Just In Time Strategy

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.

今天召集大家开会，主要是讨论生产计划。大家都知道，信贷紧缩和全球金融危机下，我们必须寻找更经济的生产方式。我们不想裁员，所以初步制定了实施准时制生产的方案。

We have two basic points that we want to focus on. First of all, we want to reduce our lead time.

我们重点要抓两点。第一，缩短前置时间。

Why would want to do that? I think this is not an area that really needs to be worked on.

为什么要缩短？我觉得这块不需要花太多功夫。

Well, we want to reduce production and delivery lead timesfor better overall efficiency.

缩短生产和交付的前置时间，是为了提高整体效率。

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.

对，生产前置时间可以通过把工作站拉近、减少排队数量（比如减少每台机器等待处理的工件数）、加强前后工序的协调合作来缩短。交付前置时间则可以通过与供应商紧密合作，比如让他们迁到离工厂更近的地方，或者找更快的物流公司。

I see. That makes sense.

明白了，有道理。

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.

第二，我们要推行供应商质量保证，实施零缺陷质量计划。目前错误太多导致次品，必须消除。要实施源头质量控制，让工人对自己工作的质量负责，并在出问题时有权停止生产。

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.

这点我同意。减少错误很关键，我们必须迫使供应商降低失误。

Exactly. Well, let’s look at how we’re going to put this plan into action. First...(fade out)

没错。那好，我们来看看具体怎么实施这个计划。首先……