Toyota Motor Corporation is a diversified corporation that sells its automobiles in approximately 200 nations and regions worldwide, focused primarily in Japan, North America, Europe, and Asia. Toyota estimates that it employs close to 1 million individuals worldwide, including dealers. Meanwhile, Toyota is growing, as is evident in the 13% increase in revenues from 2005 to 2006 to a level of roughly 180 billion dollars. Net profit for Toyota Motor Corporation increased 17% over 2005 to 12 billion dollars in 2006.
Introduction
Toyota is a strong competitor in the automobile industry. Most industry analysts believe Toyota is the leading competitor for the consumer dollar. The corporation, to generate increases in sales, revenues, margins, and profits over the last few years, has expanded upon several successful strategies claiming its position as a profitable automobile manufacturer. Toyota’s many strengths can be used to maintain this position, and existing market opportunities can be capitalized on to stimulate growth. However, weaknesses present in the company and threats evident in the industry need to be appropriately addressed to prevent permanent pitfalls to Toyota’s ongoing success. Without exception, the evident strengths, present weaknesses, available opportunities, and imposing threats directly influence Toyota’s continued success as the leader in the auto manufacturing industry.
Strengths
In an extremely competitive industry, the Toyota Motor Corporation leads the industry in numerous areas. Toyota’s strengths are the foundation of what drives it to be constantly increasing revenues from year to year, emerging as the new leading manufacturer in the industry, and performing the way it does. The company possesses multiple strengths such as its impressive brand recognition, unique “Toyota Way,” and innovative “JIT,” or, just in time production principles. Toyota’s brand recognition is the most powerful in the