'Just-in-time' in Australia: a review

Just-in-time (JIT) became a widely used phrase in the 1980s but the ideas underlying it have received little attention from Australian geographers. It is often perceived as simply a system of increasing the efficiency of factories whereas, in reality, it involves changes to systems of firms across a broad range of sectors. This paper explains the meaning of JIT, reviews the literature on this topic in Australia, and suggests that it may return some cohesion to the study of 'economic geography' and provide a catalyst for resolving the growing tensions between time and place.