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Matching strategies in car assembly: the BMW-Rover-Toyota complex

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  • Dan Coffey

Abstract

This paper considers a case in which an attempt to organise a Toyota-like production regime proved to be a poor choice for an assembler seeking to evolve a model platform that would be marketed on the basis of customisation and build-to-order. The case analysis throws light on a specific phase in the history of the British car industry, but more generally it offers a basis for reconsidering the associations often made between 'flexibility' in assembly, and the defining characteristics of a Toyota-like system. The paper argues that the literature on car assembly has become desensitised to the need for careful strategic matching between marketing objectives and product supply policies because of a misdirected assumption that Japanese assemblers are flexible-assemblers. It develops this point in the context of an analysis of scheduling lock-ins and customer lead times in mixed-model assembly, illustrated by comparative assembly data.

Suggested Citation

  • Dan Coffey, 2005. "Matching strategies in car assembly: the BMW-Rover-Toyota complex," International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 5(3), pages 320-335.
    • Handle: RePEc:ids:ijatma:v:5:y:2005:i:3:p:320-335
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