For whom Toyota alarm tolls

• Source: Xinhua
• [08:40 February 09 2010]
• Comments

As one of world's largest carmakers, Toyota is now facing a seemingly biggest crisis in its 70-year history. Its uncontrollable acceleration has eventually led to a halt in its advance.

The company's president, Akio Toyoda, grandson of Toyota's founder, apologized late Friday for recalls of millions of Toyota cars worldwide, saying the company can deal with these problems.

Can do it or not, Toyota's long-term reputation has been gravely hurt and the debacle of the auto giant may well serve as a classic case study not only for the automotive industry.

The logo "Toyota" was born with the launching of the Model AA, the company's first passenger car in 1930s when it began to claim marketing efforts of "focusing on emphasizing the positive experiences of ownership and vehicle quality."

The well-known "Toyota Way" has also been regarded as remedy for all diseases. The 14-principle norm includes producing the right results by right process and driving organizational learning by "continuously solving root problems."

This photo taken on Feb. 4, 2009 at an exhibition hall in Japan's capital Tokyo shows the logo on the side of a Toyota Prius hybrid.  Toyota Motor spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi said Thursday that Toyota discovered there were design problems with the antilock brake system and corrected them for Prius models sold since late January, including those being shipped overseas.(Xinhua/AFP photo)

But it is the Toyota's way of handling its root problems that has been slammed by critics.

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that Toyota's recall of millions of vehicles came unfortunately after enormous effort and pressure by the US government.