Comparing TOC with MRP and JIT: a literature review

Since the early 1980s, manufacturing philosophies such as manufacturing resource planning (MRP), just-in-time (JIT), and theory of constraints (TOC) have emerged as distinct, viable, and competitive planning and control systems for improving the organisational performance. Comparative literature outlines many similarities and differences among these philosophies and attempts to answer the question: what is the best choice? With this question in mind, this paper reviewed the journal articles comparing TOC with MRP and JIT and provided specific future research directions. Although TOC is shown to compete effectively against MRP and JIT and thereby, holds promise, the results are still inconclusive primarily because the majority of journal articles lack in one respect or the other in terms of realistic examples modelled, breadth of characteristics considered, rigorous methodology employed, and depth of statistical analysis performed. In terms of future research directions, we develop a comprehensive list of characteristics by drawing on the literature reviewed and suggest some specific empirical as well as analytical research streams.