Few industries have influenced management styles in the United States and Japan as much as the automotive industry. When Henry Ford introduced the assembly line at his manufacturing plants, he changed the American worker's way of life. Arthur Deming's suggestions of quality circles in the mid-twentieth century were successfully adopted not by American manufacturers, but by the Japanese; the resulting exports changed the cars that American companies produced. Since World War II, distinct management styles have become apparent in Japanese and American automobile manufacturing, styles based as much on each country's culture as on textbook management techniques. This research examines the management styles of two manufacturers, Honda and Saturn, and considers the changes that Japanese and American management has undergone in recent years.
Soichiro Honda, founder of Honda Motor Company, imbued the organization with the "Honda Way," a central philosophy which is both elusive and effective. According to executive vice president Soichiro Irimajiri, it took one year to develop an English description of corporate policy, which amounts to everyone working diligently and in unity to develop competitive products. These products are efficiently produced and priced reasonably for the global market.
The core of the Honda Way is a uniformly understood set of principles which guides each employee's actions in any situation. The principles are prominently posted in Honda installations throughout the world, and are applied regardless of job title or rank. The result of these principles is that every employee strives toward the same goal and behaves in a manner which is in concert with all other employee actions, regardless of the situation. In summary, the Honda Way consists of the following:
proceed always with ambition and youthfulness; respect sound theory, develop fresh ideas and make the most effective use of time; enjoy your work ...