跨国公司经营

Proper handling,turning crises into opportunities：Toyota PR crisis reflectFrom 2006, the newly listed Toyota REIZ was found a leakage of oil from the engine oil pan, and then Toyota company conducted checks and maintenance free of charge and extended the defeat liability period. In 2008, Toyota recalled 80,000 cars as the reason of potential safety of the manual transmission. Two months later, Toyota once again recalled 120,000 LEXUS, REIZ and CROWN.And in 2009, another 260,000 CAMRY were recalled，the situation has escalated. This essay will firstly analysis the cause of toyota's recall problem in several aspects, including the primary technical problem, the reaction problem and the essential management problem. Following this, it will illustrate the actions which have been taken to address the problem and what is the result of those actions. At last, it will discuss how the global supply chains management effects a multinational enterprise and its merit and demerit.1.Cause of Toyota's recall problem（1）Technical cause.The arm of the accelerator pedal and the slip surface of the friction pole are used for a long time, so when using the warm wind under the low temperature,and at last block the accelerator pedal and influence car acceleration and deceleration. In the extreme case, the accelerator pedal may be locked, making the car cannot slow down immediately, which as a result influence driving safety.（2） The unsuitable measure. Firstly, Toyota company doesn't react correctly toward the crisis caused by bad management and outside accident, which causes the situation promptly worsen when the crisis comes out. Secondly, the measure is taken quite late after the crisis happens. The leaders always reluctantly take measures so that they miss the good chance to solve the problem. And they are not frank to customers when their cars are found with safety defect. The way Toyota chooses to face the problem is shifting the blame to others' shoulder, which deteriorates the situation and ruin its decase's good reputation.（3）Management problem. Toyota outsources its components and even core technique to the supplier and local producer in other countries. Toyota takes this mode in regards of reducing the cost and focuses more on the core business, however, the product quality is sacrificed and so as company image and credit. The irresponsibility of product chain supplier which deviates the principle of high quality production, as well as the neglect of Toyota administration results to the vast number of problematic cars.2.The actions which have been takenThe management and public relation in crisis problems are exposed because of the recall event. The recall indicates the Toyota's contradiction in cost controland quality management after the increase of productivity. The detail can be shownin the information gap between Toyota oversea branches and Japanese headquarter.The lack of communication among the industrial departments of design, productionand sales. Thus the overall reconstruction of Toyota is irresistible, which includesthe building of mutual communication and feedback system, technical transforming,company running structure adjustment, and the improvement of risk react ability. The detail remedial measures are as follows:First, technical reconstruction.（1） Change the shape of accelerator pedal bybroaden the space between the pedal and car ottoman in order to solve the possibilitythat the pedal may be stuck by car ottoman.（2） Add newly design car ottoman onthe driver and assistant's seat.（3）Install brake override system as the singleremedial measure to improve safety. This system will become the standard parts ofLexus ES350 and CAMRY; until the end of 2010, most of the new toyota cars will beinstalled the system. By installed, the engine will cease fire if the driver stepon the accelerator and brake at the same time.Second, employee management and customer consultation. Toyota raises thetransparency of company running. Any employee who hides the situation will befired.And Toyota also informs the problem car owners by posting mail by express andinform safety warn to them.Third, establish relevant accident organizations.（1）Strengthen region controlby setting up Safety Supervision Committee to recall the problem car, and ProductSafety Director to take in charge of the different country markets such as US.（2）Set up a special accident group by hiring more engineers, reporting sudden speedup accident 24 hours a day.（3）Increase outside sensor by hire employees of northAmerica and global area to make up a outside consult group to check Toyota's safetymeasure. One of the key tasks of the group in the early stage is to conduct an overalloutside check toward Toyota's electronic control system in order to find out thatwhether this system is relates to the deadly safety defect.Fourth, train to the distributor and provide equipment. Toyota requestsdistributor to modify the problem car. Besides, Toyota teaches them how to changethe shape of accelerator pedal, and later supply the modified accelerator pedal fordistributor in the use of remedial measure.The result of those actions3.Action resultsToyota's early reaction that hides the safety problem fact to the customer andeven its employee is not wise and proved that truth will come to light sooner orlater. "Millions of Toyota customers have been put in harms way because of thecompany's failure to recognize and deal with its unintended acceleration issues.In addition, the limited remedial measure that only modifying the acceleratorpedal or the regional equipment can't control more and more cars' recall. The marketshare slap rapidly, which may upsurge the American and German Car. America willstress on the domestic car brand with low carbon and new energy engine design. Germanyvolkswagen will possess the largest market share, and other second line brand carswith cost or quality advantages will gain a part of market too.Japanese car will lose its leading position in the world. In recent years, Japanese products have come out with many quality problems. Toyota problems increase Japanese products' negative image. Make-in-Japan is never sound as before.4.Global supply chain.As a traditional business mechanism, supply chain management is widely used for the company in the purposes of improving the long-term performance.It address the problem of Distribution Network Configuratio, Distribution Strategy, Trade-Offs in Logistical Activities,Information ,Inventory Management and Cash-Flow . TakeToyota as an instance, it focus on "core competencies" and adopts a specialization model. Abandoning vertical integration, Toyota sells off non-core operations, and outsources those functions to other companies. This "changes management requirements by extending the supply chain well beyond company walls and distributing management across specialized supply chain partnerships." TToyota's outsource may reduce the cost and improve quality management, focus more on the strategy and core business, and transfer the fix cost into variable cost which can not only enhance employees' enthusiasm and their personal gain, but also boost company integrated development. However, it may result to the decrease of product quality and add risk because of the failure of distributor. The change of supply environment such as financial difficulty and service technique requirement may influence Toyota's business position. This time's recall event is a typical example that outsourcing may ruin a famous enterprise's public image and reputation in a very short term.5.About the recall by Toyota，we should know the six key multinationals to defuse the crisis：（1）Multinational companies should put emphasis on the crisisFor a multi-national corporations, because it had the aura of an international brand and influence, people's expectations are often beyond the expectations of the general business, consumers want their own consumption, cross-border brand is almost perfect, but, consumers of a transnational brand loyalty, more because of the brand and the consumer in mind to convey consistent feature requests, or emotional interest, if the behavior of multinational brands such destruction of people's feelings, people will doubt their produce. Therefore, the more cross-brand in times of crisis, the more we need to focus on the feelings of consumers, and to give high attention to the crisis in a small area in times of crisis, it is necessary and timely to consumers, rather than ignore the wait society as a whole are in a time when speculation further ways to reverse.（2）Proactive crisis will always be the last wordGenerally speaking, once a crisis occurs, the media usually will be given extensive coverage to many of the media in order to drum up news points to attract the eye, inevitably exaggerated the crisis, especially the multinationals, in thepast a lot of media attention given to a close, resulting in Even if a little flawed, may be played by the media, from the news media's point of view, cross-brand product quality and how good business strategy on how superb these are hardly news, because it is a multinational company should do things, But the multinational corporations or non-compliance with market rules Kengmengguaipian This is big news. Therefore, multinational enterprises in times of crisis, we must take the initiative in order to give the fastest response.（3）Sincere, honest, transparent and will never go wrongIn recent years, China's level of consumer spending increased at the same time consumers are more rational in the face assortment of goods, people from school and spend and spend and compared to a growing body of experience, consumers not only care about the product the brand, but also care about product quality and performance guarantee, in the whole process of consumption, the consumer informed about the product information of growing demand, in the whole process of product sales, only consumers of information to master in order to make a comparison of the full purchasing decisions. But after the events in the enterprise crisis, consumers first need to get the most from the real business information, if obtained accurate information, we can make the enterprise value judgments, if an enterprise is not enough information provided true and transparent, then the consumer will be in accordance with their understanding of the seriousness of the problem to the idea, resulting in distortion, but will a small event in the spread of people into a disaster.（4）The understanding of local culture and the environment still need to practice. Why the different multinational companies, in times of crisis, processing methods and the impact of the end there is so much difference? In essence, is the embodiment of the multinational culture of Chinese society and consumers to grasp is not enough. Lack of understanding of local culture is represented by another multinational public relations response to a relatively slow, the media, they need is the timeliness of news, while the Chinese media has always been the object of reporting delay, to avoid such abhorrence, if put to multinational companies a problem, multinational companies do not respond in good time, then the media will lose patience, so in order to ensure that the press which led to the timeliness of the information misread.（5）Details of the urgent need to enhance the managementMultinationals in China have a very long history, can be said that in the market are battle-hardened business, face and deal with a crisis event should also be a lot, but why would a continuous burst in 2005, so number of scandals do? This is reflected from one aspect in the management of multinational corporations on the degree of precision is not enough in place, such as Kentucky Fried Chicken of supply chain management, Nestle for product quality inspection work, etc. The most detail is reflected in the attitude in the event of crisis, you can see the operation and management of multinational corporations in the local level, there are still many problems. A series of events no doubt that multinational companies are also reminded, every detail is very important, the management of multinational enterprises needto increase the level of refinement. Moreover, Chinese consumers are maturing, rights protection awareness has been improving, with the rise of domestic brands that consumers trust for the foreign brands are no longer so enthusiastic as in the past, so the multinational corporations to deceive and fool if consumers, will inevitably could ultimately lead to consumer cold, were eliminated, at least if the multinational corporations have lost the integrity of the public relations even more exciting plans are certainly not help.（6）Crisis early warning and image of the remodeling is compulsoryFor many businesses, the occurrence of these crises has also given an important reminder, that is, well before the crisis early warning and crisis public relations image after the occurrence of remodeling work in the long-term development of enterprises is very important.The business event of a crisis, not only properly handle the crisis, the crisis has been dealt with time, enterprises also need to repair or rebuild the brand image, after all, in times of crisis and deal with the process, more or less affected people's reliance on the brand's reputation, therefore, crisis management after completing a period of time needed to implement a number of positive publicity and public relations, be able to allow the crisis to end to ashes. There are now in the media for companies such as Nestle, released from all angles, follow-up discussion, you will discover afterwards is equally important to restore the reputation of a class.6.ConclusionTo sum up, Toyota recall event makes a great reaction toward global customer, Toyota's whole year production and big change in the future road. The problem of Toyota may not be a simple and incidental event. It may be the exposure of declining Japan manufacture and the problem of traditional management method. A new round of national and global industrial adjustment may upsurge .Taken together, said multinational companies in crisis is not terrible, fear that the crisis after the arrogance, confusion, concealment and escape, crisis management, not so difficult, difficult enterprise is not timely, accurate, and the system should be to defuse the crisis . On this point, whether multinational or local companies, are the need for further accumulation of wisdom.。