1. Introduction
In many high-tech manufacturing enterprises, the just-in-
time (JIT) philosophy has been adopted widely in their production system to minimize the level
of inventory. Prior to making any comments on the pros and cons of the application of JIT theory
in manufacturing situations, it should be defined clearly. The American Production and
Inventory Control Society (APICS) defines JIT as ''In broad sense, an approach to achieving
excellence in a manufactur- ing company based on the continuing elimination of waste (waste being
considered as those things which do not add value to the product). In the narrow sense, JIT
refers to the movement of material at the necessary place at the necessary time. The implication
is that each operation is closely synchronized with the subsequent ones to make
that possible'