Analysing barriers of lean service implementation In South African Post Office operations
- Authors: Mpompa, Luyanda Clive
- Date: 2024-12
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Six sigma (Quality control standard) , Postal service -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/70056 , vital:78288
- Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyse the barriers to the implementation of Lean services in the service industry, with a particular focus on the South African Post Office operations. The researcher intended to identify and describe the barriers that precluded the implementation of Lean principles in service industry and where necessary shared the study's findings with South African Post Office management for decision making. The findings of the study in the South African Post Office were consistent with those of the other authors who conducted studies with the aim of identifying the barriers to Lean implementation in service industry. However most studies focussed on the barriers caused by operational factors while this study focussed on the barriers causing failures in implementing Lean initiatives which are connected with the South African Post Office management and staff perceptions on the importance of Lean principles in the organisation’s value stream. The findings, as presented in Chapter 5 of the study, identified various elements that contributed to managerial failures and those were the barriers the study intended to identify. The study indicated that top management of the South African Post Office was not familiar with the implementation of Lean concept. Management and staff in charge of operations were aware of the Lean concept, but none of them displayed considerable expertise of how to implement it. That was one of the reasons the organisation was unable to properly integrate Lean in its operations. The implementation of Lean required professionals and experts who could implement, drive, and monitor the process. The study’s interpretive framework was interpretivism-constructivism, and the study was a case study. The primary data collection method was face-to-face interviews with reference to archived information and secondary data. Semi-structured questions were asked during interviews. A total of twelve participants completed and signed the consent form, indicating their agreement to participate in the interviews. Out of the twelve participants, interviews were conducted with eleven individuals. Since its inception, Lean Manufacturing system had been viewed as a method that primarily applied to manufacturing-oriented businesses. Lean practices had also been adopted by the service industry, and a number of those businesses had integrated Lean methods in their operations. The postal services around the globe had also gradually implemented Lean successfully in their operations although there had been quite a number of barriers that hindered the implementation of Lean in some postal services around the globe. The South African Post Office exerted efforts to implement Lean but has up to this point not fully implemented Lean practices in its operation and this was what had triggered the researcher to learn more and analyse such barriers. The study aimed at identifying those barriers. The study's goal was to investigate and analyse the Lean implementation barriers in order to provide credible outcomes to both the South African Post Office management and the Nelson Mandela University, as well as other organisations in the service industry in comparable situations as the South African Post Office. The findings of this study related to management’s perception of Lean importance in ensuring optimum operational performance and customer satisfaction. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2024
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2024-12
- Authors: Mpompa, Luyanda Clive
- Date: 2024-12
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Six sigma (Quality control standard) , Postal service -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/70056 , vital:78288
- Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyse the barriers to the implementation of Lean services in the service industry, with a particular focus on the South African Post Office operations. The researcher intended to identify and describe the barriers that precluded the implementation of Lean principles in service industry and where necessary shared the study's findings with South African Post Office management for decision making. The findings of the study in the South African Post Office were consistent with those of the other authors who conducted studies with the aim of identifying the barriers to Lean implementation in service industry. However most studies focussed on the barriers caused by operational factors while this study focussed on the barriers causing failures in implementing Lean initiatives which are connected with the South African Post Office management and staff perceptions on the importance of Lean principles in the organisation’s value stream. The findings, as presented in Chapter 5 of the study, identified various elements that contributed to managerial failures and those were the barriers the study intended to identify. The study indicated that top management of the South African Post Office was not familiar with the implementation of Lean concept. Management and staff in charge of operations were aware of the Lean concept, but none of them displayed considerable expertise of how to implement it. That was one of the reasons the organisation was unable to properly integrate Lean in its operations. The implementation of Lean required professionals and experts who could implement, drive, and monitor the process. The study’s interpretive framework was interpretivism-constructivism, and the study was a case study. The primary data collection method was face-to-face interviews with reference to archived information and secondary data. Semi-structured questions were asked during interviews. A total of twelve participants completed and signed the consent form, indicating their agreement to participate in the interviews. Out of the twelve participants, interviews were conducted with eleven individuals. Since its inception, Lean Manufacturing system had been viewed as a method that primarily applied to manufacturing-oriented businesses. Lean practices had also been adopted by the service industry, and a number of those businesses had integrated Lean methods in their operations. The postal services around the globe had also gradually implemented Lean successfully in their operations although there had been quite a number of barriers that hindered the implementation of Lean in some postal services around the globe. The South African Post Office exerted efforts to implement Lean but has up to this point not fully implemented Lean practices in its operation and this was what had triggered the researcher to learn more and analyse such barriers. The study aimed at identifying those barriers. The study's goal was to investigate and analyse the Lean implementation barriers in order to provide credible outcomes to both the South African Post Office management and the Nelson Mandela University, as well as other organisations in the service industry in comparable situations as the South African Post Office. The findings of this study related to management’s perception of Lean importance in ensuring optimum operational performance and customer satisfaction. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2024
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2024-12
An assessment of the challenges and successes experienced when implementing the six sigma methodology in Continental Tyre South Africa
- Authors: Kanakana, Mukundeleli Grace
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Six sigma (Quality control standard) , Total quality control , Total quality management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8553 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/531 , Six sigma (Quality control standard) , Total quality control , Total quality management
- Description: Globalisation has opened up international markets for South African companies, but has also introduced competition in the domestic market. As a result, South African organisations are forced to attain global efficiency levels if they are to compete on the world market as well as maintain their domestic market share. Organisations have to come with creative methods that can enhance their competitiveness, one of them being the Six Sigma. Six Sigma is a measurement-based strategy that focuses on process improvement and variation reduction as a means towards performance improvement. The methodology has a reputation of success, however a number of organisations believe that the methodology is not relevant to their specific competitive needs. Six Sigma is seen as another continuous improvement tool applicable to first world country organisations which will fade away with time. The study was undertaken to find out challenges and successes of implementing a Six Sigma methodology at Continental Tyre SA. The findings of the study revealed that the experience of implementing Six Sigma methodology at Continental Tyre SA is similar to those experienced by first world organisations. It is concluded that Six Sigma methodology can improve organisation processes and yield financial benefits irrespective of organisation location or background. However, organisations must follow a systematic guideline when implementing the methodology. The study provides recommendations on how Continental Tyre SA can align their strategy in order to achieve organisational objectives. The following recommendations were made: Roll out Six Sigma to support departments; Align the strategy to address critical success factors; Improve project turnover time and measure the success on financial savings and number of projects completed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Kanakana, Mukundeleli Grace
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Six sigma (Quality control standard) , Total quality control , Total quality management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8553 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/531 , Six sigma (Quality control standard) , Total quality control , Total quality management
- Description: Globalisation has opened up international markets for South African companies, but has also introduced competition in the domestic market. As a result, South African organisations are forced to attain global efficiency levels if they are to compete on the world market as well as maintain their domestic market share. Organisations have to come with creative methods that can enhance their competitiveness, one of them being the Six Sigma. Six Sigma is a measurement-based strategy that focuses on process improvement and variation reduction as a means towards performance improvement. The methodology has a reputation of success, however a number of organisations believe that the methodology is not relevant to their specific competitive needs. Six Sigma is seen as another continuous improvement tool applicable to first world country organisations which will fade away with time. The study was undertaken to find out challenges and successes of implementing a Six Sigma methodology at Continental Tyre SA. The findings of the study revealed that the experience of implementing Six Sigma methodology at Continental Tyre SA is similar to those experienced by first world organisations. It is concluded that Six Sigma methodology can improve organisation processes and yield financial benefits irrespective of organisation location or background. However, organisations must follow a systematic guideline when implementing the methodology. The study provides recommendations on how Continental Tyre SA can align their strategy in order to achieve organisational objectives. The following recommendations were made: Roll out Six Sigma to support departments; Align the strategy to address critical success factors; Improve project turnover time and measure the success on financial savings and number of projects completed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Study of the skincalm filling process at Aspen Pharmacare applying some six sigma principles
- Authors: Marx, Johannes
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Ointments -- Packaging , Six sigma (Quality control standard)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10369 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/184 , Ointments -- Packaging , Six sigma (Quality control standard)
- Description: Aspen Pharmacare is listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) and is Africa’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturer. The company is a major supplier of branded pharmaceutical and healthcare products to the local and selected international markets. For decades, Aspen has manufactured a basket of affordable, quality, and effective products for the ethical, generic over-the-counter (OTC) and personal care markets. Aspen is also the leading supplier of generic medicines to the public sector, providing comprehensive coverage of the products on the Essential Drug List. Aspen continues to deliver on its commitment toward playing a role in social responsibility diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. In August 2003 Aspen developed Africa’s first generic anti-retroviral drug, namely Aspen-Stavudine. Aspen’s manufacturing facilities are based in Port Elizabeth (PE) and East London. Aspen has recently completed an Oral Solid Dosage (OSD) manufacturing facility worth approximately R150 million in PE. The Group manufactures approximately 20 tons of product daily and in excess of 400 tons of solid dosage pharmaceuticals, which equates to more than 2 billion tablets. In addition, more than 3 million litres of liquid pharmaceuticals and over 200 tons of pharmaceutical creams and ointments are produced per year [1]. Aspen excels at delivering quality products and services, exceeding customer expectations, complying with international standards in an environment that cultivates technical expertise and innovation. Following this philosophy through to the shop floor areas mean that there are always initiatives in continuous production improvement. One of these improvement projects introduced is called Six Sigma. 8 Ten members of the staff, selected from different expertise fields in the company were trained in Six Sigma. Knowledge gained from the two week training course were applied to different areas in the factory using Six Sigma principles. This dissertation focuses on the study undertaken in one of production areas, namely the filling process of the ointments and creams at the Aspen Port Elizabeth facility.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
- Authors: Marx, Johannes
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Ointments -- Packaging , Six sigma (Quality control standard)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10369 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/184 , Ointments -- Packaging , Six sigma (Quality control standard)
- Description: Aspen Pharmacare is listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) and is Africa’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturer. The company is a major supplier of branded pharmaceutical and healthcare products to the local and selected international markets. For decades, Aspen has manufactured a basket of affordable, quality, and effective products for the ethical, generic over-the-counter (OTC) and personal care markets. Aspen is also the leading supplier of generic medicines to the public sector, providing comprehensive coverage of the products on the Essential Drug List. Aspen continues to deliver on its commitment toward playing a role in social responsibility diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. In August 2003 Aspen developed Africa’s first generic anti-retroviral drug, namely Aspen-Stavudine. Aspen’s manufacturing facilities are based in Port Elizabeth (PE) and East London. Aspen has recently completed an Oral Solid Dosage (OSD) manufacturing facility worth approximately R150 million in PE. The Group manufactures approximately 20 tons of product daily and in excess of 400 tons of solid dosage pharmaceuticals, which equates to more than 2 billion tablets. In addition, more than 3 million litres of liquid pharmaceuticals and over 200 tons of pharmaceutical creams and ointments are produced per year [1]. Aspen excels at delivering quality products and services, exceeding customer expectations, complying with international standards in an environment that cultivates technical expertise and innovation. Following this philosophy through to the shop floor areas mean that there are always initiatives in continuous production improvement. One of these improvement projects introduced is called Six Sigma. 8 Ten members of the staff, selected from different expertise fields in the company were trained in Six Sigma. Knowledge gained from the two week training course were applied to different areas in the factory using Six Sigma principles. This dissertation focuses on the study undertaken in one of production areas, namely the filling process of the ointments and creams at the Aspen Port Elizabeth facility.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
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