Obstacles to Japanisation: The Case of Ford UK Available to Purchase

The issues and dilemmas facing companies, their unions and their workers as they attempt to emulate Japanese‐style production practices are discussed. Using the case of Ford UK as an example, the causes and effects of the 1988 strike and the withdrawal from the proposed electronics plant at Dundee are explored. Major obstacles to the successful introduction of practices such as just‐in‐time production are identified; however,once implemented these practices carry significant implications for unions and workers.