Most books about Toyota's approach to workplace improvement describe Toyota's practices as case studies or stories. Designed to aid in the implementation of Lean manufacturing from a management perspective, this book presents a new way of exploring Toyota's management system-one that integrates systems thinking with Lean implementation. It explains that most organizations already have what it takes to succeed with TPS. What's usually missing is balance. This book supplies a blueprint for understanding how to put the TPS pieces together to achieve that balance.

Introduction. Systems Theory and the Relation to TPS. The System Property of Holism in TPS (roles). The System Property of Goal Seeking in TPS (industrial engineering). The System Property of Goal Seeking in TPS (problem solving). The System Property of Regulation in TPS (Jishukens and Quality Circles). The System Property of Differentiation in TPS (leadership). The System Property of Hierarchies in TPS (Hoshin Kanri). The System Property of Transformation in TPS (change management). The System Property of Entropy in TPS (Human Resources). The System Property of Reversibility in TPS (Unions). The System Property of Negative Entropy (Organizational Learning). The System Property of Requisite of Variety (Production Leveling). The System Property of Interrelationship and Interdependence (Supplier Development). The System Property of Equifinality and Multifinalty (Product Design). The System Property of Equifinality and Multifinalty (Maintenance).