Toyota's enduring success has been a result of their ability to understand and synthesize multiple perspectives. This approach begins at the systems perspective (Liker and Morgan, 2006), from which Toyota recognizes that each individual component of the company plays a role in change, and is affected by that change. Flowing from this base approach, we can see evidence of several other approaches at work in concert with one another. The introduction of TPS is a good example of this multifaceted integration. According to Liker and Morgan, Toyota's approach to the issue is differentiated from that of other companies specifically by its systems approach.
One of the key tenets of TPS is "respect for humans" (Pil and Fujimoto, 2007), which shows evidence of the psychological perspective in that the human experience is a key driver of change. Yet, the notion that this respect was as much a byproduct of Toyota's quest for higher productivity (ibid.) suggests the resource perspective, where the company saw the workers as a critical resource to be engaged in the improvement process.
In the 1980s, Toyota made changes to TPS in recognition of changes in the external environment, in this case the increasing difficulty of finding production workers (Benders and Morita, 2004). This response is evidence of Toyota's willingness to accept the biological perspective and make changes based on external circumstances when warranted.
Toyota's product development systems, which were once considered a weakness, turned into a strength with the developments of the Lexus line and then the Prius (Morgan and Liker, 2006; Radeka, 2006). The improvements in Toyota's product development demonstrated a keen understanding of the contingency perspective, particularly when they started to involve their suppliers in the product development process. This aligned an external actor (the supplier) with the internal environment, to take advantage of not only Toyota's unique factors but those of the supplier as well.
Pil, Frits K. & Fujimoto, Takahiro. 2007. Lean and Reflective Production: The Dynamic Nature of Production Models. International Journal of Production Research, Vol 45, No. 16, 3741-3761
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