Table of Contents

Foreword (to the First Edition) by Gary Convis
Acknowledgments
Preface: The Wonderful Wacky World of Lean

INTRODUCTION The Toyota Way: Using Operational Excellence
as a Strategic Weapon
A Storied History: How Toyota Became
the World’s Best Manufacturer

PART ONE
PHILOSOPHY: LONG-TERM SYSTEMS THINKING
PRINCIPLE 1 Base Your Management Decisions on Long-Term
Systems Thinking, Even at the Expense of Short-Term
Financial Goals

PART TWO
PROCESS: STRUGGLE TO FLOW VALUE
TO EACH CUSTOMER
PRINCIPLE 2 Connect People and Processes Through Continuous
Process Flow to Bring Problems to the Surface
PRINCIPLE 3 Use “Pull” Systems to Avoid Overproduction
PRINCIPLE 4 Level Out the Workload, Like the Tortoise,
Not the Hare (Heijunka)
PRINCIPLE 5 Work to Establish Standardized Processes as
the Foundation for Continuous Improvement
PRINCIPLE 6 Build a Culture of Stopping to Identify
Out-of-Standard Conditions and Build in Quality
PRINCIPLE 7 Use Visual Control to Support People in
Decision-Making and Problem Solving
PRINCIPLE 8 Adopt and Adapt Technology That Supports
Your People and Processes

PART THREE
PEOPLE: RESPECT, CHALLENGE, AND GROW
YOUR PEOPLE AND PARTNERS TOWARD
A VISION OF EXCELLENCE
PRINCIPLE 9 Grow Leaders Who Thoroughly Understand the Work,
Live the Philosophy, and Teach It to Others
PRINCIPLE 10 Develop Exceptional People and Teams Who
Follow Your Company’s Philosophy
PRINCIPLE 11 Respect Your Value Chain Partners by Challenging
Them and Helping Them Improve

PART FOUR
PROBLEM SOLVING: THINK AND ACT SCIENTIFICALLY
TO IMPROVE TOWARD A DESIRED FUTURE
PRINCIPLE 12 Observe Deeply and Learn Iteratively (PDCA)
to Meet Each Challenge
PRINCIPLE 13 Focus the Improvement Energy of Your People
Through Aligned Goals at All Levels
PRINCIPLE 14 Learn Your Way to the Future Through Bold Strategy,
Some Large Leaps, and Many Small Steps

PART FIVE
CONCLUSION: BE THOUGHTFUL
AND EVOLVE YOUR ENTERPRISE
Grow Your Own Lean Learning Enterprise—Getting
Ideas and Inspiration from the Toyota Way

APPENDIX An Executive Summary and Assessment
of the 14 Principles
Glossary
For Further Reading
Index

About the Author

Jeffrey K. Liker, Ph.D., author of the bestselling The Toyota Way, is Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan and coowner of lean consulting firm Optiprise, Inc. His Shingo-Prize winning work has appeared in The Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review, and other leading publications.