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Nissan Motors Lean Leap

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Submitted By mcgoond
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| Nissan Motor Company | Revival Plan Review | | ) | |

In 1987 Japan’s economic expansion was driven by the inflation of stock prices and real estate values. As consumer confidence increased, so did the population’s appetite for luxury goods. In response to this national trend in consumer spending, Nissan Motor Company (Nissan) launched an aggressive expansion plan to meet the demands of the marketplace. The organization invested heavily in new manufacturing facilities and upgraded their distribution network. Nissan’s debt grew from $11.8B to $32.7B.
Japan’s bubble economy collapsed in the early 1990s and Nissan’s profits deteriorated in parallel (Wiki – 2011). In response to a dire operating situation, Nissan formed a partnership with Renault in 1999. While the injection of capital was much needed by the Japanese car manufacturer, the most important asset exchanged in the strategic alliance turned out to be Carlos Ghosn, the Renault Executive Vice President appointed to turn around Nissan.
The following analysis focuses on Carlos Ghosn’s leadership and the Nissan Revival Plan (NRP). The NRP saved Nissan and its roots seem to have originated from the Lean Action Plan framework.
Get Started (First Six Months)
Find a change agent (Score - 5 of 5)
The Lean Thinking textbook places a considerable amount of emphasis on starting the Lean Leap. While it may seem basic in nature, kicking off the process is not easy, and it requires an organization to have an executive base with leadership talent. In particular, finding a “change agent” that is committed to co-developing and implementing a plan to accomplish concrete objectives is hard to unearth. Carlos Ghosn was an ideal “change agent”. Ghosn quickly established a vision for Nissan, which he was able to clearly communicate to the employees of the organization. He displayed a willingness to engage and

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