Why is kanban significant to the "pull" system?

Kanban is a signaling device used in a pull system to authorize the production or movement of a specific quantity of items. When a downstream workstation consumes a container of parts, it sends the empty container and its associated kanban card back to the upstream workstation. This signal "pulls" the production of the exact quantity needed to replenish what was used, preventing overproduction and ensuring production is directly tied to actual demand.

A. Kanban does not require work items to be the same size; it manages the flow of containers, which hold a specified quantity of items.

C. Kanban is a core component of production systems in manufacturing and other industries, not a process limited to support or maintenance activities.

D. Kanban is an internal workflow management tool used to control production, not a method for benchmarking or highlighting organizational performance against others.

1. Hopp, W. J., & Spearman, M. L. (2004). To pull or not to pull: what is the question? Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 6(2), 133-148. The article explains that a kanban system is a classic pull mechanism where a "card authorizes production of a standard container of parts" (p. 134). https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.1030.0028

2. MIT OpenCourseWare. (2005). 15.762J / ESD.265J / 1.265J Supply Chain Planning, Lecture 10: Just-in-Time Systems. The lecture notes describe Kanban as a "signal to produce a specified quantity of a specific part" which is fundamental to the pull mechanism (Slide 10-12).