Just-in-Time and Lean Manufacturing
An examination of the definitions for Just-in-Time (JIT) and lean manufacturing will allow us to understand the similarities and differences between these two popular quality improvement initiatives. According to the APICS Dictionary, JIT is "a philosophy of manufacturing based on planned elimination of all waste and on continuous improvement of productivity."
Conversely, lean manufacturing is defined as "a philosophy of production that emphasizes the minimization of the amount of all the resources (including time) used in various activities of the enterprise. It involves identifying and eliminating non-value-adding activities in design, production, supply chain management, and dealing with customers."
Since waste can be defined as non-value-adding activities, the overall philosophy of these two initiatives is identical. However, the scope of the two philosophies is different. JIT is usually limited to the manufacturing function, while lean production aims to reduce waste in the entire enterprise. Both of these initiatives are very supportive of the value-based quality approach discussed earlier.