Chihiro Nakao

Chihiro Nakao spent the first 27 years of his career working for Toyota, where he was mentored and trained by Taiichi Ohno, originator of the Toyota Production System (TPS). He was a part of the original autonomous study groups initiated by Ohno, who ultimately came up the basic philosophy and approach of TPS.

He founded the Shingijutsu Company in 1987, and has dedicated himself to spreading the principles of the Toyota Production System around the world to create the Global Production System.

He is responsible for lean concepts like 3P, Moonshine, and Oba gauge. He’s also famous for using the term “concrete heads” to describe management that is hard-headed and not open to change.

Influences

• Taiichi Ohno

Influenced

• Bob Emiliani
• Jon Miller

Links

• The Most Dangerous Idea in the World

Books 

• Kaizen Forever: Teachings of Chihiro Nakao by Bob Emiliani