Observations from Chairman Henry

Automotive Design & Production,  August, 2003  

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Henry Ford's famous distain for history is not necessarily an example of his anti-intellectual predilection; there are far more egregious examples. Rather, it points to an underlying approach that he took, one that nowadays might be described as "continuous improvement." Sure, the Model T was probably in production for too long ('08-'27), but there were always tweaks and betterments made to the vehicle. Henry probably was less than enamored with history because he saw it too often as an excuse for why something couldn't be done. *

On the occasion of Ford Motor Company's centennial year, I would like to make the recommendation that executives and engineers at that company, and those who work for suppliers to Ford, get a copy of Today and Tomorrow by Henry Ford, a book that he published in 1926. If is available for $30.00 from Productivity Press (www.productivitypress.com), the publisher of some of the fundamental texts of lean manufacturing, such as The Shingo Production Management System and A Study of the Toyota Production System, both by Shingeo Shingo, a man who was influenced by Henry Ford, Ford manufacturing executives have been known to say on more than one occasion that the Ford Production System is the original of all production systems, but it would be worthwhile for them, and others, to take the counsel of Henry's observations, especially as they pertain to the importance of actually having to manufacture things. (James J. Padilla, president of Ford North America undoubtedly has mulled over some of the founder's thoughts: he writes the introduction to the new edition of Today and Tomorrow.)

The world is a far different place than it was in 1926. But in an environment that continues to have some of the same issues--management, labor, suppliers, equipment--that Henry dealt with, it is good to get some perspective through the views of a man who is largely responsible for the auto industry as it exists today--and probably will tomorrow.--GSV

* "... it is one of the oddities of business that a man will cite what he had done in the past of proof of what he can do in the future. The past is only something to learn from."--Henry Ford

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