Just-in-time manufacturing and pollution prevention generate mutual benefits in the furniture industry

Managing the natural environment is becoming increasingly important to manu facturing firms; yet managers are also being asked to simultaneously make c hanges to improve their firms' competitiveness. Just-in-time (JIT) manufact uring has long emphasized reducing waste. Similarly, pollution prevention s tresses reducing pollutants before they are created. During field work in f ive furniture manufacturing firms and a subsequent survey in 1994, I observ ed links between investment in JIT and improved environmental performance. More surprising, I also found that an emphasis on pollution prevention, ins tead of pollution control, improved delivery performance. Thus, production and environmental managers should pursue JIT and pollution prevention as co mplementary initiatives that can improve performance along multiple dimensi ons.