Most companies like Toyota that manufacture major devices for its motoring clientele use competent systems that will ensure optimization of their sales and avoid unnecessary inventory pile up. Taiichi Ohno developed the Just-In-Time (JIT) management principle and customized it for Japan's Toyota manufacturing plant's (GTP, 2010). JIT operates on the principle that manufacturing resources should be used for no other reason other than producing products that are needed and valued by the customer. Any other use of these resources amounts to wastefulness in terms of overburden (muri), Unevenness (mura) and non value adding work (muda).
Wastes are also aspects of overproduction, unnecessary transportation, processing waste, unnecessary motion and activity, waste from product and service defects, inventory storage waste and waiting time which includes work-in-process and customer waiting. GTP points out that the principle of "lean" is an offspring of JIT and focuses on eliminating mura from the system so as to ensure a smooth flow of activities. This operation "captures the true essence and power of how a culture built around continuous improvement and the pursuit of value-added activities leads directly to competitive advantage in the marketplace" (GTP, 2010).The principle of preserving the highest value standards of work ensures that a customer gets quality products.
In order to maintain the quality standards, GTP advises that manufacturing companies adhere to some JIT and Lean principles like managing the inventory. Reducing inventory of manufacturing will bring to the fore any traces of waste like poor equipment, weak dealers poor quality and unnecessarily long setup time. Any system weak points are identified and therefore replaced, streamlined or eliminated from the system to ensure optimal productivity and sales. Machines can be serviced to ensure they operate as expected. All workers need to be marshaled towards identification and correction of these inventories for the company's success (2010).
