Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

8-31-1987

Degree Name

Master of Science in Management Engineering - (M.S.)

Department

Industrial and Management Engineering

First Advisor

Albert S. Viviani

Abstract

"Just-in-time" is a Japanese philosophy of business management which has as its ideal the complete elimination of waste in the process of adding value to a product. Some experts have contended that its basis is not cultural, but technical, and is thus applicable to American manufacturing concerns. After an initial exploration of economics and productivity concepts, and of U.S. logistics, inventory, and purchasing practices, the matter of Just-in-time will be addressed, both theoretically and in terms of Japanese business and labor relationships and culture. Then, based upon a case study consisting of observations made at a traditional American manufacturer, this thesis will show that since Just-in-time is implicitly culture-based, the adversarial basis of America's once dominant basic industries indicates that the successful implementation of Just-in-time would be highly unlikely.

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