Final answer:
The statement is true; Toyota has employed lean management techniques like just-in-time delivery to enhance the quality of its cars, influencing the global auto industry and increasing competition with American manufacturers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Toyota has used a variety of operations management-based "lean management" techniques to sell its cars on the basis of superior quality is True. Toyota, along with other Japanese manufacturers like Honda, has been a pioneer in developing efficient manufacturing strategies. One of the key strategies they implemented was the just-in-time (JIT) delivery system, which decreased storage and inventory costs, increased quality control measures, and forced suppliers to be located within a day's drive of the manufacturing plant. This system contrasts sharply with the previous strategies employed by American car manufacturers, which involved large warehouses and less efficient production methods.
The automotive market history reveals that during the 1970s, the American auto industry was often criticized for producing vehicles that were poorly constructed and not cost-efficient. Meanwhile, Japanese manufacturers were building fuel-efficient and reliable cars that eventually became more desirable, especially after the surge in gasoline prices. The adoption of Japanese innovations such as JIT by American manufacturers in the 1980s was pivotal in improving their competitiveness and the overall quality of vehicles produced, which stands testament to Toyota's influence on the global auto industry.