Nummi- a Learning Organization

1. NUMMI created an atmosphere conducive for combining knowledge between different parts of its system. When line-workers initiated process improvements it occurred within a context that provided access to people with the requisite knowledge such as engineers. Second, the production process created greater interdependencies among areas of the plant and levels of management, and information was readily available and used. Third, the culture at NUMMI made line staff more accessible to specialists during the implementation process, and encouraged cooperation and sharing.

NUMMI embodied the tenets of a learning organization - strong leadership, ability to experiment, integrated system of work processes and organization based on team oriented human development philosophy.

2. * Leader by design by choosing to build an already well-designed product Chevy Nova and also choosing the proven process of Toyota Production System * Leader as Teacher by means of orientation (35 hours spent on candidates to educate them on system goals) and trusting and empowering workers in their operations. * Leader as a steward. Teams were led by those who were trained in Japan and advised on how their tasks contributed to the big picture. 3. Experimenting with a workforce from GM’s original worker pool giving them job security and greater say in operations, employing management techniques based on the assumption that workers instinctively wanted to do a good job. 4. Integrated operations where every part of the system supports the other. a. Qualified suppliers for Just in Time operations and transportation systems b. Plant operations setup on the factory floor implying an open culture and better space utilization. c. Just in time operations, continuous improvements and quality assurance in the production process itself. d. Standardized work captured learning and codified best practice.

Workers were driven by learning opportunities