The Ohno Method ®

Many organizations around the world attempt to emulate the Toyota Production System (TPS) by adopting its techniques to boost performance, yet the results are often short‑lived. They frequently fail to cultivate the organizational culture required for employees to sustain and build upon Toyota’s success. Compounding this challenge is the absence of a comprehensive interpretation of how Taiichi Ohno shaped Toyota’s leadership culture from the very beginning — until now.

Understanding these missing elements of the Toyota Production System is essential to fully grasp The Ohno Method®. At its core is the recognition that developing people’s untapped potential and skills is a strategic advantage. This book provides that insight and illuminates crucial, long‑overlooked aspects of TPS.

What many do not realize is that when Taiichi Ohno resigned from Toyota in 1979, he told his trusted disciple, “The Toyota Production System is still incomplete. It must evolve from now on to be perfected.” He then dedicated the next decade of his life to advancing his vision of Just‑In‑Time through unique applications of the “Respect for People” principle.

The authors are uniquely positioned to tell this story. For more than 30 years, they have followed in Ohno’s footsteps in Japan and contributed to the development of The Ohno Method® beyond TPS and Toyota, guided and endorsed by Ohno’s protégé and their mentor, Hitoshi Yamada. They have successfully applied The Ohno Method® across diverse industries worldwide, adapting it to the needs of modern organizations while staying true to Ohno’s original vision.