(ONLY) JUST-IN-TIME - JAPANISATION AND THE NON-LEARNING FIRM

This article examines the events within a small manufacturing organisa tion during a period of 'adoption' by a larger customer organisation. The focus of the study concerns the nature and level of adaptation to Japanese manufacturing methods through the customer's influence. The p articular circumstances of the two companies at the outset was an idea l scenario for what just-in-time (JIT) and Total Quality Management (T QM) protagonists have termed 'supplier adoption' and what others have defined as 'emulation' within a process of 'Japanisation'. The finding s indicate that while there are pressures in working for a JIT custome r, the outcome is not the mere reciprocation of JIT methodology within a supplier. Reasons for this lack of adaptation are proposed and impl ications for the debate on Japanisation and the supply-chain labour pr ocess are discussed.