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Rating: 
Summary: A Good Introduction to "The Honda Way"
Review: (By Edward Trimnell, author of "Why You Need a Foreign Language & How to Learn One," ISBN:1591133343)I worked extensively with Honda of America during the mid-1990s, and I can attest to authenticity of the descriptions in this book. As I read this book, I found myself recalling numerous incidents from my days as an employee of a Honda supplier. Honda of America has its flaws, and not all employees have fully embraced the Honda style of management. However, many of the company's ideas are extremely useful for U.S. and Japanese firms alike. If you have heard the term "Japanese-style management," and would like to know what all the fuss is about, then this book will serve as a good introduction. Especially useful are the sections about Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA), and brainstorming.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Introduction to "The Honda Way"
Review: (By Edward Trimnell, author of "Why You Need a Foreign Language & How to Learn One," ISBN:1591133343) I worked extensively with Honda of America during the mid-1990s, and I can attest to authenticity of the descriptions in this book. As I read this book, I found myself recalling numerous incidents from my days as an employee of a Honda supplier. Honda of America has its flaws, and not all employees have fully embraced the Honda style of management. However, many of the company's ideas are extremely useful for U.S. and Japanese firms alike. If you have heard the term "Japanese-style management," and would like to know what all the fuss is about, then this book will serve as a good introduction. Especially useful are the sections about Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA), and brainstorming.
Rating:
Summary: Honda's Quality Improvement Program
Review: Let me first say that I thoroughly enjoyed "Powered by Honda". I do agree with the review that some of the praise by the authors is a bit over the top, thus the four star review, but the fundementals of what they are teaching are excellent. Too many businesses don't pay attention to the details, both internally and externally, and "Powered by Honda" goes a long way in showing how important the customer/supplier relationship is in building quality products. W. Edwards Deming's PDCA circle and theory of continuous improvement are used throughout and I would suggest to anyone who finds the information in this book interesting to read the works of Dr. Deming, Juran, and Six Sigma teachings to learn more about the tools used by Honda. Anybody who is involved in quality improvement should enjoy the stories in the book and find a few ideas to add to their own work.
Rating:
Summary: Honda's Quality Improvement Program
Review: Let me first say that I thoroughly enjoyed "Powered by Honda". I do agree with the review that some of the praise by the authors is a bit over the top, thus the four star review, but the fundementals of what they are teaching are excellent. Too many businesses don't pay attention to the details, both internally and externally, and "Powered by Honda" goes a long way in showing how important the customer/supplier relationship is in building quality products. W. Edwards Deming's PDCA circle and theory of continuous improvement are used throughout and I would suggest to anyone who finds the information in this book interesting to read the works of Dr. Deming, Juran, and Six Sigma teachings to learn more about the tools used by Honda. Anybody who is involved in quality improvement should enjoy the stories in the book and find a few ideas to add to their own work.
Rating: 
Summary: what book did the other reviewers read?
Review: This is nothing more than a long puff piece, probably written to indoctrinate Honda employees. Alternately cryptic and jejune, it provides little insight into the workings of Honda's touted BP management system. Reflecting the American/Japanese duality in Honda culture, the book preaches in tones that are part Knute Rockne, part Zen Master. The overworked prose reaches its fawning heights in the section on Honda's racing team: "All Honda team members share a fierce competitive spirit and an intense dedication to the task at hand." "Under the stresses of racing, the driver, his vehicle, and his support team experience their greatest performance peaks. Each race, every lesson, and every failure are treasured." "The company's leadership has consistently been drawn from the ranks of engineers who love engines and who share a passion to drive well-designed, robust, high-speed vehicles to their limits and beyond." Yeeks!
Rating:
Summary: what book did the other reviewers read?
Review: This is nothing more than a long puff piece, probably written to indoctrinate Honda employees. Alternately cryptic and jejune, it provides little insight into the workings of Honda's touted BP management system. Reflecting the American/Japanese duality in Honda culture, the book preaches in tones that are part Knute Rockne, part Zen Master. The overworked prose reaches its fawning heights in the section on Honda's racing team: "All Honda team members share a fierce competitive spirit and an intense dedication to the task at hand." "Under the stresses of racing, the driver, his vehicle, and his support team experience their greatest performance peaks. Each race, every lesson, and every failure are treasured." "The company's leadership has consistently been drawn from the ranks of engineers who love engines and who share a passion to drive well-designed, robust, high-speed vehicles to their limits and beyond." Yeeks!
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