The less important effect of the earthquake in Japan

Exactly! The ability to alter “faulty” parts and manufacturing procedures is what set Buick apart from the rest of the GM line at one point. These subtle differences kept at least one car line solvent. Check CR reliability reports over time and you can see these differences in practice when compared to other GM makes with the same basic components.
These practices have not hurt Toyota too much in their quest to be the leading car maker world wide. The people are most important in this disaster and I’m no too worried about Toyota being able to bounce back w/o my help. Toyota partners with Subaru, GM and who knows who else is in the works. Buy later if the need can wait.

I was a “labor and industrial relations” major when everybody was “rah-rah” over JIT…I couldn’t help but think, “sounds like a union’s sweetest dream.”

I mean, the sooner after a strike that sales are curtailed, the greater the bargaining position of the union. (And of course “acts of God” are amplified.)

Let’s continue to vilify unions when they had no hand or cause and whose members will suffer along with everyone else; even the few who are in the chain Toyota car manufacturing. "Never let a chance go by without making a political attack."
That’s what I can’t help but think after reading your comment.

JIT is a key component of Total Quality Management, devised by the late W.E. Deming, who formerly had his offices on K Street in Washington DC. Deming reformed Japan’s manufacturing system in the postwar period and his ideas are responsible for a great deal of Japan’s industrial success.

I know for a fact that when JIT was introduced to Big-4 (AMC was still around)…the unions were totally against it…They did NOT want it…and fought hard NOT to allow it in.

It’s better for the consumer…better for the manufacturer…and even better for the Union.

One of the most critical components of a successful JIT program is moving responsibility for quality to the suppliers. This involves a good up-and-running supplier quality system involving supplier qualification, specification (configuration) controls in the design package, qualification/validation of parts and subassemblies, working with the suppliers on their internal quality systems, “flow down” requirements for SPC and other such protocols when applicable, and lots of other techniques in harmony. The great aspect of JIT from the quality assurance discipline is that it transfers responsibility for quality to the supplier and bad parts and assemblies never leave the supplier’s facility. The tradeoff is the investment in a good supplier quality system.

JIT without a good supplier quality system will reduce inventory at the expense of the company. Quality, throughput, and customer satisfaction are all bound to suffer.

True dat. Hence the “Total” in Total Quality Management.

Waterboy, deep breath. Slow down and look at the thread title, which was written by the OP.

lot killed by those tsunami…

The quality of the final product is the responsibility of the manufacturer. They determine the specs. JIT or not. If their designs are faulty, specs are change and subcontractors respond. I have direct knowledge, working with people in local subcontractor firm for suspension components of several major car makers. They all required very similar, often interchangeable parts. The difference was in their quality determine by manufacturing specifications. If was frustrating for the sub contractor to purposely build lower quality parts for one contractor for the same price as another. It’s not the subcontractor ! They will build what ever is required.

Dagosa, was that directed at me?

If so, I think you misunderstood me: I was in school for labor studies. I have been a union member in good standing in numerous jobs. When I said that JIT would be a boon to labor power, I was (vicariously) drooling at the prospect.

(Apologies if I misunderstood you. If I didn’t, please don’t just assume that anybody commenting on organized labor is necessarily denigrating it.)

I subscribe to Automotive News. This is the trade magazine primarily for dealership owners.

Yes, there is going to be a vehicle shortage due to suppliers ,of both assembly line components and also parts for warranty repairs ,affected by the disaster.