Lean production in an international supply chain

Looks at globalization and lean production and their possible interaction. Depicts production as ‘a tightly coupled, flexible system’ centred on JIT (just‐in‐time) delivery and low inventories, which requires continuous improvement as a component quality necessary in the process. Describes global supply chain strategy's conflicting goals as: JIT delivery; low inventory; lead times; flexible manufacturing; and close relationships with suppliers. Concludes that managers can evaluate the trade‐off between locating those activities close to corporate design and production functions.