Abstract
To compete successfully in the global market, firms are adopting
new technologies and manufacturing strategies. The just-in-time (JIT)
philosophy and electronic data interchange (EDI) are two recent
developments that can help these firms. The success of JIT depends on
timely and effective exchange of information between the manufacturing
firm and its trading partners. The literature suggests that EDI, as a
communication tool, can meet this demand. However, no study investigates
the impact of EDI in the JIT environment. Also, the literature lacks a
thorough investigation of the EDI benefits realized by JIT and non-JIT
manufacturing firms. Examines these issues and finds that the reason for
choosing EDI and the benefits realized by JIT firms differ from those of
the non-JIT firms. Suggests that JIT firms benefit more from EDI than
non-JIT firms.