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Automation, motivation and lean production reconsidered

Article Information:

Title:

Automation, motivation and lean production reconsidered

Author(s):

Dan Coffey, Carole Thornley

Journal:

Assembly Automation

Year:

2006

Volume:

26

Issue:

2

Page:

98 - 103


ISSN:

0144-5154


DOI:

10.1108/01445150610658068

Publisher:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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Abstract:

Purpose – Aims to present an alternative way of interpreting unfolding events as these pertain to the organisation of manufacturing practices in the assembly plants of the leading Japanese car assembler, Toyota.

Design/methodology/approach – This is an analysis of assembly plant automation in the automotive industry.

Findings – Fifteen years ago, it was argued that the lean car assembly plants of the future would be comprehensively automated, but that in the meantime organization rather than automation was the watch-word for efficient plants. Today it is possible to invert this prognosis as it applies to the leading “lean” car assembler, Toyota. Automation certainly played a much larger role in accounting for high labour productivity in the late 1980s than has generally been understood; but in the subsequent years priority has been given to managing the manual component in car assembly, and aggressive automation as a preferred strategy has been put on ice.

Originality/value – The findings raise new questions about future trends in the world automotive industry.

Keywords:

Assembly, Automation, Automotive industry, Lean production


Article Type:

Viewpoint


Article URL:

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/01445150610658068

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