Developing a creative inventive framework for strategic management and sustainable business excellence

Voluntary recall of vehicles, an established practice in automobile business, is viewed as indication of manufacturer's seriousness in maintaining highest levels of quality. Adopting creative (creative problem solving) and inventive (theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ)) approach to look into the issue of recall (viewed as forced and not voluntary) of 8.5 million vehicles by Toyota Motor Corporation in 2009 2010, this paper attempts to develop fresh insight into the issue. A hybrid Flexi‐TRIZ research and strategy development and implementation methodology is evolved, framework for strategic management and sustainable excellence – along with strategy implementation tool – created, and incorporation of 'flexibility', 'inventiveness' and 'purposefulness' – as new evaluation angles in Deming Application Prize examination – suggested. The study contributes to further development of total quality management philosophy.