Tight Coupling
Tight coupling enables efficiency through synchronous connections but propagates failures instantly. Toyota JIT: 77% profit decline after 2011 earthquake; reformed to stockpile 500 priority parts with 2-6 month buffers.
Tight coupling in networks refers to dense, synchronous connections with minimal buffers - analogous to tightly-coupled metabolic pathways where enzyme outputs immediately feed downstream reactions without intermediate storage. This enables rapid signal propagation but creates fragility - failures propagate instantly with no slack to absorb disruption.
Business Application of Tight Coupling
Zara's tightly coupled supply chain enables 2-week design-to-store cycles but proved catastrophic during COVID-19 lockdowns - stores emptied within 72 hours when Spanish factories stopped. Tight coupling optimizes for speed but eliminates resilience, suitable only for stable, continuous-flow environments.