The Machine That Changed the World
James P. Womack · first published 1990 · ISBN 9780029463161
A groundbreaking study of how Toyota developed lean manufacturing and changed the global automotive industry through process innovation and continuous improvement. The book reveals how Toyota systematically eliminated waste, accelerated problem solving, and empowered workers to improve production, eventually overtaking General Motors in size and efficiency. It documents a revolution in how factories organize people, machines, and information.
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Automation doesn't exist in a vacuum; understanding how industrial systems actually organize work, and how they can be optimized, gives you perspective on why robotics exists and what it's trying to solve. Many of robotics principles derive from these manufacturing innovations.