Summary Two theoretical debates are addressed in this article. Firstly, the debate on new productive systems is placed in the context of the neo‐liberal offensive and deregulation. The limits and implications of industrial restructuring in Latin America and the need for policies which address social issues are discussed. The second theoretical debate concerns the issues of gender and argues that feminist social scientists must prevent a male‐centred body of knowledge being formed in the new production systems debate. The paper continues with an examination of new forms of factory organization in Argentina based on empirical research. Different types of Just‐in‐Time (JIT) labour processes are found in Argentine factories. Variations are found according to sector, size of establishment and market strategy. The survey finds that in mixed male and female plants, new production organization seems to lead to a displacement of female workers by male, while in mainly female plants, a reluctance to train and upgrade female workers acts as a barrier to the introduction of JIT practices.