What Comes After Just-In-Time and Total Quality Management?

Graham Links

College of Commerce

University of Saskatchewan

What comes after Just-In-Time and Total Quality Management techniques? For the last half dozen years Japan has been slipping into a serious recession. Throughout this period a group of MBA students and myself have had a chance to study Japanese management practices in a variety of Japanese firms. I will attempt to discuss how three of these firms have developed operating strategies to battle the recession and exchange difficulties.

These case studies include:

• Hitachi Works, a manufacturer of power generation equipment, who must deal with the question of whether or not quality really pays.
• Iris Ohyama, the "Rubber Maid " of Japan, who must hope that their novel logistics strategy will stave off the threat of the real Rubber Maid entering Japan.
• Selco Homes, the largest importer of Canadian homes into Japan, who must evolve to cope with a rapidly maturing Japanese housing market.

Although this will be a descriptive presentation rather than a mathematical modelling exercise, it is hoped that you will be able to discover a few new Japanese management techniques and develop a better understanding of Japanese business.

September 30, 1998

Park Town Hotel, Maple Room

Cocktails 5:30, Dinner 6:00, Presentation 7:00

Tickets $17

For more information contact:

Kent Kostuk 244-3295 kent.kostuk@usask.ca

Keith Willoughby 966-4898 willoughby@commerce.usask.ca