JIT - a management approach to ensure that the right quantities of raw materials/products are purchased and made at the right time and quality, and that there is no waste. JIT is a management philosophy that was originally imported and adopted piecemeal from the Japanese. More recently, companies have taken an integrated approach to JIT techniques, and it is this 'complete' philosophy that is now meeting with considerable success. This text starts by looking at a definition of JIT as well as early misconceptions but concentrates in the main on JIT implementations in Japan, the USA and the UK. The authors have put considerable emphasis on case study material giving the reader the advantage of learning from manufacturers who have already successfully adopted it, examining the advantages and disadvantages it offers. The book also includes a section on how to implement a JIT programme illustrated at each stage with mini case-study examples.