Some consequences of just-in-time: Results from a comparison between the Nordic countries and East Asia

Abstract

T he article analyse the empirical data from a questionnaire sur vey r un in manufacturing com panies in the N ordic companies and East Asian companies. T he pur pose of the study is to evaluate to what degree the synergistic eþ ects of TQM and JIT are to be expected. The following six operational hypotheses are for mulated and tested: 1. High deg ree of collaboration between supplier and producer, 2. Strong dem ands from the producer, 3. Extensive use of Q C techniques, 4. Welleducated workers in JIT environment, 5. N eed of precise inform ation about customer segments, 6. N eed of precise infor mation about customer wants. It appears that we have found reasonable evidence for accepting all the six hypotheses.

Relationships among market orientation, JIT, TQM, and agility

“…Because JIT focuses on removal of waste in all of its forms including the waste associated with excess inventories, non-value adding process steps, and excessive cycle times, it is reasonable to associate success in JIT with increased efficiency. There is considerable empirical evidence supporting a positive association between JIT and organizational performance in various forms (Gunasekaran, 1999;Kristensen et al, 1999;Lieberman and Demeester, 1999;White et al, 1999). Shah and Ward (2003) found a positive association between JIT and OP.…”

Organization technologies, AMT and competent workers

“…TQM and JIT rigidly structure the manufacturing process to achieve performance goals. They aim at satisfying customers, achieving close relationships with suppliers, and increasing productivity (Challis et al , 2002; Kristensen et al , 1999; Patterson et al , 2004). In addition, there are strong complementarities between TQM and JIT.…”

“…Automating a manufacturing process rigidly structured to achieve performance goals is expected to increase manufacturing performance more than automating a manufacturing process loosely structured to achieve performance goals (Hammer and Champy, 1993; Kautzmann, 2004; Womack et al , 1991). In the presence of OT, AMT are expected to reduce set‐up times, increase productivity, and achieve consistent product quality more than in the absence of OT (Challis et al , 2002; Kristensen et al , 1999; Patterson et al , 2004). Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:…”

Benchmarking JIT

“…However, it has also been found that JIT benefits do not just happen (Prasad, 1995;Zhu and Merdith, 1995;Kristensen et al, 1999). For an organization to realize the benefits of JIT, it must accept JIT as an organizational philosophy.…”