The Japanese word Monozukuri captures the true spirit of companies like Toyota and Nissan in relation to the concept of sustainable manufacturing. The literal meaning of Monozukuri is “production” (“Mono” is the thing which is made and “Zukuri” means the act of making it), but this concept implies more than simply making things. It can be best compared to “doing things well”.
In Japanese Monozukuri tradition, the craftsman takes great care using resources not to be wasteful or futile, as well as is aware that when an item or human effort is taken into use, there needs to be a benefit for the society as a result. The attention is on the thing that is being made, not in the person doing the making (the craftsman). It is not only about making things, but about producing well and endowing production with a sense of responsibility for the use of tools and efforts, having so a balance between production, resources and society. The individuals working through Monozukuri do not act by mindless repetition, but empowering themselves on those things produced, creating so a high sense of ownership in the process and the produced good which sets the way for a constant improvement.
