Toyota Case

Toyota is a large corporation and has been in the business since 1930s. They have

slowly gained their foot hold in the market, not just domestically, but globally as well.

According to the chairman, "Our first responsibility, of course, is to provide around the

world with the attractive and appealing cars they truly want". (1) For years Toyota has

successfully enjoyed their steady growth in the market place globally. Since the first founding of

the company, their foremost pledge was to make better cars and contribute to society.

However, with the changing of times, there are many factors that affects Toyota's growth in the

future that could hinder and slow down their dominance to maintain as number one auto maker

in the world. Some of the factors that could affect Toyota's growth could be customers,

development or lack of development of vehicles, focusing on certain markets, fuel fluctuations in

the market place, and the rules and regulations of each country that Toyota has market place in.

To build vehicles not just for transportation, but also fun and exciting to drive for

customers that is vital to society, President of Toyota, Akio Toyoda said, "To help realize this

dream, we are putting even greater emphasis on the development of environmentally friendly

technologies, and are working on breakthrough technologies that will make driving even more

fun and exciting in the future". (1) Toyota continues to develop many eco-friendly vehicles such

as hybrid, which is supported by government policies such countries as North America, Europe

and Japan. In addition Toyota strongly emphasize the importance of the strength of the

technological development and productivity but also to focus on the customers of its suppliers

and dealers. Also, the management and employees of Toyota group can concentrate on

allocating their resources of technology and product development to make it possible for them to

create even more attractive and appealing cars to customers. According to Toyota, "An

attractive and appealing car is a car that is a joy to own, drive and share good times in. It is

exciting and fun for everyone on board. This is the kind of car that product-and market-oriented

management allows us to provide. By focusing on the products that customers want, this allows

Toyota to concentrated on building the cars that meet the needs of consumers in each region at a

price that they can afford and be really satisfied with their decision.

A new Prius in one example that customers really love because of the eco-friendly, fuel

efficiency and the driving performance that is equal, if not better than the competitors vehicles.

Even better is the new model of Prius that is 30% cheaper that the previous model so more

customers can enjoy the benefits that it offers. Of course the Prius is not the only model that is

hybrid, some Lexus models are too. It is not only the private sector is enjoying the hybrid, but

Toyota is also offering to corporations for commercial release, but lease-sales of a plug-in-hybrid

vehicle worldwide. They are also continuing to research and develop next-generation batteries,

adaptability to alternative fuel issues such as biofuel, cell hybrid vehicles and commercial safety

technologies.

Offering consumers new product lines with new technology is very good for consumers.

Automobile industries consistently need new developments and always need to development

better products for consumers. With the new models coming out about every six months, it is so

hard to compete with the competitors if the one the companies don't keep up, they are surely to

hurt themselves in the long run. Once they fall behind the competition it is so hard to catch up

with the competition and are pretty much doomed. No company wants to lag behind even

though the new technology is always there and they cannot be too overly confident. If they do,

they have pretty much lost it and will be bankrupted just as GM did.

None of the new product lines will be good without the focusing on the markets to, "meet

the needs of individual countries and regions through careful analysis of the role that we should

play, and the presence we should strive for, in each market". (1) Although Toyota has expanded

rapidly of their Research and Development facilities and 75 production facilities in Japan and

abroad, and a global sales network that covers over 170 countries and regions, due to the market

conditions of today, it has made it difficult for Toyota to expand continuously. To better

understand the competition and the market, Toyota's goal is to "implement optimal regional

strategies under these conditions, we must identify areas where we want to compete and areas

where we need to move more carefully, and revitalize our product development and lineup to

better suit regional needs". (1) The regional areas are Japan is to concentrate on customer-