Formulating an operational efficient strategy for the national health laboratory services in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Sizila, Wandile
- Date: 2023-12
- Subjects: National Health Laboratory Service (South Africa) , Public health laboratories -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Lean manufacturing
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65990 , vital:74295
- Description: This treatise presents the formulation of an operational efficient strategy for the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) in the Eastern Cape. Operational inefficiency in the NHLS has the potential to delay laboratory results delivery for necessary health intervention, which may have a negative impact on individuals’ health or lead to death. The aim of the study is to highlight inadequacies that may cause poor service delivery and formulate an operational plan for the NHLS in the Eastern Cape. Strategic efficiency is derived from the resource-based and agent theories. Even though there is a difference between service and manufacturing industries, the operational strategic framework can be used in both. A strategic framework is implemented by assessing market requirements and using the top-down or bottom-up approach. To monitor and regulate these strategies, one can utilise, among others, scorecards, corporate social responsibility and risk management. This is a qualitative research study using semi-structured interviews to gather information from 11 participants. The study targeted managers in the NHLS Eastern Cape region, with a non-probability method, as the large number of managers in the entire region made it impossible to do a random study. Furthermore, the data were analysed by the thematic analysis method. The literature review identified six factors that influence public sector efficiency, namely, compliance issues, ethics, financial expense management, resource optimisation, accountability and service delivery. The primary study revealed several inadequacies in the NHLS Eastern Cape, namely, inefficient human resources practices, underutilising technology, ambiguous policies, delayed turnaround time, lack of financial training for management and lack of support from cross-functional departments. In addition, the results of the study warrant the following recommendations: Proper orientation of staff, with modules pertaining not only to their duties and reporting structure but also to the policies of the organisations and conduct; SWOT analyses and surveys could also be used to assess internal staff and external factors that may hinder efficiency; the installation of solar panels for laboratories, starting with the vulnerable labs in remote , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-12
The effectiveness of lean principles in South African manufacturing companies
- Authors: Erasmus, Daveril Lionel
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Production management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50546 , vital:42218
- Description: The Lean approach is a widely discussed and applied manufacturing philosophy in a variety of industries across the globe (Gupta & Jain, 2013), with only a few within the manufacturing industry able to truly say they have not heard of Lean (Melton, 2005). Lean is defined as a philosophy that applies specific tools and methods in a consistent, disciplined and systematic manner to eliminate waste and improve operational effectiveness, where the necessary processes are performed in a sequence in order to achieve the desired results. The effectiveness of Lean has been well established, with organisations from all over the world and from different industries having proved that Lean principles are well founded. However, despite its effectiveness the implementation of Lean manufacturing into an organisation is not an easy task due to various barriers opposing the effective implementation of Lean principles. The study was carried out in the South African (SA) Tank manufacturing industry. The study aimed at to establish a framework for successful implementation of Lean principles. The organisation where research took place, Welfit Oddy, is located in Perseverance, Port Elizabeth (PE) in SA. It is a manufacturing company which specializes in the design, manufacture and sale of tank containers and bulk liquid shipping containers and transport containers used to transport and deliver various goods such as milk, gas, chemicals, oil, petrol and liquid chemicals to customers and end users. The organisation has served this global industry for more than 25 years and is considered by many to be one of the biggest and best manufacturers of intermodal ISO tank containers in the world. Tank containers, also referred to as ISO tanks, intermodal tanks or IMO portable tanks, are designed for intermodal transportation by road, rail, air, and ship (Erera, Morales & Savelsbergh, 2005). In this study, emphasis will be placed on the issues that need to be addressed for the effective implementation of the Lean Manufacturing philosophy within the organisation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Establishing the links between performance improvement programmes, maturity and performance to facilitate improvement strategy formulation
- Authors: Ebrahim, Zahier
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Automobile industry and trade , Lean manufacturing , Organizational effectiveness
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6865 , vital:21155
- Description: The automotive components manufacturing sector is facing tremendous pressure to remain competitive in a global economy. The application of performance improvement techniques to optimise factor production inputs remains a key strategic mechanism to effect the necessary change towards competitiveness. The high failure rate of these programmes, however, is a risk factor that should be considered by manufacturing firms. The investment into the implementation of these programmes will yield no return if the organisational maturity profile is not considered. The expected gains may not materialise and the execution of critical projects may take much longer than required. It is for this reason that an approach towards selecting the correct Performance Improvement Programme to optimise the performance of companies is a business imperative. Through a better understanding of the relationships between Performance Improvement Programmes and Organisational Maturity Variables, implementation success rates can increase, leading to improved results and sustainability. The approach taken to this research was quantitative in nature. Various descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to the selected respondents from the Eastern Cape automotive sector. The respondents had a working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Six Sigma. The research instrument was administered through an online survey. The research sought to identify whether there was a relationship amongst the variables under the three identified constructs. The research also sought to establish whether there was a difference between the specific Performance Improvement Programmes’ and Organisational Maturity Variables’ relationships. This affirmed the use of a new framework that integrates the programmes on the basis of their relationship to Organisational Maturity Variables. The research also provided insight into the challenges of the industry from a performance perspective and linked these with the relationship between Organisational Maturity Variables and Organisational Performance Variables. This allowed the researcher to include this additional insight as a consideration in the integrated implementation framework developed as part of the research. The results show that good consideration should be given to the Organisational Maturity Variables as these variables are related to the successful adoption of Performance Improvement Programmes. The research also shows that Lean Manufacturing, Total Productive Maintenance and Six Sigma are related to an organisations’ maturity profile in different ways. These results support the integrated Performance Improvement Programme approach, using a common set of tools and selecting the necessary programme specific tools based on a firm’s maturity profile. The research affords industry a framework to aid in decision making considering the relationships tested as part of this research. The linkages between Performance Programmes, Organisational Maturity Variables and Organisational Performance Variables are now more specific in nature.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The influence of power distance relationships on the success of lean manufacturing implementations
- Authors: De Beer, Lourens
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Corporate culture
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6919 , vital:21166
- Description: The research project measured the influence of lean culture elements as well as power distance elements on the success of lean manufacturing implementations. The literature review revealed that lean transformations are not always successful and sustainable since organisation see these as quick win opportunities to improve short term profits. Lean, however, is a long term philosophy that entails not just quick changes but a fundamental change in the way that business is done. The elements that were measured in the study were organisational awareness, employee engagement, managerial consistency, accountability, mutual respect and autocratic behaviour. The study revealed a strong relationship between these factors and the success of lean implementations. The results indicated that there is a positive relationship between lean culture and the other lean elements. The study also indicated that autocratic behaviour has a positive relationship to lean implementation. The study showed that tools that were developed in the past are valid across various industries and that power distance does play a role in lean implementations.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Enablers for lean process sustainability within South African manufacturing industries
- Authors: Roth, Benlloyd Koekemoer
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Manufacturing processes , Process control
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6591 , vital:21122
- Description: James Womack and his colleagues Daniel Jones and Daniel Roos changed the way western civilization approached manufacturing. In 1990, they published a book called ‘The Machine That Changed the World: The Story of Lean Production’. It was a concept that had slowly filtered from the east but had not made its mark on the manufacturing sector. The concept of lean, born out of the Japanese Toyota Manufacturing System, was first thought to be impossible to duplicate outside of Japan. Since Womack and company popularised this “new” way of producing goods and delivering services it spread across industries finding popularity in the medical, engineering, accounting and especially the manufacturing industries. Over the last few decades lean practices has been synonymous with efficiency, cost reduction, supply chain optimisation and innovative problem solving (Anvari Norzima, Rosnah, Hojjati and Ismail, 2010; Pieterse et al., 2010; Womack et al., 1990). Lean process implementation has been researched in abundance, as has failed attempts at lean implementation. The purpose of this study was to identify and assess enablers of lean sustainability in organisations where lean processes are already being implemented. The literature study found Organisational Culture, Leadership, Employee Engagement and Trade Unions participation as factors that contributed to successful lean implementations. The author developed a model to test Organisational Culture, Leadership, Employee Engagement and Trade Unions as enablers to sustain lean practices in organisations in South Africa’s manufacturing industries. The results proved that Organisational Culture, Leadership and Employee Engagement were considered enablers for lean sustainability. These three enablers have an interlinked relationship and together help sustainability. Lacking just one factor would surely result in unsustainable lean practices. The study was conducted in the quantitative paradigm, as the hypothesised relationship was statistically tested. The data was collected from a homogenous group via an email sent with a link to the questionnaire. The data was statistically analysed with Statistica software and Microsoft Excel.
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- Date Issued: 2015
An analysis of the barriers that inhibit sustainable implementation of LEAN
- Authors: Sidinile, Ayanda
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Production management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8934 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021192
- Description: With global advances in technology, many organizations are finding it difficult and quite challenging to do business as usual. Japanese companies are on top of the world economy, while many Western companies are struggling to find ways to compete with them (Womack, et al., 1990). The Japanese secret weapon “Lean Production” is no longer a secret; more and more western companies are now learning and adopting Lean techniques to remain relevant and competitive. Lean management is a consistent philosophy and a set of practices that must be maintained over time in order to see the gains (Losonci & Demeter, 2013). Lean is not a quick fix to reduce costs, but a continuous improvement journey that will transform an organization into a cost efficient value-driven system. Lean is still a fairly new phenomenon in South Africa, particularly in the Eastern Cape. The road towards the lean implementation is viewed by many as a challenging and yet rewarding journey. South African organizations are following the trend of implementing lean in order to eliminate waste, improve quality, speed, customer satisfaction and thereby increasing profits. It is however still a long journey towards achieving total perfection. The main challenge facing South African organizations is the ability to sustain the lean improvements over a longer period. This study will focus on identifying and analyzing the main barriers that inhibit many successful organizations from sustaining lean improvement efforts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
The sustainability of Continuous Improvement (CI) initiatives in an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) paint shop environment
- Authors: Katts, Ryan
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8659 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008302 , Lean manufacturing , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Description: The study as detailed in this report is performed in the South African (SA) automotive industry and is aimed at outlining key management elements to be focussed on in order to improve and ensure sustainable continuous improvement initiatives in the form of Lean Manufacturing implementation efforts within a paint shop environment. The organisation being researched is located in Uitenhage which is situated just outside Port Elizabeth (PE) in SA. It is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for passenger vehicles and supplies vehicles for both the local and international markets. Further, as part of their business strategy, the organisation also manufactures and supplies automotive parts to the local and international markets. In this study, emphasis will be placed on issues which need to be addressed in order to effectively sustain continuous improvement initiatives in the form of Lean Manufacturing implementation being pursued within the organisation.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Application of lean manufacturing tools in cash centres to improve operational efficiency
- Authors: Smith, Ryan Erich
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8647 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1391 , Lean manufacturing
- Description: Financial institutes, typically banks, that derive funding from the collection of cash deposits, could derive benefit from the research. In addition, companies who act as outsourced suppliers to such institutes, and therefore process cash deposits on behalf of the banks should derive a similar benefit. Notably, some financial institutes outsource their cash management services. The advantages of outsourcing, such as freeing up staff, and getting the organisation to focus on its core activities, has to be weighed against the challenges that it provides. Hines et al. (2000: 17) note that outsourcing often means a heavy reliance on third party for service, the reliance on third parties 7 for the managing of funds, as well as the risk of securing customer confidentiality. Referring to a survey done by Ernst and Young in 1999, Hines et al. (2000: 15) revealed that revenue from cash management had grown from $7 billion in 1993, to $10 billion in 1999. It would thus be hard to overstate the significance of this industry, or the importance of gaining a competitive advantage. This research aims to provide some guideline on how the banks could become more competitive through pricing and service without cross-subsidising their bulk cash processing divisions. Competitiveness, in turn, would be derived by improving productivity through the application and transfer of lean tools from manufacturing and the service industry. Although the lean approach is well established in the manufacturing sector and certain product-service sectors, evidence of lean in pure service environments is very limited (Piercy & Rich, 2009: 59). Cash centres have a unique combination of service and product environments in the sense that: (1) cash is the commodity and (2) the commodity received from customers is in a sense used as raw material to create products like floats, payrolls, and cash for ATMs. This research could therefore contribute to the way management views the suitability of lean production methodologies in the context of a part product and part service environment such as the cash centre.
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- Date Issued: 2011
Assessing the impact of unions and related barriers in lean manufacturing implementation within Eastern Cape automotive component suppliers
- Authors: Ebrahim, Zahier
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Motor industry -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Labor unions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8791 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1015690
- Description: Lean manufacturing provides a fundamental basis for competitiveness in the auto component sector. The implementation and sustainability of the lean philosophy are important aspects when deciding on the adoption of the lean concept within organisations. Various barriers to implementation present themselves during and after lean implementation. These barriers are often related and in some instances they may be converted from an impediment into an enabler of lean within companies. The impact of unions as a negative or positive influence forms a central focus of this research. The influences on the perception of unions and their constituents are studied in relation to other barriers in order to determine their relevance in the Eastern Cape auto sector. A research questionnaire was constructed in line with the selected research design. The application of triangulation in the research design allows for greater depth in the responses from the participants in this research. The quantitative analysis combined with the qualitative thematic analysis provides an excellent means to explore and understand these selected barriers to lean in great detail. It can be concluded that automotive trade unions in the Eastern Cape are a barrier to implementation; however the factor that influences lean the most is the incorrect perception of lean due to ineffective leadership practices among organisational and union leaders, among other barriers. The impact of unions on the acceptance of a lean culture has far-reaching implications for the auto sector that requires a specific implementation approach in order to change perceptions and gain the requisite interest alignment among unions and their constituents.
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- Date Issued: 2011
Enhancing the role of the Kaizen suggestion tool in South African lean automotive companies of the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Adedeji, Adeyemi Charles
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Manufacturing processes , Production management -- Mathematical models
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:8644 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008157 , Lean manufacturing , Manufacturing processes , Production management -- Mathematical models
- Description: The Toyota manufacturing system, aptly referred to as Lean manufacturing, has received a reasonable appreciation and awareness over the past decade in South African industry. This production phenomenon constitutes an organizational culture that encourages world-class production success through the liberation of factory resources, while employees are empowered and encouraged to contribute ideas for the improvement of processes and products. However, despite lean awareness and the crucial role of employee participation in the suggestion of ideas in world-class organizations, the performance level of lean manufacturing in South African industry is largely devoid of the Kaizen suggestion tool, particularly in the automotive companies of the Eastern Cape. The aim of this research was to proffer appropriate recommendations, improved awareness, understanding and practice for the improvement of the Kaizen suggestion principle in the automotive companies of the Eastern Cape. The research primarily focused on the ‘management/employees’ paradigm within the organisational context. The methodology employed in the study included a thorough review of the relevant literature and a questionnaire, which was developed and administered to both the management and employees of the thirty automotive components suppliers in Eastern Cape. The target companies constituted the units of analyses and therefore provided the opportunity for a detailed investigation of the links between management and employees as well as a submission of ideas for operational and organisational processes as established in the literature review. Epistemologically, the research is objectivist and paradigmically, positivist. However, some qualitative aspects of the data were relevant to the study and, therefore, were used in a complementary manner. The case approach utilized mixed methods by applying a range of data collection techniques and evidence from multiple sources while the sampling technique was sequential, involving both purposive and stratified random sampling. The study reveals the apparent lack of a systematic mechanism for the practice and administration of the Kaizen suggestion tools in most Eastern Cape automotive companies. This demerit is found to have negatively affected maximum employee participation and involvement in organizational decision making within the Province. The study has established a basic level of awareness and understanding among employees / employers relations that the Kaizen suggestion scheme is a vital tool for delivering strategic objectives in the management of decision making and organizational growth. The study strongly advocates the inclusion of employee suggestion systems as part of the organizational process.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Tailoring a lean product development framework for the South African automotive industry
- Authors: Mund, Klaudia
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa , Production management -- South Africa , Globalization
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DTech
- Identifier: vital:8792 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1015737
- Description: Globalization in the automotive industry exerts enormous pressure on automotive manufacturers and forces many global companies to expand into emerging markets, which results in adopting new ways to manage product design and development. Excellence in product design and development offers an opportunity to gain competitive advantage and can be achieved by implementing Toyota´s Lean Product Development System (LPDS). Although in the last three years Toyota has been severely challenged by the global economic crisis, by a series of recalls resulting in reputation damage and also by natural disasters such as the recent tsunamis - the world can still learn from Toyota´s successes embodied in the lean concept and practices, which are integral to Toyota´s ‘way of life’. The LPDS model (Morgan & Liker 2006) has captured the attention of academics worldwide (including this researcher) thanks to the following key characteristics: shorter development times, less engineering hours involved in development, lower manufacturing costs, higher customer satisfaction and fewer defects reported. In the academic world, lean product development (LPD) is a new field of exploration and thus relevant literature and numbers of studies available are limited. However, scientists are asking questions about successful adaptation and adoption of this model to other environments beyond Toyota. Similarly, the researcher aimed in this thesis to find answers to its main research question, namely: ‘What would be a suitable LPD model for the South African automotive industry?’ South Africa (SA) is a country with a strong manufacturing tradition and although the automotive sector is the third-largest segment in the South African economy and its vehicle market is the largest on the African continent in a global perspective SA´s contribution is relatively small as it produces only 0.61percent of the global motor vehicle volume (OICA 2011). While the country strives to secure sustainable development for the automotive industry and seeks to improve its global competitiveness, companies operating in SA are currently faced with several unique challenges and problems. Lean has been expanding slowly in SA and some companies in the local automotive industry have implemented the lean concept into production areas to improve their operational excellence and performance. However, it is a search for excellence in product development (PD) that could best contribute to improved sustainability for the automotive industry and also provide an important strategic spur towards global competitiveness. The primary intention of this research was to develop an integrated LPD framework tailored for SA´s automotive industry. Considering this, it was necessary to determine current PD capabilities at domestic and international companies operating in SA´s automotive industry so as to examine levels of adaptation of LPD practices. A questionnaire survey and personal interviews involving all seven locally operating Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), including Toyota, as well as 36 local automotive suppliers provided an empirical base for this investigation. This study indicates that SA plays an important supportive role in the global PD context. In spite of a strong manufacturing focus and very limited PD capabilities, SA´s automotive companies have already achieved a high level of ‘leanness’ in product engineering processes. However, on the downside, it appears that industry leaders and senior managers are sceptical about current and future capabilities and opportunities for SA in the designing and developing of global products.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Tailoring a lean product development framework for the South African automotive industry
- Authors: Mund, Klaudia
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa , Production management -- South Africa , Globalization
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DTech (Operations Management)
- Identifier: vital:9605 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1660 , Lean manufacturing , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa , Production management -- South Africa , Globalization
- Description: Globalization in the automotive industry exerts enormous pressure on automotive manufacturers and forces many global companies to expand into emerging markets, which results in adopting new ways to manage product design and development. Excellence in product design and development offers an opportunity to gain competitive advantage and can be achieved by implementing Toyota´s Lean Product Development System (LPDS). Although in the last three years Toyota has been severely challenged by the global economic crisis, by a series of recalls resulting in reputation damage and also by natural disasters such as the recent tsunamis - the world can still learn from Toyota´s successes embodied in the lean concept and practices, which are integral to Toyota´s ‘way of life’. The LPDS model (Morgan & Liker 2006) has captured the attention of academics worldwide (including this researcher) thanks to the following key characteristics: shorter development times, less engineering hours involved in development, lower manufacturing costs, higher customer satisfaction and fewer defects reported. In the academic world, lean product development (LPD) is a new field of exploration and thus relevant literature and numbers of studies available are limited. However, scientists are asking questions about successful adaptation and adoption of this model to other environments beyond Toyota. Similarly, the researcher aimed in this thesis to find answers to its main research question, namely: ‘What would be a suitable LPD model for the South African automotive industry?’ South Africa (SA) is a country with a strong manufacturing tradition and although the automotive sector is the third-largest segment in the South African economy and its vehicle market is the largest on the African continent in a global perspective SA´s contribution is relatively small as it produces only 0.61% of the global motor vehicle volume (OICA 2011). While the country strives to secure sustainable development for the automotive industry and seeks to improve its global competitiveness, companies operating in SA are currently faced with several unique challenges and problems. Lean has been expanding slowly in SA and some companies in the local automotive industry have implemented the lean concept into production areas to improve their operational excellence and performance. However, it is a search for excellence in product development (PD) that could best contribute to improved sustainability for the iv automotive industry and also provide an important strategic spur towards global competitiveness. The primary intention of this research was to develop an integrated LPD framework tailored for SA´s automotive industry. Considering this, it was necessary to determine current PD capabilities at domestic and international companies operating in SA´s automotive industry so as to examine levels of adaptation of LPD practices. A questionnaire survey and personal interviews involving all seven locally operating Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), including Toyota, as well as 36 local automotive suppliers provided an empirical base for this investigation. This study indicates that SA plays an important supportive role in the global PD context. In spite of a strong manufacturing focus and very limited PD capabilities, SA´s automotive companies have already achieved a high level of ‘leanness’ in product engineering processes. However, on the downside, it appears that industry leaders and senior managers are sceptical about current and future capabilities and opportunities for SA in the designing and developing of global products.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
The use of lean tools to increase productivity and improve efficiency in Port Elizabeth Enforcement Audit
- Authors: Bantom, Phumeza Patience
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Quality control -- Auditing , Waste minimization , Auditing, Internal
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8645 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008159 , Lean manufacturing , Quality control -- Auditing , Waste minimization , Auditing, Internal
- Description: Lean philosophy is based on the continuous quest to improve the organisation‟s processes by creating a culture and operating principles which eliminate all non value adding activities within organisation„s processes. Manufacturing firms consider the adoption of the Lean tools as basic requirements for achieving World Class operational excellence or Best Practice. For some time, lean has been used by the manufacturing organizations. Most organizations understand that lean will help them survive global competition and stay in business. The objective of this study is to investigate how lean manufacturing tools can be used to improve efficiency and enhance the embedding of a continuous improvement culture in the South African Revenue Service Enforcement Audit Port Elizabeth. The activities that took place in Enforcement Audit Port Elizabeth from September 2010 until 31 October 2011 were observed. During the study, an introductory presentation by the researcher was made to Regional Enforcement Management and staff in general, the presentation was to introduce the study highlighting different Lean tools. Thereafter the Port Elizabeth audit staff members were engaged formally, using surveys to assess their underlying mindset and behaviour as well as informally, using unstructured interviews to solicit more information on activities taking place and the reasoning behind certain actions. The results of the survey and observations are analysed and interpreted.
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- Date Issued: 2011
Applying a lean engagement assessment tool to improve the probability of successful lean implementation at AB company
- Authors: Kleinhans, Carel Pretorious
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Engagement (Philosophy) , Preparedness
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8593 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1521 , Lean manufacturing , Engagement (Philosophy) , Preparedness
- Description: Competitiveness is crucial to achieving solid future national economics. A nation’s competitiveness reflects the extent to which it is able to provide increased prosperity to its citizens. Competitiveness can be defined to include the level of productivity of a country. This, in turn, sets the sustainability level of prosperity that can be achieved by an economy (Porter & Schwab, 2008). President Mbeki stated in the 2004 State of the Nation Address that “(South Africa) must continue to focus on the growth, development, and modernisation of the First Economy” (National Research Foundation, n.d.). The National Research Foundation (n.d.) claims that knowledge, innovation, and productivity, as well as optimal use of resources in the enterprise, are key to a competitive, sustainable growing economy. Firms involved in lean manufacturing do so to improve overall company performance in terms of productivity, efficiency, profitability and reducing costs. More than 90 per cent of these firms claim to be successful in achieving such goals. There is a clear association between the use of lean manufacturing and achieving higher productivity (Lucey, 2008a). Against this research and the claims made by the National Research Foundation it may be stated that lean manufacturing results will impact positively on an economy’s growth. AB Company will be evaluated in terms of the readiness and future sustainability of its lean transformation for the purposes of this study. It is anticipated that the results of this study will contribute toward reducing the risk of failure associated with a major lean transformation in the business.
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- Date Issued: 2010
Determining the critical success factors for implementing lean manufacturing in South Africa: a case study
- Authors: Pitout, Callum John
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Production management -- South Africa , Manufacturing processes -- Control
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8915 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021082
- Description: The lean manufacturing system that evolved in Japan since World War II has leapt across the globe to North America and Europe. The secret success of Japan’s manufacturing machine has been shared. In Europe and America, lean has been identified as a manufacturing best practice that should be adopted to ensure competitive manufacturing efficiency. Many success stories have been told of American companies adopting the Japanese lean tools and techniques. Now, South African manufacturers are implementing the lean manufacturing philosophy, some with more success than others. This research paper explores lean manufacturing implementations at two South African automotive component manufacturers and identifies the critical success factors that have driven the implementation process forward. Commitment from top company executives, extensive training, worker empowerment and other critical success factors for implementing lean manufacturing into a South African environment are identified as a result of the research conducted.
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- Date Issued: 2006