Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson was founded in 1903 by Bill Harley and three brothers (the Davidsons). The company dominated the super heavyweight class of motorcycle for most of its history, but suffered severe quality problems during the 1970s and early 1980s. Some dealers found that they had to make repairs on bikes delivered from the factory before they could sell them, and stories circulated throughout the industry that Harley owners bought two bikes: one to ride, and the other to use as a source of spare parts (Voss, 1993, p. 26).

At the same time, there was increased competition from Japanese manufacturers who produced lighter, cheaper and more dependable motorcycles, and who targeted a different class of rider than Harley. While the super-heavyweights were increasingly

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leadership institute is designed to provide greater opportunities for training. The company is also moving to a pay for performance compensation program, and the institute is intended to help make that transition easier by providing employees with the tools they will need to excel in the new compensation program. At the same time that the company has been changing its human resources approach, it has also been implementing changes in its process management that indicate it has learned from its Japanese competitors. Aside from having a vice president of continuous improvement, which is indicative of the company's high commitment to quality, the company has instituted advanced manufacturing techniques at its Milwaukee plant. These include quality circles and just-in-time inventory control, two "imports" from Japanese companies. Harley-Davidson works closely with suppliers to keep its in-process inventory carrying costs low, and to build working relationships that are profitable for both supplier and customer. As a result, the company has seen significant improvement in both productivity and quality. The company has recently expanded its operations to include Holiday Rambler, which specializes in recreational and commercial v
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Approximate Word count = 3445
Approximate Pages = 14 (250 words per page)

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