Toyota’s name has been plastered in the headlines providing it the publicity no organization would wish for.

Historically, Toyota had achieved a global reputation for the production of very high quality vehicles. The Toyota Production System, or the Toyota Way, is being taught, learned, and implemented in a variety of organizations from manufacturing and service, to hospitality, health care, and education. That’s why the recent bungling over a spate of global recalls appears to be so out of character; did the giant blink?

While responding to the safety issues, Akio Toyoda, the CEO of Toyota, acknowledged that Toyota had gotten too focused in gaining market share and becoming the largest auto manufacturer in the world. Apparently, it failed to practice what it preached and fell short in following its basic tenets of rigorous testing, managerial oversight, and valuing customers, thereby enabling problems to creep in.  

One lesson is obvious: Quality cannot be compromised; blink at your own peril.

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