Application of Just-In-Time Production Methods in the Defense Industrial Base

摘要

This study investigated the motivation for defense industrial base contractors toswitch to Just-In-Time (JIT) production. Areas of interest included the original motivation for the contractor to change to JIT, how they implemented the change, which JIT methods they used, and what benefits they received from switching to JIT. A review of the current literature on the subject of JIT revealed that JIT is a philosophy of production based on inventory reduction, process improvement, and elimination of waste. This philosophy can be supported through the use of a number of different methods, and reductions in both cost and cycle time can result from the use of JIT. Information was collected through in-depth case studies of three firms from different industries representing each tier in the defense industrial base: supplier, subcontractor, and prime contractor. Competition was the motivating factor influencing adoption of JIT among these firms. All three firms implemented JIT through the use of in-house resources, and none specifically identified their efforts with JIT. Supplier alliance programs were found to be the only common method used among the three firms. All three realized cost and cycle time reductions as a result of switching to JIT.