Editor's Note: WardsAuto.com covered the CAR Management Briefing Seminar in Traverse City held this week.
The Americanization of Toyota Motor Corp. goes beyond the idea of executives such as Norm Bafunno, the first non-Japanese president of Toyota Motor Mfg. Indiana Inc. It also includes a growing emphasis on regionalization and local plant autonomy.
In North America, Toyota now has 13 plants that are linked together to share manufacturing questions and practices through formal clubs that meet online from time to time.