EnglishPod

Advanced - Just In Time Strategy (E0047)

A: I called this meeting today in order to discuss our

manufacturing plan. As I’m sure you’re all aware,

with the credit crunch, and the global financial crisis, we’re obligated to look for more cost efficient

ways of producing our goods. We don’t want to

have to be looking at redundancies. So, we’ve

outlined a brief plan to implement the just-in-time

philosophy.

B: We have two basic points that we want to focus

on. First of all, we want to reduce our lead time.

C: Why would want to do that? I think this is not an

area that really needs to be worked on.

B: Well, we want to reduce production and delivery

lead timesfor better overall efficiency.

Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version). 

c 2008 Praxis Language Ltd.A: Right, production lead times can be reduced by

moving work stations closer together, reducing

queue length, like for example, reducing the number of jobs waiting to be processed at a given machine, and improving the coordination and cooperation between successive processes. Delivery

lead times can be reduced through close cooperation with suppliers, possibly by inducing suppliers to locate closer to the factory or working with

a faster shipping company.

C: I see… That makes sense.

B: The second point is that we want to require supplier quality assurance and implement a zero defects quality program. We currently have far too

many errors that lead to defective items and therefore, they must be eliminated. A quality control at

the source program must be implemented to give

workers the personal responsibility for the quality

of the work they do, and the authority to stop production when something goes wrong.

C: I’m with you on this one. It’s essential that we

reduce these errors; we’ve got to force our suppliers to reduce their mistakes.

Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version). 

c 2008 Praxis Language Ltd.A: Exactly. Well, let’s look at how we’re going to put

this plan into action. First...(fade out)

Key Vocabulary

obligate verb make a person do something because it is the

right thing to do

cost efficient phrase cheap, not expensive

redundancy common

noun, plural

layoff, the ending of

workers’ employment

implement verb put a plan into action

lead time common

noun, singular

the time between the

beginning of a process

and its end

efficiency common

noun, singular

the ability to produce

something more quickly

Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version). 

c 2008 Praxis Language Ltd.work station common

noun, plural

an area where a person

works and does his job

given Adjective used to refer to a specific time, place or thing

defective Adjective having a mistake or error that makes something not perfect

defect common

noun, plural

a mistake or error that

makes something not

perfect

Supplementary Vocabulary

inventory common

noun, nonvariable

supply of goods stored

in a place

carrying cost phrase the cost of holding inventory

warehouse common

noun, singular

large building where

products or goods are

stored

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c 2008 Praxis Language Ltd.stock common

noun, nonvariable

the supply of goods for

sale, or available

bottleneck common

noun, singular

something that slows a

process down

Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version). 

c 2008 Praxis Language Ltd.