History and background Toyota Motor Corporation or Toyota in short, is a Japanese automaker. It is the world's second largest automaker behind General Motors. However it ranks first in net worth, revenue and profit. It is also the only car manufacturer to appear in the top 10 of the BrandZ ranking. The company was founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda as a spinoff from his father (Sakichi Toyoda)'s company Toyota Industries to create automobiles.
In 1934, while still a department of Toyota Industries, it created its first product Type A engine and its first passenger car the Toyota AA in 1936. Its headquartered in Toyota, Aichi and Bunkyo Tokyo, Japan. It also provides financial services through its division Toyota Financial Services and also creates robots besides automobiles. The company along with the original Toyota Industries form bulk of the Toyota Group. Toyota owns and operates Toyota, Lexus, Scion, has a majority shareholding in Daihatsu Motors, and has minority shareholdings in Fuji Heavy Industries, Isuzu Motors, and the engine, motor cycle and marine craft manufacturer Yamaha Motors.
The company includes 522 subsidiaries. Toyota plans to produce 9.4 million vehicles in 2007. It plans to sell 10.4 million automobiles in 2008, which would be the first time an automaker has sold more than 10 million vehicles in a year. Toyota Motor Corporation operates in the automotive industry worldwide. It engages in the design and manufacture.
Services
Business Activities
Toyota business activities are in various fields which include:
Automotive:
• Toyota
• Lexus
• Hino
• Daihatsu
• “Toyota Rent a Car” (Car rental and leasing)
• GAZOO.com U-car (search engine for used cars)
• T-UP 9network for sales of used cars)
• “Car Lots” (used car dealers)
Non Automotive
• Housing
• Financial Activities
• GAZOO
• Marine
• Biotechnology & Afforestation
Vision and Philosophy
Toyota had come with their own guiding principles to guide their
References: Web • Toyota (nd): Company profile from http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/about_toyota/index.html Date retrieved (15.10.10) • Reliable Plant (nd): A look into Toyota’s learning organization from http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/13439/toyota-learning-organization Date retrieved (15.10.10) • Wikipedia ( 19.08.2010) The Toyota Way from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Toyota_Way Date Retrieved (15.10.10) • OPPAPERS (nd) Toyota Motor Corporation Organization Strategies from http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Toyota-Motor-Corporation-Organization-Strategies/128561 Date Retrieved (15.10.10) • MAC The manufacturing Advancement Center (nd) Toyota’s success relies on training for the future from http://www.massmac.org/newsline/0806/article01.htm Date Retrieved (15.10.10) • Toyota environmental and social report (2003) Human resource development from http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/environmental_rep/03/jyugyoin03.html Date Retrieved (15.10.10) Books • Jeffrey K. Liker (2004) he Toyota way: 14 management principles from the world 's greatest manufacturer