Toyotism is an industrial production model that aims at the principle of flexible accumulation, mainly avoiding waste during the process.
Also known as Toyota Production System, Toyotism was initially implemented in the automobile factories of the Toyota Motors, by initiative of its creators: Eiji Toyoda and Taiichi Ohno, the main responsible for the creation of this production method.
Taiichi Ohno on the left and Eiji Toyoda on the right.
Created after the end of World War II, Toyotism emerged in Japan to adapt to reality from that country, which had a much smaller market than the American and European, which worked based on the Fordism.
With the philosophy of "complete elimination of all waste", the concept of Toyotism is based on production by necessity, that is, it produces a certain product according to the demand of the Marketplace.
Toyotism became popular and spread to various regions of the world from the 1970s onwards, driven by mainly due to the emergence of neoliberalism, when the capitalist system began to seek new forms of production.
When approached in public competitions, Toyotism can be part of sociology or history tests.
Learn more about the meaning of neoliberalism.
Characteristics of Toyotism
- It gained strength thanks to the need for neoliberal ideals that emerged in the world;
- Flexible mechanization system, that is, there is no waste or many products stored in stocks;
- Qualified and multifunctional employees, trained to work in several different stages of the production process;
- Use of visual control to monitor and control all production steps (method Kanban);
- Total quality; all stages of the production process had to undergo a rigorous quality control system;
- just in time – a system that helps to reduce waste, as the products are produced in the necessary time and with the necessary quantity to supply the market;
- Implementation of market research to adapt products to the demands of the consumer public;
Learn more about the main Characteristics of Toyotism.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Toyotism
See below the main advantages and disadvantages of Toyotism.
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Less manpower required due to advances in technology. | Decrease in jobs and consequent increase in unemployment. |
| Adequate production to demand, avoiding waste. | There are not always products stocked. |
| Skilled workforce; products with superior quality. | Production delay, which can cause the product to take time to reach the consumer. |
Toyotism, Fordism, Taylorism and Volvisism
Toyotism, Fordism, Taylorism and Volvism are four different forms of industrial production used under capitalism.
Taylorism is a form of industrial production that uses several techniques to optimize the workforce, maximizing the potential of each worker.
Taylorism and Fordism work with mass production, unlike Toyotism, which chooses to have a diversified production and in small batches.
Toyotism consists of a mode of industrial production that opposes Taylorism and Fordism in many aspects, the main one being the flexibilization of production.
Volvisism, in turn, is a form of production that consists of a high degree of computerization and automation.
A big difference between the Toyotista and Volvista models and the Fordista and Taylorista models lies in the responsibility and training of the workforce.
Employees working under the Toyotista and Volvista methods must be aware of all stages of the production process.
Employees who work under the Fordist model and under the Taylorist model, on the other hand, are limited to only one exclusive function, having to perform it repetitively.
In Volvism, workers are not so interested in work in industries and many refuse to be just machine operators.
In the Volvista model, the employees' role in factory assembly decisions is active. They are the ones who define, for example, the rhythm of the machines.
This makes them have a much higher level of commitment to the company.
As far as qualifications are concerned, in the Fordist system there is no need to hire qualified professionals.
On the other hand, an extremely qualified workforce is an essential condition for the Toyotista and Volvista systems.
Learn more about the meaning of Fordism and Taylorism.