Asking abt TOYOTA 豐田

Rare resources of an organization could create strength and even growth that would result in distinctive competencies & capabilities, and eventually it could outperform rivals.
What are the rare resources of Toyota and its rivals would fail to copy?
Toyota’s products could be in good quality as good design, innovative, or fuel saving, or hybrid power or reliable, therefore customer would like to make re-buy decisions; There is high productive for sure (making car/ about 13-min), while it could also realize cost leadership best in class. How can it do that?
Total Quality Management (TQM)
i) Organizational environment--- TQM philosophy (Zero defect quality or say Poke Yoke& Fool Proof work design had been raised by the late quality guru of Toyota Mr Shigeo Shingo and learning organization has been established in Toyota.
ii) People (employees) of all levels are letting free to act any quality issues and report to their seniors for problem solutions. Its genetic code could be 1) employees have received effective training and educations on personal mind set how to care company benefits as well as themselves, and 2) management devotes encouragement & employee involvement.
iii)Effective workflow design, it is called TPS (Toyota Production System)---One piece manufacturing work flow in U-shape and robotic cell work stations could realize 1) motion economy of workers as well as equipment (shorten time and distance during car manufacturing), and 2) no work-in-progress or say WIP (semi made products) that reduces materials waiting time and material costs with no added value; 3) Flexible manufacturing that could build cars for different models simultaneously to tap the instant change of market.
Supply Chain Management (SCM)
iv) Just-in-time (JIT) supply chain management- partnership with its suppliers of parts and components, who help in developing quality supplies with Toyota R&D & design team, and suppliers are also willing to work as VMI vendor managed inventory) that could reduce much operating capitals.
v) Point of sales (POS) links to each regional sales offices and market demand in pull system that no over quantity is likely produced.
vi) Establishment of regional manufacturing centre is for reduction of cost and time on transportation, while it is able to adapt to regional market needs and culture diversities.
We can say Toyota is the lean factory, which uses less workers and replaces by most frequent use of robotics with mass order customization of car manufacturing that could realize low cost but high productive, however rivals are able to follow, or to copy these over time. However crucial factors to business success, Toyota continues to maintain its leading position at other areas, for example, it has envisaged the development of hybrid and green powered cars that its technology has been many years ahead with its rivals in the industry.
Nevertheless, the organizational culture has been participated its business success.
The culture of Toyota deriving from its people, management including leaders who pursue TQM & SCM is the rare resource—the human resource to support its business success. This could not be copied by its rivals.