Driving Honda

Inside the World’s Most Innovative Car Company

By: Jeffrey Rothfeder

Narrated by: Mel Foster

For decades there have been two iconic Japanese auto companies. One has been endlessly studied and written about. The other has been generally underappreciated and misunderstood. Until now.

Since its birth as a motorcycle company in 1949, Honda has steadily grown into the world’s fifth largest automaker and top engine manufacturer, as well as one of the most beloved, most profitable, and most consistently innovative multinational corporations. What drives the company that keeps creating and improving award-winning and bestselling models like the Civic, Accord, Odyssey, CR-V, and Pilot?

According to Jeffrey Rothfeder, what truly distinguishes Honda from its competitors, especially archrival Toyota, is a deep commitment to a set of unorthodox management tenets. The Honda Way, as insiders call it, is notable for decentralization over corporate control, simplicity over complexity, experimentation over Six Sigma-driven efficiency, and unyielding cynicism toward the status quo and whatever is assumed to be the truth. Honda believes in freely borrowing from the past as a bridge to "innovative discontinuity" in the present. And those are just a few of the ideas that the company’s colorful founder, Soichiro Honda, embedded in the DNA of his start-up sixty-five years ago.

©2014 Jeffrey Rothfeder (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

it was ok.

I didn’t get what i was hopping for. It talked a lot about everything. when he first built a motorcycle, the way they hold meeting, land purchase, factories & factory set up, fixing parts suppliers factory production, stories of stuff etc.

just incredible. I wish everyone would read

dives into incredible history, how to invest in innovation at a global level, great perspective on so many aspects of human organizations and systems

one of the best books I've ever had!

I have all versions of this book. text book, audible, audio cd.
I can't get enough of this, if you are a Honda fan, you are in for a treat.

great Honda review

this is a very complete Honda review from the very beginning to a couple of years ago. very well read and easy to keep up with. I look forward to hearing more from the reader he has a very good voice.

A great look look back at the man and the company

A great presentation of Soichiro Honda ' s modest beginnings and their innovative ways which have helped shaped the automotive industry and set new standards in automobile manufacturing.

good

Good book, kind of boring and doesn't hold your attention. But still a fascinating book.

turned into a political diatribe

first 3 chapters were good then somehow Honda disappeared into a free for all on world affairs