Complete 5 pages APA formatted article: Henry Ford at Highland Park and Toyota during the 1980s and 1990s demonstrate that a growing car market is the necessary precondition for achieving superior pro

Complete 5 pages APA formatted article: Henry Ford at Highland Park and Toyota during the 1980s and 1990s demonstrate that a growing car market is the necessary precondition for achieving superior productivity. Describe the methods used to improve productivity and critically discuss whether. The Ford plant at Highland Park is thought to have been the main automaker that transformed the lives of a majority of American people in the 20th century. It is at the Highland Park that Henry Ford with the assistance of his engineers formulated the modern principle of mass production. An example being the endlessly moving assembly line, introduced in 1913 thereby reducing the assembling time of the Model T to 93 minutes down from 728 minutes. It is noted that the companies continued to grow very fast to the extent that the plant was able to produce a vehicle every minute. The high production led to a scenario in which one in every two cars in the streets all over the world was a Model T (Batchelor 1994, P.22-24).

The increase in the production of the Model T by Henry Ford was attributed to two main principles, namely division of labor and specialization on the assembly line, and the company’s investment in capital. Therefore, in order to improve productivity of Model T, Ford felt that it was necessary to divide his workers and team of engineers in accordance with their areas of specialization in the assembly line. This meant that every employee was to be assigned a duty that he or she can do best. The strategy was well received by the employees creating high motivation and working spirit. The diffusion of labor and specialization increased efficiency thereby increasing the production level, which led to the production of several cars on a daily basis (OHearn 2006, P.16-19).

With regard to investment in capital as a way of improving productivity, Ford Motor Company built one of Michigan’s largest buildings under one roof known as the Highland Park Plant in 1903. The building was spacious and large thereby allowing for effective arrangement of machineries. The building also had massive windows to enhance natural lights and ventilation.