The Transferability of Just-in-Time Concepts to American Small Businesses

Abstract

The just-in-time management philosophy has traditionally been considered applicable only to large manufacturing firms. An examination of over 100 manufacturing firms, large and small, reveals that JIT is just as applicable to small firms as to large. Almost all elements traditionally implemented in house or regarding vendors are equally adaptable to both size firms. The use of outside consultants seems more prevalent in large firms. Small manufacturing firms actually managed greater percentage lot-size reductions from suppliers, greater reductions in inventory, and increased inventory turns.

An empirical study of lean production in the ceramic tile industry in Spain

“…Lastly, it has to be remembered that the sector is composed mainly of SMEs. It therefore follows that it has only limited resources to devote to introducing LP (Inman and Mehra, 1990), and it will not embark on them unless it is convinced of the benefits that will accrue (Fullerton and McWatters, 2001) and is sure about which aspects of LP are suited to the specific circumstances of each firm (Finch and Cox, 1986). The above findings are therefore to some extent predictable given the peculiarities of the sector.…”

“…To take an example, some authors consider a business to be small if it has , 500 employees (Inman and Mehra, 1990;Schonberger, 1996), whereas Lee (1997) prefers 300 as the deciding number, and yet other authors fix the limit at 250 (Martínez Shah and Ward, 2003;White et al, 1999). In some investigations, for instance, that of Martínez Pérez Pérez (2001, p. 1440), "small firms with less than 50 employees were excluded from the study because these companies are less likely to adopt LP practices".…”

“…Finally, when analysing the effect of LP practices on operational performance, different researchers (Cooney, 2002;De Toni and Tonchia, 1996;Fullerton et al, 2003;Inman and Mehra, 1990;Krafcik, 1988;Lowe et al, 1997;Williams et al, 1992Williams et al, , 1995 recommend using a series of different control variables, among which we would emphasise plant size, industry, product characteristics (manufacturability), vertical integration, capacity utilisation, model mix, automation level and market requirements. Yet in spite of the sector's importance both nationally and globally, very few studies have focused on analysing its importance for the world economy.…”

The Role of Public Relations in Process of Improvement of Corporate Social Responsibility

“…Development of new product is defined by methodology which implements LC principles in traditional way of manufacturing. The basic principles of LC are [5]: 1. Recognition of waste; 2.…”

Les caractéristiques et les spécificités de la PME : favorables ou défavorables au juste-à-temps?

“…En effet, les PME se préoccupent peu de la gestion des technologies de l'infor mation (manque d'expérience ou de connaissances) et sous-utilisent leurs systèmes d'information. Le lien entre l'utilisation des technologies de l'infor mation et la taille des entreprises, qui s'explique principalement par les limites financières des entreprises de moins grandes dimensions (Inman et Mehra, 1990 ;Golhar et al, 1990)6, met donc en évidence les lacunes des PME en matière de gestion de l'information face à certains facteurs de succès impor tants du JAT. Mais ces limites financières, qui pourraient affecter la qualité du 6.…”