one more JIT

Fiat Spa. has taken over the management of Chrysler. Fiat is implementing JIT - the system they have at Toyota, at Chrysler. So now, there will be larger teams, less supervisors, error eradication at source, and lots of other things. Check this article here -

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090824/AUTO01/908240334/Fiat-takes-aim-at-waste-in-Chrysler-plant-overhauls

I can bet that this will be a grand failure. It is understandable that Fiat had to start with a bang. They had to show that they are doing something different. This was the only way they could have generated some hope of survival.

Toyota Production System or JIT or Lean, needs willing cooperation from the workers. The system needs everyone in the company to be convinced of the way ahead. Only then can the changes succeed. Pushing in the JIT based changes create a hollow system. Lot of posters are put on the walls, new jargons introduced, but nothing substantial changes.

It is not to say that Chrysler can't be made profitable. There are always many different philosophies. Lean is not the only way to run a company. The only problem is that if Lean is to be implemented then the complete package needs to be spread out. Using just the tools, without introducing the culture can never work. Forcing the people to wear uniforms and keep just one bottle of water at work stations is definitely not how Lean should start.