![Toyota: differentiation and vitality](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64905fb55d9169ba1ce93c56_How-Toyota-differentiates-itself-and-stays-successful.jpeg)
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FEATURE – Toyota recently achieved the #1 spot in sales in the United States after 90 years of leadership by GM, which shows how capable the lean management philosophy is to overcome difficult circumstances in the market.
![Post-pandemic hansei](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/649061b02b30177b27a346a7_Jim-Womack-on-JIT-and-pandemic-shortages-1.jpeg)
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FEATURE – Back on the road after two years, the author reflects on how lean organizations have performed during the pandemic and addresses age-old misunderstandings about Just-in-Time.
![8 key lessons from Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64905c985eb610bfff7639e7_Roundup-eight-lessons-from-Toyota.jpeg)
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ROUND-UP – Our editor looks back at the most insightful articles Planet Lean has published on the most talked-about company in the lean world. Here are eight key lessons from Toyota, straight from our archives.
![A chat with Furuta-san](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64905c75e2a3056222585cd6_PL-interviews-Nate-Furuta.png)
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INTERVIEW – PL meets the author of the recently published book Welcome Problems, Find Success, who discusses bringing lean to different cultures and changing managerial behaviors.
![Reflecting on Nate Furuta’s legacy](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6491d4d45f4154508705460c_Mark-Reich-on-the-legacy-of-Nate-Furuta-at-Toyota.jpg)
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INTERVIEW – Looking back at the time he spent at Toyota, Mark Reich reflects on his experience working with Nate Furuta and on his legacy exporting Toyota cultures around the world.
![What my Toyota mentors taught me about problem-finding](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6489c8518fec7a3e71bcadb8_Nate-Furuta-on-what-he-learned-from-his-sensei.jpeg)
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FEATURE – Introducing his book, the author tells us what his Toyota mentors taught him with their contrasting, but ultimately complimentary approaches to problem finding.
![Don’t try to copy Toyota, understand it instead](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6489c8414ef143be93288517_Nate-Furuta-on-understanding-Toyota-rather-than-copying-it.jpeg)
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FEATURE – Based on his direct decades-long experience at Toyota, the author explains what it takes to establish problem-finding and a kaizen culture in new environments.
![Creating Toyota cultures around the world](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64904137e7f55a56312e8908_John-Shook-on-the-new-book-by-Nate-Furuta.png)
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FEATURE – The Lean Global Network just published a new book by Kiyoshi “Nate” Furuta sharing compelling examples of how Toyota principles and culture can be effectively spread to new environments.
![Bringing Dantotsu quality improvement to parts makers](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6490413188a81e8c18f7ae7e_Bringing-Dantotsu-quality-improvement-to-parts-suppliers.png)
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FEATURE – Improving supplier quality and reduce defects was an important part of Toyota Industries Corporation’s (TICO) Dantotsu activities since the very beginning. In this article, the author visits two parts suppliers.
![A chat with Nomura-san](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6491d538ccc9a2374192b3d3_Interview-Sadao-Nomura.png)
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INTERVIEW – Following his 10 years at Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) teaching his Dantotsu method for radical quality improvement, Sadao Nomura spoke to Japanese magazine Kojo Kanri (Factory Management).
![Superior quality to beat the competition](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64917c3e2cba038f8a68be26_Kojo-Kanri-article-on-Dantotsu-at-Toyota.jpg)
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FEATURE – Today we repurpose a great article published in 2016 on Japanese industry magazine Kojo Kanri that focuses on radical quality improvement at Toyota Industries Corporation.
![How Dantotsu helped us to radically improve our quality](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64905c7541ecae83932c1a84_Dantotsu-at-Toyota-Material-Handling-Italy.png)
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INTERVIEW – The former executive of the Toyota Material Handling plant in Italy reflects on how Sadao Nomura’s “Dantotsu” method helped them to drastically improve quality.
![Two giants, two communities, one lasting thing](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/649040ce0362c1a424c66a60_The-legacy-of-Ezra-Vogel-and-Norman-Bodek-according-to-John-Shook.jpeg)
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FEATURE – John Shook remembers the work of Ezra Vogel and Norman Bodek and discusses how, in their own way, each of their contributions help us to understand the Toyota Production System.
![Six Toyota practices for leading with respect](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6490553e5a62fa17f942ab82_Six-Toyota-practices-for-leading-with-respect.jpeg)
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FEATURE – The authors share the main insights from a webinar with two Toyota leaders from South America, on the leadership practices that have allowed the company to sustain results for decades.
![A lean view on... the fight against climate change](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64905531d3731fb704f1a18c_Lean-Thinking-against-climate-change.jpeg)
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INTERVIEW – What is the contribution of Lean Thinking to the battle against climate change? Michael Ballé discusses the Toyota approach to sustainability and what it takes to push "green" to the top of the business agenda.
![Passing down TPS across generations](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64905c4f484d6584d7a50306_Passing-TPS-knowledge-through-generations.jpeg)
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FEATURE – This intimate account looks back at the time one of the authors spent working with Harada-san and how it shaped his career and encouraged him to spread TPS knowledge.
![Keep calm and manage stably: Akio Toyoda on crises](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6490404182a360006996da43_Akio-Toyoda-on-continuity-in-a-crisis-scaled.jpeg)
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FEATURE – Akio Toyoda’s May 12th press conference to present Toyota’s financial results offers great insights into how the company is reacting to the pandemic, say Jeff Liker and John Shook.
![Harada-san and the steps to better Jidoka](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/649054fa63a93ea201dee343_Harada-and-the-steps-to-better-jidoka-1.png)
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FEATURE – In the first piece of a series on Takehiko Harada’s contribution to TPS, the authors discuss the Nagara Switch and how it helps to achieve better Jidoka.
![What does learning look like at Toyota?](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/649054dd0362c1a424e18478_Lean-learning-at-Toyota.jpeg)
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INTERVIEW – Toyota’s approach to developing capabilities and its focus on life-long learning are inspirational. But how do people at Toyota actually learn?
![Introducing the Toyota Flow System](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64903ee3d3731fb704d2fe44_Fighting-disruption-with-the-Toyota-Flow-System-scaled.jpeg)
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FEATURE – In the age of complexity and disruption, flowing value to customers as quickly as possible is critical. The new Toyota Flow System strives to address this issue.
![Leading a quality revolution](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64903ed703db594661cc4f98_Sadao-Nomura-on-leading-quality-efforts-at-Toyota-Material-Handling.jpeg)
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INTERVIEW – A couple of weeks ago, our editor caught up with Toyota veteran Sadao Nomura. In this Q&A, he discusses quality improvement and leadership engagement.
![Surviving an inflection point](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6491884fbc7b76c2d233b9a8_Surviving-the-car-industry-inflection-point.jpg)
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FEATURE – The car industry is undergoing incredible change and ‘disruption’ is the word on everyone’s lips. How can companies survive it? Once again, Toyota shows us the way.
![Jishuken at Toyota Motor Kyushu](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64903ea517bde34df61872e5_Toyota-Motor-Kyushu.jpeg)
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INTERVIEW – A team from LGN just spent a week on the gemba with Toyota veteran Hideshi Yokoi for a jishuken exercise. We asked him to explain to us how he used this practice while at Toyota Motor Kyushu.
![The formula behind the success of Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6491d9a87c7373fba85d21b8_The-formula-behind-Toyota-engagement-1.jpg)
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INTERVIEW – What is the secret to Toyota’s ability to engage people in continuous improvement? Tracey and Ernie Richardson look back at their time with the company and tell us.
![Developing lean thinkers – Lessons from Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6412d5ed6fed9018db51244e_Lessons-on-people-development-from-Toyota.jpeg)
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VIDEO - In this video from the recent European Lean Educator Conference, John Shook and Isao Yoshino draw on their experience at Toyota to reflect on the development of lean thinkers.
![Bringing agility to Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6491d6407d8e745e50712244_The-Agile-journey-of-Toyota-Connected-1.jpg)
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INTERVIEW – The Chief of Agile at Toyota Connected tells us about the agility journey of Toyota and explains why the divide between lean thinking and Agile has no reason to exist.
![What this leader has learned in 40 years at Toyota Australia](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64903dff18828135d87a9907_Doug-Rickarby-with-the-Best-Global-Car-at-Toyota-Australia.jpeg)
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PROFILE – What does one learn from working for Toyota over 40 years? This Australian leader has developed a unique holistic view, and a strong set of technical and social skills.
![How we secured a future for employees at Toyota Australia](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6491876f351278850e07afdd_Crowds-on-the-day-the-Altona-plant-closed-down.jpg)
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![Toyota Australia Altona closure lean thinking](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64903ddd82a3600069939a15_Crowds-on-the-day-the-Altona-plant-closed-down.jpeg)
FEATURE – Last year’s shut-down of Toyota’s Altona plant in Australia moved us all. Here, the former Divisional Manager of Manufacturing offers a first-hand account of how the company made the most of a terrible situation.
![Isao Yoshino reflects on the role of management at Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6490545888a81e8c1811249b_Catherine-Chabiron-interviews-Isao-Yoshino-on-the-role-of-management-at-Toyota.png)
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INTERVIEW – In this Q&A with Catherine Chabiron, Toyota veteran Isao Yoshino discusses NUMMI, management at the company, and how to change the mindsets of leaders.
![Walking the gemba at a Toyota parts supplier in Japan](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64903d9a03db594661cabb1d_Gemba-walk-at-Toyota-supplier-Mifune.jpeg)
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![Mifune supply chain management Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64903d9a03db594661cabb1d_Gemba-walk-at-Toyota-supplier-Mifune.jpeg)
NOTES FROM THE GEMBA – This month, the author shares her account of a recent gemba walk at a Tier 2 Toyota supplier, which has achieved impressive results by applying TPS.
![Five key takeaways from our lean week visiting Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64905bfc7e95f498621b6474_The-key-lessons-we-as-LGN-learned-during-a-week-in-Toyota-City.jpeg)
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ROUND-UP – The Lean Global Network’s week in Japan in September was full of learning and inspiration. We asked five LGNers to share their biggest takeaways.
![John Shook discusses Toyota and Japan at Nagoya station](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6490543a08036a5581401189_John-Shook-with-Mr-Katsumata-Chief-Engineer-of-the-Camry-in-Toyota-City.jpeg)
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![John Shook in Toyota City with the LGN](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6490543a08036a5581401189_John-Shook-with-Mr-Katsumata-Chief-Engineer-of-the-Camry-in-Toyota-City.jpeg)
INTERVIEW – For its 10th anniversary, the Lean Global Network went to Japan for a study mission. Our editor spoke with John Shook on a Shinkansen platform after four days in Toyota City and Nagoya.
![Reflections on a week in Toyota City](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64903cace0b6bd35b1f405d9_A-visit-to-Toyota-Industries-Shokki-plant-near-Nagoya.jpeg)
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WOMACK’S YOKOTEN – Last week, during a study mission in Japan, the Lean Global Network visited Toyota. Here, Jim shares his thoughts on what we saw and learned.
![Tracey Richardson on the deep meaning of standards at Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6491cd86fd4b5a179171e73c_Tracey-Richardson-talks-standardization-and-leadership-lessons-from-Toyota.jpg)
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FEATURE – Through this intimate anecdote from her days at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, the author tells us of her experience with standardization… and of the deep leadership lessons hiding behind it.
![What informs disaster recovery efforts at Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6490523c3b532ed878189197_Taka-Fujimoto-on-how-Toyota-deals-with-natural-disasters.jpeg)
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FEATURE – Much has been said and written about Toyota’s ability to recover from disasters. What many don’t realize, however, is that the company’s recovery strategy is informed by its underlying values – not just its tools.
![Learning about environmental concerns and strategy at Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64905bf1a9f212f194de2362_Kelly-Singer-interviews-Steve-Hope-on-the-environmental-strategy-of-Toyota.jpeg)
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INTERVIEW – It might seem a paradox that the world’s largest automaker is setting the pace for corporate social responsibility. Then again, Toyota never really followed the status quo. Kelly Singer interviews Toyota's Steve Hope.
![Jim Womack drives the Toyota Mirai and talks lean and green](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6492aaf8b3a6f1b2e6861dd5_Jim-Womack-drives-the-Toyota-Mirai-from-Boston-to-Philadelphia-and-reflects-on-lean-and-green.jpeg)
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WOMACK’S YOKOTEN – After a road trip from Boston to Philadelphia driving Toyota’s hydrogen fuel-cell Mirai, Jim reflects on lean and green and why the two are not necessarily the same.
![Jim Womack on the lean shut-down of Toyota Australia](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64905220ddf5bffc69ca274e_The-lean-shut-down-of-Toyota-Australia.jpeg)
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WOMACK'S YOKOTEN – On October 3, Toyota will cease its manufacturing operations in Australia, but the way it is managing the transition - in the leanest way possible - holds great lessons for us all.
![Takao Sakai on product and process development at Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64903b5463a93ea201bd2797_Knowledge-management-in-Toyota-product-development.jpeg)
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INTERVIEW – At the recent LPPDE event in England, Planet Lean editor Roberto Priolo sat with Takao Sakai to understand how Toyota approaches product and process development and how the Chief Engineer system works.
![Polyglot and TPS student – a profile of Toyota Europe's CIO](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64903b3a59e5b140ae2921a6_The-story-of-a-mathematician-and-polyglot-who-became-a-lean-leader-and-CIO-of-Toyota-Motor-Europe.jpeg)
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PROFILE – A commitment to learning and the humility to understand we never really know enough have led a Belgian mathematician to become a polyglot… and the CIO of Toyota Motor Europe.
![Mike Hoseus on why respect is distinctive to Toyota culture](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64903b0c5ee9e1391d9b8927_Too-often-we-forget-the-respect-for-people-pillar-of-the-Toyota-house-but-without-it-lean-thinking-will-fail.jpeg)
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INTERVIEW – Mike Hoseus reflects on his time at Toyota and on how the respect for people side of lean thinking is too often neglected and we tend to focus on continuous improvement only. The two must go together, or your house will collapse.
![Interview with Toyota and leadership expert Art Smalley](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64903b0a7868688577e7bbb2_Lean-leadership-lessons-from-Toyota-an-interview-with-Art-Smalley.jpeg)
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INTERVIEW – Last month we caught up with Toyota veteran Art Smalley in Las Vegas and discussed with him the role of leadership in a lean transformation and the four different types of problem solving he talks about in his new book.
![An interview with Ian Hurst and Keith Edwards, Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64905177163c4990b05f6bf3_Planet-Lean-editor-Roberto-Priolo-interviews-Toyota-Lean-Management-Centre.jpeg)
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INTERVIEW – At the recent UK Lean Summit, Ian Hurst and Keith Edwards of the Toyota Lean Management Centre ran an insightful workshop on standard work. We sat down with them to discuss standardization, respect for people and waste elimination.
![Discussing product development with a leading TPS expert](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6481d9d0bf385ae31aa89c39_Planet-Lean-discusses-product-development-at-Toyota-with-Lesa-Nichols-one-of-America-s-leading-experts-on-the-Toyota-Production-System.jpeg)
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INTERVIEW – PL speaks to one of America's leading experts on the Toyota Production System about Toyota's unique approach to integrating product development with all other functions in the business.
![What Toyota and the Green Berets have in common](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/648ab161ac16ce58b7c0d1df_What-do-Toyota-and-the-United-States-Army-s-Special-Forces-have-in-common-Planet-Lean-speaks-to-the-former-head-of-training-for-the-Green-Berets.jpeg)
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INTERVIEW - What do the United States Army’s Special Forces unit and Toyota have in common? To find out, we spoke to the Green Berets’ former Director of Training at the LEI summit in New Orleans.
![Lean management lessons from Procter&Gamble and Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64905145cf962d0707ee0aa6_The-virtuous-circle-of-sustainable-growth-how-lean-management-practices-at-ProcterGamble-and-Toyota-make-for-an-environment-based-on-customer-focus-and-people-development-8.jpeg)
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FEATURE - What do Toyota and Procter&Gamble have in common? A passion for developing people, a focus on customer satisfaction, and... enviable results that are sustained over time.
![The application of lean IT at Toyota Motor Europe](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64902c3d768de9f4a3f538d1_The-application-of-lean-it-at-toyota-motor-europe-3.jpeg)
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VIDEO INTERVIEW - We spoke with Toyota Motor Europe's CIO at the Lean IT Summit about hoshin and IT, the application of the agile methodology, and the power of coaching.
![How Toyota integrates IT across its European operations](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/6491de6f9305b960a29b2c50_PierreMasaiInterview.png)
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INTERVIEW - Pierre Masai, CIO of Toyota Motor Europe, discusses IT across the company's operations in Europe, highlighting the importance of people engagement and experiments.
![A former assistant manager recounts his time at Toyota](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64902b0b163c4990b02cf426_path.jpeg)
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FEATURE - The author looks back at his many years with Toyota and shares some of the key lessons he learned along the way. What a unique company!
![Still Toyota? What about Volkswagen?](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/648abd477a45e85395421953_carmanufacturing.jpeg)
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COLUMN - Michael Ballé on why Toyota still inspires him in a way that no other organization can, and on the lessons lean thinkers can learn from the two most successful carmakers.
![How Toyota Material Handling applies principles of lean IT](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63e10f20140d9cbf73f9b946/64902b6aef8518c3cca8c3bd_InterviewBorglund2.png)
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INTERVIEW - Håkan Borglund, CIO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, speaks with Planet Lean about Toyota principles and the role of lean IT at Toyota Material Handling.