Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Are there any lessons that a startup/small business owners can learn from the astronomical success that Toyota enjoyed in the recent years?

What is the probable cause of their success?  Is it brilliant designs, superior product quality, manufacturing processes, or marketing?  Is it all of the above?

Other than the scale, is there any difference between operating a small business and a huge multinational corporation such as Toyota?

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Oleg Issers | StartupNation.com Web Team

50% of computer programming is trial and error. The other 50% is copy and paste.

I think, from the little I`ve read about them, that Toyota put into place a superb system of "feedback" across the board.

I know that they have one of the world`s most complex but also workable order-inventory systems, and may have pioneered that "just in time" inventory system.

I also believe they have the same kind of feedback and incentives in place for their team workers, customer feedback, and so forth---the old "suggestion box" on steroids.

Overall, it comes down to fast response to problems and complaints when they`re still at the very small stage, long before they become amplified.