Stamford, CT, For Immediate Release – Collaborative Product Development Associates (CPDA), a provider of critical analyses for PLM decisions, announces that Michael Hoseus, co-author of the new book, Toyota Culture, will join Sogeti's Philippe Sottocasa, GM's Terry Kline, Lockheed Martin's Christopher L. Blake, Siemens PLM Software's Stephen Bashada, HP's Christian Verstraete, and IBM's Peter Robison as a keynote speaker at its annual PLM Road Map™ conference, to be held at The Inn at St. John's, located just outside Detroit, Michigan on September 23 and 24.

The "Toyota Way" builds on a distinctly Eastern culture and philosophy that is foreign to western thinking, and that directly contradicts mainstream U.S. behavior and norms. Western managers target results, regardless of the process as long as it works. Toyota targets harmony between process and results, as the only approach providing assurances that similar results may be achieved, and indeed improved upon, with the next iteration. Even more critical, the right process includes input from others to generate consensus - a direct clash with our emphasis on individualism.

Toyota nonetheless successfully implanted the culture in Georgetown, Kentucky, with manufacturing line workers actively discussing how they might improve on their efforts, as they walked out of the plant at the end of their shifts. Growing up within fifteen miles of an automotive plant in Twinsburg, Ohio, it was clear that unions viewed management as the enemy. The tradition went all the way back to the hiring of thugs to beat union leaders on the bridges in Detroit back in the 1930s. Hearing the Georgetown workers was a shock.

For the first time, Michael Hoseus and Jeffrey K. Liker deeply analyze the successful program at Toyota for embedding the Toyota Culture in the U.S. in their new book, Toyota Culture. The process "requires both time and patience. It took about fifteen years at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Georgetown, Kentucky - the first wholly owned Toyota assembly plant in the U.S." This book represents a thoughtful and thorough explanation of the challenges confronted, and the adaptations required, to nurture the daily and virtually constant problem-solving activity that is the key to the Toyota Culture and to its success. Toyota Culture should be regarded as "required reading" for any and all in the automotive sector specifically, and in manufacturing in general.

In his keynote address, Building and Sustaining a Lean Culture: The People Value Stream, Mike Hoseus will share his experience and lessons learned in building and sustaining a lean culture, which depends directly on successfully supporting a people value stream. Mike worked for Toyota's Georgetown, Kentucky plant for more than twelve years as a group leader, assembly plant manager, and manager of human resources. He now serves as Executive Director of the Center for Quality People and Organizations, a Toyota-supported nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing the Toyota Way with education, community, and business organizations through the experience of former Toyota leaders.

Now in its 15th year, PLM Road Map™ 2008 is a strategic conference focused on the critical tradeoffs that shape product development. PLM Road Map™ 2008 will enable attendees to explore first hand the progress, opportunities, and roadblocks leading-edge end-users are confronting.

More information and updates on PLM Road Map™ 2008 may be found at http://www.cpd-associates.com/index.cfm?content=include_conference08.cfm.

About CPDA

Collaborative Product Development Associates (CPDA) is a provider of critical analyses for PLM decisions. CPDA offers the latest in-depth, objective information for assessing technology and business goals. Coordinated by a group of experienced analysts, its cohesive suite of collaborative research programs leverages the efforts of top software designers and leading-edge users. CPDA's differentiation is its specific, deep, and pragmatic approach to the market, and a hands-on understanding of the technology required to drive successful implementations. CPDA’s collaborative research programs include Design Creation and Validation, Design/Simulation Council, PLM-Integration/Product Definition, and Product Value Management.

Contact: Cheryl Peck Cheryl.peck@cpd-associates.com 800-573-4756