Autoliv is a world-class example of lean manufacturing. This Fortune 500 company makes automotive safety components such as seat belts, airbags, and steering wheels, and has over 80 plants in more than 32 countries. Revenues in 2007 topped $6.7 billion. Autoliv's lean manufacturing environment is called the Autoliv Production System (APS), and is based on the principles of lean manufacturing pioneered by Toyota, one of the world's largest automobile manufacturers, and embodied in its Toyota Production System (TPS).

QUESTIONS
1. Why is a visual management approach such an integral part of Autoliv's lean system?
2. Describe the JIT considerations presented in the chapter as they relate to Autoliv's manufacturing environment.
3. Which method of workflow is embodied in Autoliv's system? Why is this approach most suitable to its lean environment?
4. When Autoliv started its lean journey, a number of operational benefits and implementation issues had to be addressed. What were they, and how were they addressed?