Explain the JIT Philosophy
The just-in-time processing is a model of performing business operations in an effort to reduce waste of resources. As depicted in the name, it is a reflection of the production process that the management sector incorporates. In this philosophy, the organization produces exactly what the customer wants, at the time when they want it, in the requested quantities, at the places where the products are wanted and without delay (Battini, Boysen, & Emde, 2013). This direction of production is systematic where the organization ensures production of goods is only in line with what the customer wants and not what you think they want. This practice avoids the building of large stock hence the resources available are concentrated on producing what the customer actually wants. Each process in the line of production will only produce that which is essential for the next sequence. This philosophy of production was developed by Taiichi Ohno of the Toyota Company (Battini et al., 2013). After the Second World War, the amount of resources in Japan were extremely scarce hence the need to establish a system that will ensure preservation and avoiding waste of the minimal resources.
Production Process Steps Observed in Toyota
The Toyota Company is the most widely known company to implement the just-in-time processing philosophy. In this practice, there are significant steps implemented in the production process to ensure swift flow of operational tasks and objectives. The steps in production are recognized as the preceding process. It is important to note that the just-in-time processing was borrowed from the supermarket concept where it stocks items that are needed by the customer when they are needed in the appropriate quantity and the organization always has these items available for purchase (Battini et al., 2013). The first step begins when a vehicle order is received. A production instruction is issued such that the organization can begin the production of the vehicle model that is ordered from the sellers.
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The following step is ensuring that all the available parts are present at the assembly line. In this case, as the organization produces numerous models of cars, it is essential that the assembly line incorporates all the required materials for this production process. The next process of production involves ensuring the assembly line will replace the various parts used in producing vehicles by retrieving the same number of parts from the section that produces them. This practice is depicted as the implementation of the preceding process where the number of supplies incorporated in the previous production is used to determine future orders whether they will be increased or they will be reduced. In the final process of the production system, the organization ensures that the preceding process incorporates a small number of all the parts essential for the production of the different models. The replacement of the parts only takes place when the parts are retrieved by operators in the next process and only the same number is produced at the time.
Compare and Contrast Standardized & Non-Standardized Process Steps
There are various steps in production process that are standardized while others are non-standardized. In the process of assembling, standardized processes are those that all members involved perform them in the same manner. On the other hand, non-standardized processes are those that are mainly very different in the way the members involved implement them. They are also well documented such that every step is explained in detail including images and maps in the essential areas. However, non-standardized processes may not always be well detailed as they require the members involved to incorporate creativity and innovation in their implementation. The standardized processes include cycle times, the resources required, best practice, adhere to customer expectations and are quite predictable. However, the non-standardized processes may not include the cycle times for when they will be completed, the have an indefinite resource requirement, and they may be unpredictable. There are similarities observed whereby the non-standardized process steps adhere to the customer expectations while ensuring they maintain the best practice standards at the time demonstrating that they are semi-permanent.
State your Opinion Concerning the Process
The just-in-time process is an effective measure of production that makes an effort to reduce waste in different aspects. For instance, through the aspect of considering the preceding and the next process, the organization can effectively reduce waste by producing at high levels of efficiency (Fawcett, & Pearson, 2015). In this case, the number of products produced is equivalent with the number ordered. This practice is known as the pull system where parts required in the production of a particular product are delivered to the next point of production even if they are not yet needed. This system can work if the production of parts is done on schedule.
The process of undertaking the daily activities of the company is an appropriate measure of identifying efficiency (Fawcett, & Pearson, 2015). When the production order is placed, the organization will identify the significant amount of time it should take the workers to produce a single product. This period is utilized to designate each department in the production line a specified duration for undertaking its significant activities. The organization may also incorporate the just-in-time process as a unit of measurement (Fawcett, & Pearson, 2015). In this regard, the organization may identify the required time for undertaking different activities and note the various sectors that are lagging behind. Furthermore, upon selling the first batch of ordered products, the company will receive feedback on the quality of the products and any arising issues from the customer’s end.
Recommend Process Improvements using Supportive Evidence
There are various areas that can be improved in the just-in-time process. There are various aspects of the above processes that could be improved. It is essential that the production of products and the parts is performed simultaneously such that the organization always has the parts required to make the necessary end products (Pai, Hebbar, Kamath, & Kamath, 2013). This practice will avoid cases of orders being placed and the organization lacking the required parts to match the order. Furthermore, the organization will get rid of the inventory problem that usually incurs costs than the required (Pai et al., 2013). The incorporation of technology is an important factor to consider in the production process. In this case, the organization ensures that the research and engineering departments collaborate such that they can continuously develop the various parts of the vehicle to meet or exceed the expectations of the customer (Pai et al., 2013).
The process of production also involves a high number of workers that will be an integral part of the end product the organization produces. In an effort to improve the process, the senior management staff should clearly indicate the particular roles of each worker in the organization (Pai et al., 2013). The workers who have standardized processes are categorized in one sector while those required to implement the non-standardized processes are categorized in another. However, the organization should ensure that these two groups continue collaborating such that the changes in production are easily enforced.
References
Battini, D., Boysen, N., & Emde, S. (2013). Just-in-Time supermarkets for part supply in the automobile industry. Journal of Management Control , 24(2), 209-217.
Fawcett, S. E., & Pearson, J. N. (2015). Requirements and benefits of implementing just-in-time manufacturing for small-firm manufacturers. Journal of Small Business Strategy , 1(2), 10-26.
Pai, R. R., Hebbar, S., Kamath, V., & Kamath, G. B. (2013). Improvement of Process Productivity through Just-in-Time. Research Journal of Management Sciences , 2(12), 1-6.
