Akio Toyoda, grandson of the founder of Toyota, took the helm of the company last year pledging to steer it out of its worst downturn. Now Toyoda is coping with a recall crisis that threatens to damage the brand. The Toyoda family has been described by top execs as a positive force for the company, but not all agree. "For me [Akio Toyoda] is a symbol of a tendency in Japan of moving back rather than forward," said Stefan Lippert of Temple University, Japan Campus. "It will be very hard for many Japanese makers, especially for Toyota, to overcome this dilemma and retain the traditional strengths while becoming a globally integrated company at the same time."