The Toyota Way, Second Edition: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer

The Toyota Way, Second Edition is a brilliant and deeply insightful update to one of the most influential business books of the 21st century. Jeffrey Liker has taken the foundational principles of Toyota’s legendary production system and enriched them with fresh perspectives, real-world examples, and a stronger emphasis on systems thinking and people development. The book is structured around the 4P model—Philosophy, Process, People/Partners, and Problem Solving—and dives into 14 core management principles that have helped Toyota become a global benchmark for quality, efficiency, and innovation. What makes this edition stand out is its focus on long-term thinking, scientific problem-solving, and the importance of cultivating a learning organization. Liker’s writing is clear, engaging, and packed with practical insights. He doesn’t just present tools—he emphasizes the culture and mindset behind them. This edition also includes updated examples from both manufacturing and service industries, making it highly relevant across sectors. Whether you're a seasoned Lean practitioner, a manager seeking to improve team performance, or a student of organizational behavior, this book is a must-read. It’s not just about Toyota—it’s about building resilient, thoughtful, and continuously improving organizations.

Good book

Good inside look at how Toyota implements their system at multiple locations around the globe.

Awesome book! Never buying another car brand after reading how Toyota views things. Been driving Toyota my whole life and I’m gonna keep it that way!!

Received in great new condition

Would recommend.

Books was in perfect condition

I purchased both the hard copy and the audiobook for a Certification Course I am currently taking. It has been very helpful to have both. When my schedule doesn't allow for the time to read the course material assigned, I simply listen to the audiobook in my car while running errands.

perfect book

This book is filled with so much information. Quality is amazing. It is McGraw Hill, so no compromises on that end. A must have for operations people. Or even for others.

Kondüsyonu iyi fakat ürün kağıt kalitesi düşük.

Don’t know if this book is any good or not. My boyfriend wanted for Christmas and he was so happy to receive. It currently sits on my bookshelf next to girly books. A must buy according to my bf.

Jeff Liker has done a major rewrite of the first edition, putting the development of scientific thinking patterns at the center. He explains how we can develop our organizations into learning systems that organically adapt and develop. Some gems from the book: "TPS is built on a scientific way of thinking - not a toolbox." That's something we might have gotten utterly wrong. "Toyota recognized that learning organizations are built on learning individuals." In many of our organizations, we might be lacking the means to do so on a daily basis and on all levels. "Individuals need to develop... [a scientific] ...mindset through repeated practice, with a coach." Jeff takes us below the surface, and beyond the Lean tools, we see to explain how Toyota purposefully develops a shared mental model throughout the organization by having people practice a scientific way of thinking and acting through different formats and at different stages of their career. What's unique? There is little classroom training. Instead, people are trained on the job, working on real projects with a manager as a coach. Some more gems: "Toyota didn't create a rigid problem-solving method that always has to be followed; they rather provide a framework for developing a scientific way of thinking through practice on real-world problems." Beware the dead A3 posters covering our factory walls. Then they trained their top management first. "The executives, after a career of learning how to problem solve, humbly followed the process (TBP), typically over eight months, for very large issues appropriate for their level. Then, they had to report out to a board of examiners, including Fujio Cho. In about 80 percent of the cases, they were asked to go back and do some more work." Can you believe it. C-suite managers practicing for eight months and more? "To get to habits, we need to change behavior through deliberate practice, repeatedly. What matters is what we do, not what we think we might do. As we look at how Toyota develops people, we see that the company creates conditions that foster certain behaviors, like reducing inventory, so problems surface quickly and visibly and put pressure on problem-solving." Creating a learning system is a top management task! "Challenging people is not enough. The company also teaches managers how to coach—to find opportunities in the course of daily work to give corrective procedural feedback to their team members as they strive to move toward a goal." Become a true learning organization has become a hallmark and even a necessity for 21st-century success. Jeff Liker explains how we can do so.