The Machine That Changed the World : Based on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 5-Million-Dollar 5-Year Study on the Future of the Automobile Hardcover – October 10, 1990

I read the book and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a lot to digest at first but once it started clicking with me I realized it really makes you think. I actually own a 2016 Toyota Camry and it made me look at my Camry in a different way as far as looking at what it took to actually make and produce my car. From tracing it not only to the dealership I bought it from, but now thinking about from when it was designed to the part supplier to the assembly to the paint to all the 10,000 plus parts that are apart of my car. It gives you more of an appreciation for the manufacturing of vehicles. And I myself work in a manufacturing plant, though not for auto. So I am able to look at my job and see the elements of Lean production that we have, though for the most part, we are, in fact a Mass production plant, at least according to how this book broke down each. I will say that this is a great book for anyone in any kind of manufacturing industry as you will get a sense of how production works through all phases. And maybe take some of what you learn and possibly recommend it to your supervisors and managers which may improve things at your own plant possibly.

I love his book and bought another one for a relative. This is real research and reads less like management book but like a non fiction story.I loved learning about the history of car manufacturers and how the business practices established by Ford and GM are why car dealers act the way they do in America. It is a disgrace.Japanese car dealers seem to do the right thing. Very enlightening about how they view their customers vs how the Americans do.

The Machine That Changed the World; The Story of Lean ProductionA great book that although becoming a little outdated portrays the ongoing trends in the automobile production industry in three major cultural areas.The three areas are;the Asian lean production (Toyota) v.s. the American system,(mass production) v.s. the European craftsman system. On a larger scale it will and is affecting manufacturing everywhere.Henry Ford was the founder of the American mass production system, and Ford was very successful adopting it to the aircraft and steel industries. American companies adopted this system and it is one of the main reasons for American pre-eminence in many industries worldwide. Toyota has become the founder of the Lean system of manufacturing. Most of theearly adherents to this system were other large Japanese companies, and responsible for the Japanese manufacturing miracle since the 1960's, as it was adapted from automotive to all manner of industries.The book is well written and interesting even though it is based on an MIT study of global trends in the auto industry. I would like to see an update to this book. The one anomaly I see is the German Automobile industry. If Japan and Korea have some of the most efficient auto manufacturing plants in the world andNorth America is becoming more competitive, what is happening in Europe comes as no surprise. Many European automakers have yet to fully embrace American mass production techniques and are now faced with the greater efficiencies of Leanproduction. The book does not explain in my mind the success of the German Auto industry. It seems to be the one exception to the rule.

required reading for anyone involved in Lean Manufacturing. Easy to read and very interesting

A very useful book that's written in a very clear way. It may seem that the content is simple, BUT IT IS NOT. This book is in my opinion a must read for any Industrial Engineer, Manager, or Supervisor working in a manufacturing environment. It can be used also for training and kaizen events.Don't expect to know everything about lean manufacturing, JIT, or modern IE just by reading this book, it's more like a must do introduction to the subject(s).In summary, a great book that offer a clean entrance into a new manufacturing world with a new way of thinking and doing more with less.