Instead, ask what he or she could do differently. The goal is to get people thinking and learning, not just blindly following directives. Instead of outsourcing, VW invited its suppliers to move in. Each supplier partner occupies a different section of the plant, where it takes full responsibility for not only finishing components and parts, but also mounting complete assemblies. Each supplier also has its own offices and staff and is full accountable for quality control of its specific production step.
All partners meet every morning to discuss the day's production plan.
Because all employees work closely together, they easily can consult each other on the spot. To avoid potential conflicts between staff members of different partners, all employees are treated equally - they receive the same wages, fringe benefits, and medical care. Masters are experts who follow the production line from load station to final checkpoint. They interact closely with all partners and take full responsibility for producing a certain number of vehicles. Its close partnership with suppliers has made VW more flexible in problem solving and customizing products on demand.