Big Three U.S. automakers' lean initiatives (1988–2005)

1. NUMMI opens as Toyota–GM learning venture

   Feb 1, 1984Labels: NUMMI, Toyota, General Motors

   • Toyota Global
   • Toyota 75 Years

2. First GM vehicle rolls off NUMMI line

   Dec 1, 1984Labels: NUMMI, Chevrolet Nova, Toyota

   • Toyota Global
   • UPI Archives

3. Chrysler launches SCORE supplier cost program

   Aug 1, 1989Labels: Chrysler, SCORE

   • UMich Case
   • Allpar

4. Chrysler announces SCORE to top suppliers

   Jan 1, 1990Labels: Chrysler, SCORE, Suppliers

   • UMich Case
   • IndustryWeek

5. “Lean production” popularized by MIT research

   Nov 1, 1990Labels: MIT, The Machine, Lean production

   • MIT IMVP

6. GM shifts sourcing stance toward tougher bidding

   Mar 1, 1992Labels: General Motors, Purchasing

   • Oxford Academic

7. Ford launches Ford 2000 and Ford Production System

   Jan 1, 1995Labels: Ford, Ford 2000, Ford Production

   • IBSCDC Case

8. GM adopts digital process design for manufacturing

   Jan 1, 1995Labels: General Motors, Synchronous Math-Based

   • ASSEMBLY Mag

9. Lean community grows with Lean Enterprise Institute founding

   Jan 1, 1997Labels: Lean Enterprise, LEI

   • LEI About

10. GM expands improvement methods into production-system design

    Jan 1, 1997Labels: General Motors, Production system

    • ResearchGate

11. Chrysler’s extended-enterprise model weakens after mergers

    Jan 1, 2003Labels: Chrysler, Extended enterprise

    • IndustryWeek
    • UMich Case

12. GM begins promoting a companywide Global Manufacturing System

    Jan 3, 2003Labels: General Motors, Global Manufacturing

    • AutoIntell

13. Ford’s FPS era consolidates global standard work

    Jan 1, 2004Labels: Ford, Ford Production

    • IBSCDC Case

14. 2005 marks lean initiatives as established but uneven

    Dec 31, 2005Labels: Big Three, Lean initiatives

    • AutoIntell
    • IndustryWeek