Just-in-Time
Producing only what's needed, when it's needed - no excess inventory.
Storage hides problems - late deliveries, quality defects, inefficient processes. Immediate use exposes them.
Organisms minimize storage costs through metabolic flow optimization. Hummingbirds consume nectar just-in-time—their metabolism is so fast they'd starve overnight without torpor. Plants don't stockpile sugars; photosynthesis produces glucose that's immediately converted to starch or respired. Blood delivers oxygen just-in-time to tissues rather than storing it. The biological principle: flow beats storage when supply chains are reliable.
Business Application of Just-in-Time
Producing only what's needed, when it's needed - no excess inventory. Developed by Taiichi Ohno at Toyota starting 1950. Reduced inventory from 30-day supply to 7-day supply, but required ecosystem co-evolution with suppliers delivering multiple times daily.
Just-in-Time Appears in 3 Chapters
JIT required ecosystem co-evolution - suppliers delivering multiple times daily, representing a shift in the entire supply chain's operating rhythm.
JIT as ecosystem co-evolution →JIT eliminates metabolic waste by delivering parts exactly when needed, achieving 12-15× inventory turnover versus competitors' 6-8×.
JIT as metabolic efficiency →JIT parallels organisms relying on continuous resource flow rather than storage - supremely efficient but vulnerable to supply interruption.
JIT and storage tradeoffs →