As técnicas JIT, desenvolvidas na Toyota a partir da década de 40, apresentam hoje significativo nível de aplicação, sendo que importantes resultados têm sido atingidos com o seu uso, embora o processo de implementação possa apresentar uma série de problemas. Nesta pesquisa, uma revisão de literatura descreveu o conceito de JIT, resultados obtidos com sua implementação e principais problemas enfrentados. Os Fatores Críticos para a Implementação (FCI) foram definidos como fatores cuja consideração e tratamento são importantes para que a implementação tenha maior probabilidade de atingir os resultados dela esperados. Na revisão de literatura foi possível destacar FCI relacionados principalmente a aspectos ligados ao Apoio da Alta Administração, Educação e Treinamento, Produção, Organizacionais/Estruturais e Fornecedores. Teve-se como objetivo desta pesquisa identificar a forma de tratamento dos FCI das técnicas JIT em um conjunto de empresas industriais de Sorocaba, o que poderia contribuir com o melhor entendimento do processo de implementação. Como metodologia, optou-se pela proposta de Eisenhardt para a construção de teorias a partir de estudos de caso, que permite um maior aprofundamento na questão de pesquisa. A seleção das cinco empresas estudadas foi realizada por amostragem teórica e não estatística, e contou, como apoio, com uma pesquisa quantitativa sobre o uso de técnicas JIT tendo como universo as empresas industriais de Sorocaba. A coleta de dados no estudo de casos, predominantemente de cunho qualitativo, foi efetuada por uma equipe de pesquisa, abrangendo entrevistas pessoais aliadas à observação direta das instalações produtivas. O processo de análise incluiu a comparação entre os casos, a partir de uma perspectiva cronológica e segmentada por FCI, levando à formulação de hipóteses relacionadas à forma de tratamento destes FCI. Finalmente, compararam-se as constatações da pesquisa de campo com a literatura, propondo-se também implicações para a prática e sugestões para estudos posteriores. / Developed at Toyota since the 40’s, JIT techniques are nowadays intensively spread over the world, leading the organizations that applied them to obtain relevant results. On the other hand, its implementation may present a number of problems. In this research, a literature review described the JIT concept, results obtained by its use and major problems faced. Implementation Critical Factors (ICF) for JIT Techniques were defined as factors whose consideration and treatment are relevant to allow the implementation process to occur with greater probability of achieving the expected results. Five groups of ICF were identified in the literature review: Top Management Support; Education and Training; Manufacturing; Organizational/Structural and Suppliers. This work’s objective was to identify the way in which the ICF for JIT techniques were treated by a group of industrial enterprises in Sorocaba-SP. Such a study may contribute to a better understanding of the implementation process. Eisenhardt’s proposal for theory building from case study research was applied in the methodological field, allowing a deeper analysis of the research question. Five organizations were elected for the case studies, based on theoretical, not random, sampling. A survey among industrial enterprises of Sorocaba over the use of JIT techniques acted as a support to this choice. The data collection process in the case studies, focused mainly on qualitative information, was carried out by a research team, including personal interviews as well as direct observation of production facilities. This analysis enfolded a comparison between the implementation processes, from a chronological perspective and a cross sectional view, based on the groups of ICF, leading to the design of hypothesis. At last, the field research findings were compared to the existing literature and suggestions for further studies as well as for enterprises undertaking the JIT implementation were proposed.

As técnicas JIT, desenvolvidas na Toyota a partir da década de 40, apresentam hoje significativo nível de aplicação, sendo que importantes resultados têm sido atingidos com o seu uso, embora o processo de implementação possa apresentar uma série de problemas. Nesta pesquisa, uma revisão de literatura descreveu o conceito de JIT, resultados obtidos com sua implementação e principais problemas enfrentados. Os Fatores Críticos para a Implementação (FCI) foram definidos como fatores cuja consideração e tratamento são importantes para que a implementação tenha maior probabilidade de atingir os resultados dela esperados. Na revisão de literatura foi possível destacar FCI relacionados principalmente a aspectos ligados ao Apoio da Alta Administração, Educação e Treinamento, Produção, Organizacionais/Estruturais e Fornecedores. Teve-se como objetivo desta pesquisa identificar a forma de tratamento dos FCI das técnicas JIT em um conjunto de empresas industriais de Sorocaba, o que poderia contribuir com o melhor entendimento do processo de implementação. Como metodologia, optou-se pela proposta de Eisenhardt para a construção de teorias a partir de estudos de caso, que permite um maior aprofundamento na questão de pesquisa. A seleção das cinco empresas estudadas foi realizada por amostragem teórica e não estatística, e contou, como apoio, com uma pesquisa quantitativa sobre o uso de técnicas JIT tendo como universo as empresas industriais de Sorocaba. A coleta de dados no estudo de casos, predominantemente de cunho qualitativo, foi efetuada por uma equipe de pesquisa, abrangendo entrevistas pessoais aliadas à observação direta das instalações produtivas. O processo de análise incluiu a comparação entre os casos, a partir de uma perspectiva cronológica e segmentada por FCI, levando à formulação de hipóteses relacionadas à forma de tratamento destes FCI. Finalmente, compararam-se as constatações da pesquisa de campo com a literatura, propondo-se também implicações para a prática e sugestões para estudos posteriores. / Developed at Toyota since the 40’s, JIT techniques are nowadays intensively spread over the world, leading the organizations that applied them to obtain relevant results. On the other hand, its implementation may present a number of problems. In this research, a literature review described the JIT concept, results obtained by its use and major problems faced. Implementation Critical Factors (ICF) for JIT Techniques were defined as factors whose consideration and treatment are relevant to allow the implementation process to occur with greater probability of achieving the expected results. Five groups of ICF were identified in the literature review: Top Management Support; Education and Training; Manufacturing; Organizational/Structural and Suppliers. This work’s objective was to identify the way in which the ICF for JIT techniques were treated by a group of industrial enterprises in Sorocaba-SP. Such a study may contribute to a better understanding of the implementation process. Eisenhardt’s proposal for theory building from case study research was applied in the methodological field, allowing a deeper analysis of the research question. Five organizations were elected for the case studies, based on theoretical, not random, sampling. A survey among industrial enterprises of Sorocaba over the use of JIT techniques acted as a support to this choice. The data collection process in the case studies, focused mainly on qualitative information, was carried out by a research team, including personal interviews as well as direct observation of production facilities. This analysis enfolded a comparison between the implementation processes, from a chronological perspective and a cross sectional view, based on the groups of ICF, leading to the design of hypothesis. At last, the field research findings were compared to the existing literature and suggestions for further studies as well as for enterprises undertaking the JIT implementation were proposed.

Study of the critical factors for TQM implementation throughout the years, and longitudinal analysis of secondary quality winners of prestigious awards such as the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA), is important. The longitudinal analysis in this research will enable verification that there are generic critical factors (CFs) for TQM implementation and generic critical areas of measurement (CAM) that if implemented fully and successfully will deliver excellence. Also, it will enable verification that these generic CFs help to ensure sustainable performance and this could help in answering how excellent organisations sustain their performance constantly. By studying what excellent organisations measure and what they place emphasis on throughout the year, the study will document measurements that have been used to sustain excellence and will consider empirically how these have led to tangible results over a period of twenty years; the study will examine MBNQA winners from 1988 until 2008. Finally, an excellence maturity assessment tool 'assessment software' was developed as result of examining winning case studies over a long period of time, lists of critical factors of implementation (CFI) and critical areas of measurement (CAM) were extracted and used accompanied by the EFQM Excellence Model, and Zairi's two model 'Index of Excellence' and 'Ladder of Excellence'. This formed the basis of the assessment tool developed; companies through this will be able to understand their level of excellence implementation and their position compared to world class organisations.

Studies in recent years have revealed the challenges involved in deploying ERP solutions due to its complexity. Before attempting to implement ERP systems, it is essential to study various aspects such as project management, training, and change management in detail to manage the associated risks. When an ERP project is undertaken with insufficient planning, it may result in failure to integrate business processes and in substantial financial loss. Research has been pursued to identify critical risk/failure factors that may arise during implementation and the measures that should be taken to manage them. However, there is lack of research in identifying the management of critical risk/failure factor using a structured methodology. This raises a question of ‘can a structured methodology identify and manage critical risk/failure factors and support deploying ERP solutions with a better quality?’ A study of Microsoft Sure Step Methodology is performed to identify critical risk/failure factors that frequently occur during ERP implementation. These factors are derived from 8 articles. On determining critical risk/failure factors, we investigated if Sure Step methodology likely contains procedures that approach these factors.