A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology

Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1991

Just-In-Time is a production strategy used in manufacturing industry to continuously improve quality and productivity through elimination of waste as its basic principle. It is called 'Just In-Time ' because, with this strategy , it is desired to manufacture or purchase parts in small numbers 'just in time ' to be used by the subsequent operation. In this new environment , only the necessary parts are produced and delivered in the right quantity, at the right time and place, while using the minimum quantity of facilities, equipment, materials and human resources. Specific techniques which require total employee invol vement and teamwork are required to accomplish this purpose . Learning from the successful implementation of this strategy in the manufacturing industry, it is expected that the key ideas of this strategy can be adopted into construction industry for attacking materials management problems. The problems in the materials management area especially those concerning unnecessary inventory can be considered as the serious ones in the construction industry. In this thesis, the analysis of each principle and element of Just-In-Time strategy for its application in the construction industry is done, taking into consideration the differences between the nature of the manufacturi ng and the construction industries. It was found that not all of those principles and elements can be applied in the construction setting. However, the majority can be modified to make them suitable for application in the construction environment. These modified principles and elements might then be used to solve the problems of materials management thereby facilitating improvement. ' The Pull System' and 'The Supplier Relations' are considered as having the best potential for solving construction industry problems. However, education and top management support as the initial steps are required to put this new strategy 'into action' in the construction industry.