The Introduction of JIT into a High Technology Electronics Manufacturing Environment

This paper is a case history of the introduction of Just‐in‐Time (JIT) into a company in the electronic capital goods sector of the Scottish electronics industry. The case attempts to identify the company policies that led up to the introduction of JIT, the difficulties encountered and the benefits that the company has accrued in the short time since the introduction of JIT, with particular reference to the productivity/service trade‐offs. The company examined designs and manufactures complex, high technology, fairly high volume, short life‐cycle electronic products for international markets. Very high levels of quality and reliability are required by customers. Consideration is given to how the benefits that this company has accrued may be obtained by other companies both in the same environment and in other environments.