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Subcontractors, JIT and kanbans: a brief review of spring manufacturing in Japan and South Korea

John B. Kidd (Lecturer in Information Management at Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham, UK)

Integrated Manufacturing Systems

ISSN: 0957-6061

Article publication date: 1 December 1995

1085

Abstract

It is widely believed that JIT processes are a fundamental necessity for a business and, as a consequence, for the product chain also. Thus JIT should be extended to subcontractors. Presents observations gleaned in Japan and South Korea on the issues faced by spring manufacturers in terms of JIT, quality control and other workplace factors. Concludes that the style of management operated by the client firms, especially in Japan, would not be appropriate in the UK. Also, since the psychological characteristics of UK persons are quite unlike those of the Orientals, we should be wary of importing, without modification, the work practices which seem to be acceptable in Japan and South Korea. Proposes that we should play to our strengths and continue to be innovative and individualistic while attempting to modify our management style to be more attentive to the longer term.

Keywords

Citation

Kidd, J.B. (1995), "Subcontractors, JIT and kanbans: a brief review of spring manufacturing in Japan and South Korea", Integrated Manufacturing Systems, Vol. 6 No. 6, pp. 15-22. https://doi.org/10.1108/09576069510099338

Publisher

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MCB UP Ltd

Copyright © 1995, MCB UP Limited

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