Individual Case $1$: Toyota Motor Manufacturing, U$.$S$.$A$.,$ Inc. $($HBS$,9-693-019)$ In class, we will discuss where, if at all, the current routine for handling defective seats deviate from the principles of the Toyota Production System. When preparing for case discussion, please focus on the questions below: $1.$ You are Doug Friesen. What concrete actions are you going to take on Monday morning $($May $4)$ to address the seat problem? $($The case describes a series of meetings held on Friday May $1,$ and the exhibits summarize the information obtained through those meetings. So$,$ please do not offer an answer such as: $$I would talk to so$-$and$-$so$,$ or $$I would hold a meeting with so$-$and$-$so$.$ Your boss wants action.$)$ As a more general matter, where would you focus your attention and solution efforts?

$2.$ Has Toyota$$s Georgetown Plant successfully implemented JIT for car seat assembly? $3.$ Has Toyota$$s Georgetown Plant successfully implemented the principle of Jidoka for the seat defect problem? Why or why not?

$4.$ On the assembly line of Toyota$$s Georgetown Plant, if a team member detected any problem, he or she pulled the andon cord. What happens next? Will pulling the andon cord result in an actual line stoppage where the entire line segment stops working? Do you agree or disagree with their practice?

$5.$ Job rotation is a potential cause of the car defect problem. Should Toyota stop job rotation?

$6.$ Toyota is currently using back$-$up seats. What are the benefits and downsides of using back$-$up seats on the assembly line? Should Toyota stop using back$-$up seats? Why?

$7.$ Should we $$straight out$$ KFS$?$ Should we switch to a different supplier? $8.$ Based on the information given in the case, do we know the origins of the defects of car seats?