DRIVING HONDA Inside the Worlds Most Innovative Car Company

Honda isn't into globalization. Instead, as Jeffrey Rothfeder explains, it's into localization. Rothfeder has spent a lot of time studying the way Honda, which started as a motorcycle maker in 1949, does business. Mel Foster's reading is lively, as listeners would expect of a story that's largely about a man, Soichiro Honda, who started his career by rethinking the wheel. It's upbeat as he discusses Honda's part in communities and its assembly streamlining. By the end, though, Foster takes on a thoughtful tone as Rothfeder offers his opinions on how corporations can do things better. It's an interesting profile, with an argument for the importance of manufacturing that leaves listeners plenty to ponder. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2014]