

How The President Of Toyota Would Phrase An Apology - patio11
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/business/global/03toyota.html?_r=1&em

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patio11
I saw this in the NYT today and was reminded of a comment I had once made
regarding Japanese corporate culture.

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=406545>

 _The great thing about Japanese corporate discipline: when GM has a tough
year, GM blames the year. No way we could have predicted spiraling gas prices,
a down economy, and increased foreign competition. When Toyota has a tough
year, Toyota blames Toyota. You can bet that somewhere in the bowels of that
megacorp is a team of economists reevaluating their currency hedging strategy,
while another team is working 16 hour days coming up with a car that captures
the imagination of the American consumer but is priced to move as compared to
the Prius._

Quotes from the article: >> While it still has _plenty of cash_ , and now
outranks General Motors as the _world’s biggest carmaker_ , that is _not good
enough_ , Mr. Toyoda told journalists.

The company, hit by a spate of recalls in the middle of the decade, is
_betraying its roots as a quality automaker_ , he said. >>

Disclosure: "I don't work for Toyota" is true only to the extent that anyone
in Nagoya can be said not to work for Toyota.

