For a company like Apple (AAPL) that relies heavily on Japanese partners for critical components for its iPhone and iPad, the decision to keep its supply chain lean has painful implications when faced with the disruption caused the Japanese disaster.

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Given the uncertainty in the demand environment, we decided to aggressively and proactively adjust our supply chain now to maintain lean inventories, especially in the distribution channel.

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As part of the supply chain, the demands placed on you require responsiveness and the flexibility of mixed mode and lean manufacturing methods.

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