> The MBAs running US manufacturers need to scrap their JIT strategies, build some warehouses, and start keeping a store of the essentials.

Just the other day here on HN I read an account from a founder who did just that- in early 2008. He ended up having a warehouse full of raw materials and no cash to make payroll. That's one way a business dies.

So, this talking point sounds good, those damn MBAs and their JITs!, but carries its own set of risks. It's important for each business to balance those risks and arrive at their own decision. It's not as cut-and-dry as one would necessarily think.