Toyota is well known for its philosophy on manufacturing and logistics organization, as well as its interactions with suppliers and customers. But the genius of the Toyota Production System (TPS) lies not in its solutions to problems, but in its approach to problem solving. Brian Atwater, Ph.D., Jonah, associate professor of operations management at Utah State University, and Paul Pittman, Ph.D., CFPIM, Jonah, professor of operations management at Indiana University Southeast, explain the principles that underlie TPS and how they can be applied outside the traditional manufacturing shop floor, including service and office environments.