--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have to grasp not only the Know-How…" description: "\"We have to grasp not only the Know-How but also 'Know Why', if we want to master the Toyota Production System.\" — Shigeo Shingo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/shigeo-shingo-33327_ifs_we-have-to-grasp-not-only-the-know-how-b_831231.jpg" --- # We have to grasp not only the Know-How but also 'Know… ![“We have to grasp not only the Know-How but also 'Know Why', if we want to master the Toyota Production System.” quote by Shigeo Shingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/shigeo-shingo-33327_ifs_we-have-to-grasp-not-only-the-know-how-b_831231.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/shigeo-shingo-33327_ifs_we-have-to-grasp-not-only-the-know-how-b_831231.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/shigeo-shingo-33327_ifs_we-have-to-grasp-not-only-the-know-how-b_831231.jpg) > “We have to grasp not only the Know-How but also 'Know Why', if we want to master the Toyota Production System.” [Shigeo Shingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeo-shingo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shingo emphasizes mastering both practical skills and underlying principles to fully implement TPS. **In simple terms:** Know both how and why for mastery. Key Takeaway Integrate theory with practice. Themes continuous improvement lean manufacturing knowledge leadership Mood analytical instructive Type business educational When to use this quote - manufacturing training - organizational change - quality control Key Concepts systems thinking kaizen process optimization Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster deeper understanding in teams? - What barriers prevent learning the ‘why’? A Different Perspective Focusing only on tools ignores deeper causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lean manufacturing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lean-manufacturing/) ## Related quotes > [“Toyota Production System—which in the United States would become known as “lean manufacturing”—relied on pushing decision making to the lowest possible level. Workers on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/toyota-production-system-which-in-the-united-states-would-become/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [Many good American companies have respect for individuals, and practice Kaizen and other TPS {Toyota Production System} tools. But what is important is having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fujio-cho/many-good-american-companies-have-respect-for-individuals-and/) [Fujio Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fujio-cho/) > [“The Toyota Production System can be realized only when all the workers become tortoises. 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Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [And we are reducing the time line by reducing the non-value-added wastes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taiichi-ohno/and-we-are-reducing-the-time-line-by-reducing-the-non-value-added/) [Taiichi Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taiichi-ohno/) ## More by Shigeo Shingo > [Those who are not dissatisfied will never make any progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeo-shingo/those-who-are-not-dissatisfied-will-never-make-any-progress/) [Shigeo Shingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeo-shingo/) > [When you buy bananas all you want is the fruit not the skin, but you have to pay for the skin also. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeo-shingo/when-you-buy-bananas-all-you-want-is-the-fruit-not-the-skin-but-you/) [Shigeo Shingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeo-shingo/) > [There are four purposes of improvement: easier, better, faster, and cheaper. These four goals appear in the order of priority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeo-shingo/there-are-four-purposes-of-improvement-easier-better-faster-and/) [Shigeo Shingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeo-shingo/) > [The best approach is to dig out and eliminate problems where they were assumed not to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeo-shingo/the-best-approach-is-to-dig-out-and-eliminate-problems-where-they/) [Shigeo Shingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeo-shingo/) > [The most dangerous kind of waste is the waste we do not recognize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeo-shingo/the-most-dangerous-kind-of-waste-is-the-waste-we-do-not-recognize/) [Shigeo Shingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeo-shingo/) > [Are you too busy for improvement? 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If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) Browse all 94,303 Ifs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have to grasp not only the Know-How but also 'Know Why', if we want to master the Toyota Production System.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shigeo Shingo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeo-shingo/we-have-to-grasp-not-only-the-know-how-but-also-know-why-if-we-want/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ifs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeo-shingo/we-have-to-grasp-not-only-the-know-how-but-also-know-why-if-we-want/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/shigeo-shingo-33327_ifs_we-have-to-grasp-not-only-the-know-how-b_831231.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/shigeo-shingo-33327_ifs_we-have-to-grasp-not-only-the-know-how-b_831231.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/shigeo-shingo-33327_ifs_we-have-to-grasp-not-only-the-know-how-b_831231.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have to grasp not only the Know-How but also 'Know Why', if we want to master the Toyota Production System.” — Shigeo Shingo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Shigeo Shingo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeo-shingo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have to grasp not only...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeo-shingo/we-have-to-grasp-not-only-the-know-how-but-also-know-why-if-we-want/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeo-shingo/we-have-to-grasp-not-only-the-know-how-but-also-know-why-if-we-want/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```