トヨタ自動車の欧州生産事業 : 生産システムの移転

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This paper represents an attempt to investigate the transferability ofthe Toyota production system into Europe, as adjudged from fieldresearch conducted at manufacturing plants. I have defined the Toyotaproduction system as an entity made up of three elements: (1) rationalproduction control methods (such as just-in-time or small-lot production),(2) high-level skill formation of workers (e.g. job rotation andproblem-solving on the line), and (3) long-term transactions between agiven assembly firm and its parts-makers. The central theme of myresearch is devoted to the question of whether it is possible to transferthis system, born in Japan, to a European environment. In Europe,Toyota tries to apply the system so as to maintain its own competitiveadvantage there. By contrast, Europe adopted a mass production systemfrom the United States; therefore, European managerial environmentsdiffer from those of Japan. How, then, does Toyota transfer itsunique system to Europe? Which elements are applied and which arenot? The targeted sites are two assembling plants, located respectivelyin England and France. My intention is to investigate the high potentialityof Toyota-system transfer to Europe through analysis of the applicationand adaptation situation at the two plants.
2006-08-28