The problem with JIT.(just-in-time inventory systems)

Purchasing, September, 1997 by Porter, Anne Millen

Just-in-time (JIT) has received much credit for putting an end to the ceaseless cycles of inventory building and liquidation that once drove the economy from boom, to bust, to boom again. However, a recent reader survey by Purchasing Magazine suggests that the concept may be getting more credit than it deserves.

While JIT (and related notions) remain firmly enthroned on the dais of corporate dreams, it appears that companies continue to experience great difficulty in implementing the concepts. In fact, when Purchasing asked readers to cite the inventory strategies that do and don't work in real life, JIT was -- by far -- the most frequently mentioned loser. Some examples: * A PM in Jacksonville, Fla., says, "JIT does not work extremely well,"...

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