research and fieldwork with Japanese and American firms, to show how the Japanese automotive industry has managed to recover from this difficult period. He shows how firms like Toyota were able to transfer Japanese systems to overseas plants and how they have changed in order to compete in increasingly globalized markets. In addition, the book also addresses the two major challenges to the current industry model: the rise of China and the environmental and energy supply situation.

In today's fast-paced and competitive manufacturing landscape, industries worldwide face the pressing challenge of optimizing production processes to meet ever-growing demands for efficiency, quality, and sustainability. Traditional manufacturing systems often need help to meet these demands, leading to inefficiencies, quality issues, and increased costs. To address these challenges, there is a critical need for a comprehensive understanding of advanced production management principles, such as the Toyota Production System (TPS) and its evolution into the Advanced TPS. Revolutionary Automobile Production Systems for Optimal Quality, Efficiency, and Cost serves as a definitive guide for scholars seeking to understand and implement the principles of TPS and Advanced TPS in modern manufacturing management. By offering a deep dive into these systems' philosophy, theory, and practical applications, the book equips readers with the knowledge and tools needed to revolutionize their manufacturing processes. Whether you're a scholar looking to expand your knowledge or a practitioner seeking to enhance your organization's manufacturing capabilities, this book offers a compelling solution to modern manufacturing challenges.

This edited volume examines the American influence on West German and Japanese industry from the 1950s to the 1970s, providing a valuable contribution to the debate on 'Americanization' from a historical and comparative perspective. Individual contributions provide an in-depth analysis of the adoption and modification of management and technological issues from the US in West Germany and Japan at the micro-economic level.

Revised and updated papers originally presented at the 7th Japanese-German Geographical Conference, Aug. 16-27, 1992, in Heidelberg and Duisburg, Germany.

This book is intended for manufacturing and engineering professionals and academics.

This study explains the various influences of the Japanese automobile industry on industrial development in both Southeast Asia and Europe.

While other industrialized and developing countries look towards Japan as an economic model, the political, cultural, and social arrangements that have so far allowed Japan to succeed are eroding. In particular, Japan faces a system of industrial relations that places great strain on all of Japanese society. In The Postwar Japanese System, William Tabb distinguishes between those aspects of Japanese success that can and cannot be transferred successfully to help in the revitalization of the American economy. The author discusses Japanese economic history from before the Meiji Restoration to the present, and looks at Japanese politics, state-corporate relations, the labor relations system in Japan and the nature of work as experienced by Japanese employees. He examines the organization of the Japanese corporation versus the American corporation, industrial policy, education, urban and regional reorganization, and Japan's role in the world today (and tomorrow). And, Tabb thoughtfully explores the fundamental social, political, and economic transitions the Japanese are currently experiencing. The Postwar Japanese System succeeds in placing the economic "miracle" in its proper social and political framework. A broad, intelligent overview of the Japanese political economy, the book suggests important implications for the United States in the story of Japan's prosperity and current distress. It will be a key resource for all those interested in Japanese society.