Lean retailing e as suas implicações (parte III)

"The disadvantage of lower cost, slow production today (Moi ici: Sim, leu bem. Não se enganou: A desvantagem dos custos baixos) is that it is necessary to risk large inventories to provide reasonable levels of service to retailers. The omission of such costs from sourcing decisions—as well as the failure to consider the benefits a supplier gains by being in stock on certain items—will reduce a manufacturer's profitability as well as its ultimate ability to compete.
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This dilemma in a lean retailing world is summarized in Figure 7.9-

Exactly how a manager divides production between plants with different production costs and cycle times depends on the details of the situation, such as those presented in the cases above. However, at least one general rule emerges from the cases we have studied: The cycle time of a fast production facility can be no more than a week or two. Needless to say, a local, more expensive production line with long cycle times cannot compete with slower, low-cost producers, even when allowances are made for late deliveries, markdowns, and the like.
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 But as Figure 7.9 suggests, a manufacturer can pay somewhat more to make certain units—those with high weekly variation in sales—in quick production lines and still reap a better return than it would by making all of the product in a less expensive, slower plant. 
Balancing these production alternatives clearly has implications for foreign competition and the current transformation of the U.S. apparel industry. It also requires changes in internal processes, including manufacturing innovations and the sophisticated computer tools necessary to do this kind of production planning."
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Conjugar este texto geral com este caso particular:
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""Se comprarmos em Portugal é mais fácil de repor stock" ... Perante o panorama "cada vez mais incerto", diz, a solução é uma navegação à vista. ... "tenho estado em conversações com os nossos fornecedores para ter um prazo mais alargado de decisão" ... "Melhorou a rapidez de resposta, a compreensão dos fornecedores, que contribuíram para as marcas fazerem produções rápidas. "
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Trechos retirados de "A stitch in time : lean retailing and the transformation of manufacturing—lessons from the apparel and textile industries" de Frederick H. Abernathy, John T. Dunlop, Janice H. Hammond e David Weil e de "Uma marca nacional a apostar na produção portuguesa"