ABSTRACT
Entropy is a state of disorder that describes how systems decrease in structure and in organization. In the Toyota Production System (TPS), negative entropy can best be described as employee learning. For a system to survive, new energy or negative entropy must be received from its environment. Lifelong learning is a characteristic of an evolving system that constantly has to adapt due to uncertainty and changing surroundings. Organizations are extremely complex systems, consisting of personalities, small groups, intergroups, norms, values, and attitudes. A system that cannot import new energy or evolve is left helpless to its surroundings. Toyota regularly practices concepts such as genchi genbutsu to gather facts; standardization to share ideas; and a systematic problem-solving process that is helpful for keeping problems from returning. Coupled with Toyota’s systematic problem-solving and industrial engineering identity, divergent learners and amiable communicators provide a strong complement to kaizen.
