Trouble at Toyota

Human Resource Management International Digest

ISSN: 0967-0734

Article publication date: 1 December 2006

1047

Keywords

Citation

Orey, M. (2006), "Trouble at Toyota", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 14 No. 7. https://doi.org/10.1108/hrmid.2006.04414gad.002

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Trouble at Toyota

Trouble at Toyota

Orey M.Business Week, 22 May 2006, Start page: 46, No. of pages: 3

Purpose – To report on the sexual harassment case made by an employee against the chief executive of Toyota Motor North America. Design/methodology/approach – Details the lawsuit brought against Toyota and Otaka (chief executive) by Kobayashi a female employee at Toyota Motor North America. Outlines the allegations made against her boss; details the mess that the giant carmaker made out of the handling of Kobayashi’s concerns; suggests that the failure to respond adequately were partly due to the problems foreign executives have when faced with US sexual harassment laws. Puts forward how the company has now decided to seek help in reviewing its policies and practices on harassment and discrimination; quotes Kobayashi and presents her side of the story; looks at how the case should have been handled and how it was actually handled by Toyota; identifies some of the changes that have been made. Originality/value – Draws attention to how foreign executives can fall foul of US sexual harassment laws.ISSN: 0007-7135Reference: 35AN348

Keywords: Law, Management failures, Sexual harassment, United States of America

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