Between Imitation and Innovation: The Transfer and Hybridization of Productive Models in the International Automobile Industry

Recent years have seen intense debates among management and academics on the rise of "lean production" and "Japanization." This book examines in detail the actual practice of transfer and adaptation of productive models into the auto industry. Case studies cover the Japanese transplant experience in North America, and the global experience of hybrid production systems in Europe, Latin America, and Asia.