Just-in-Time: A United States-United Kingdom Comparison.

Do managerial practices and perceptions in the United Kingdom and the United States have a significant influence on the adoption and implementation of just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing techniques? Although there is an increased interest in Japanese production systems, as evidenced by the plethora of articles, reports, and texts, much of the investigative and analytical effort has focused on comparisons with Japanese companies. It was perceived that the styles of management in the UK and US differ in terms of readiness to implement new ideas and the level of investment each was prepared to make in support of those ideas. This study provides a comparative analysis from which several conclusions are drawn. After preliminary tests and refinement, a large-scale questionnaire survey was undertaken in both the UK and the US. Approximately 1,300 questionnaires were distributed from which an initial return of 99 usable responses were included in this analysis. The complexity and length of the questionnaire reduced the likelihood of a higher response rate, but this was more than compensated for by the high level of detail obtained. Significant differences between the UK and US were identified by the use of predominantly non-parametic tests. (A statistical level of 0.05 was established for all analyses within this study.) Evidence exists for acceptance of the hypothesis that there are significant differences in managerial practices and perceptions between the two countries which impact on the adoption and implementation of JIT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]