SEVERAL years ago, a supervisor from a major factory registered for our annual five-day Japan study mission where participants would have a first-hand view of the world-class facilities and best practices of Toyota and its suppliers. The trip was a reward for his having directly contributed to eliminating wasteful operations on the shop floor using Lean Thinking principles.
He was credited for discovering many bright ideas that netted their company more than $50,000 for the first year of implementation.
The participation fee was pegged at $2,000 per person covering six nights' hotel accommodation plus the chance to be coached by a Japanese expert who had worked for Toyota for 40 years. It also included a lecture on the basic principles of the Toyota Production System, visa assistance, land transport, entrance to related exhibitions and museums, some meals, and related amenities. The plane ticket cost was excluded to allow participants to choose their favorite carrier and use their airline miles.
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