Needs analysis for a shared economy model within critical spare parts inventory management
- Authors: Macfarlane, Shane
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Spare parts -- Management , Inventory control
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/48775 , vital:41071
- Description: The lack of spare parts is the predominant reason for machine downtime in organisations. The financial burden of holding spare parts coupled with long delivery times can severely hamper a factory’s attempt to prevent high levels of machine downtime. With the poor management of spare parts, breakdowns become lengthy as the lead times for the delivery of spare parts from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) may be very long. The productivity and profitability of an organisation are affected by the non-availability of spare parts. Mobley, Higgins and Wikoff (2008, p.2.64) describe critical spare parts (CSP) as spares used on critical machines that are always required to be in stock to receive reduced insurance premiums and hedge against lost production downtime due to machine failures. A shared economy model (SEM) was proposed as a possible solution to some of the problems related to spare parts availability. Botsman and Rogers (2010a) regard the shared economy as the innovative sharing of underutilised assets and facilities. The main research objective (ROM) of this study was to determine the viability and acceptance of using a shared economy model (SEM) within the realm of critical spare parts (CSP) management in the automotive manufacturing sector. To achieve the ROM several secondary objectives were set. A literature review discussed CSP, inventory management models and SEMs. This study used qualitative analysis as it was exploratory and appropriate for studies in which the researcher was unaware of the significant variables to investigate. Qualitative researchers tend to focus on a few participants who can clarify a phenomenon under investigation. To achieve the main research objective (ROM), interviews were conducted with relevant participants from the automotive manufacturing sector. The interviews were semi-structured and the researcher made use of an interview protocol. A sample size of eight was chosen for the research. The sample frame for this research was the East London automotive manufacturing sector. The sessions were audio-recorded and later transcribed verbatim into a text format for analysis via ATLAS.ti software. A grounded theory approach was used for the collection and analysis of the data. Empirical research and analysis revealed eight emergent themes pertinent to the ROM. Themes were categorised as Category 1 for critical spare parts (CSP) and Category for 2 for shared economy models (SEMs), and discussed in Chapter 4. The study concluded with the view that a shared economy model (SEM) for critical spare parts (CSP) inventory management in the East London automotive manufacturing sector was viable and acceptable, provided that it was managed correctly. Future research was suggested to address the economic feasibility of a SEM for CSP inventory management.
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- Date Issued: 2020
The impact of pharmaceutical care services on the management of asthma patients in a primary health care clinic
- Authors: Mostert, Zhan
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Asthma -- Treatment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Pharmacist and patient -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPharm
- Identifier: vital:10154 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/574 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011711 , Asthma -- Treatment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Pharmacist and patient -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Optimal management of a chronic disease, like asthma, requires the active participation of patients. To achieve this, patients require education about asthma. Many of the recommended components of asthma care and management might not be effective without adequate patient education. Pharmacists in community, hospital and clinic practice are well placed to provide continued information and reinforcement of key messages, in order to improve compliance with medication and the outcomes of asthma management plans. Pharmacists may be able to increase medication adherence with patient counselling and monitoring systems and by facilitating communication with physicians. However, regardless of this, it remains uncertain whether pharmacist-patient interactions improve patient outcomes, and in spite of recommendations for teamwork and a multidisciplinary approach in the education of asthma patients, medical doctors and nurses are still largely responsible for carrying out the greatest part of patient education. The objectives of this study were therefore to determine the impact of pharmaceutical care services at a primary health care level on the management and well-being of asthmatic patients; to determine the effect of complex or multi-faceted pharmaceutical interventions, in patients with asthma, on lung function, asthma knowledge, attitudes and perceived self-management efficacy, asthma related quality of life and asthma control; and to determine the extent to which pharmacotherapeutic interventions, with regards to medication changes and dosage changes, are accepted and implemented by doctors. A randomised-control study was conducted at a primary health care clinic in the Eastern Cape. A total of 120 patients were allocated to two groups of sixty patients each (a Control Group and an Intervention Group). Baseline values were measured and follow-up interviews and post-intervention data collection were conducted three months afterwards for each group. Patients in the Control Group were attended to by the clinic staff as usual. Patients in the Intervention Group were educated on their disease by a pharmacist. The use of a customised 500ml plastic bottle as a spacer was suggested and each patient’s medication was evaluated against the Standard Treatment Guidelines for the management of asthma in adults at the primary health care level and where necessary, prescribing recommendations were made. Following assessment of the medication regimens of the patients in the Intervention Group, a total of 49 prescribing recommendations were made, of which 73 percent were accepted by both the doctor and patient. After educating the patients in the Intervention Group on inhaler technique, a significant improvement in technique was observed at the 3-month follow-up assessment (p<0.05). Using a short form of the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ(S)), a significant improvement post-intervention in mean total quality of life score (p<0.05) and mean average quality of life score (p<0.05) in the Intervention Group, were demonstrated. An improvement in mean activity limitation score in the Intervention Group post-intervention was also recorded for the activity limitation subscale of the AQLQ(S) (p<0.05). On measuring changes in asthma related knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy, using a questionnaire (KASE-AQ), a significant improvement in mean knowledge score in the Intervention Group after the intervention (p<0.05) was also shown. With regards to lung function, both vital capacity (percent FVC) and expiratory flow volumes (percent FEV1) improved significantly in the Intervention Group (p<0.05). This study therefore demonstrated that multi-faceted pharmacist interventions, including medication assessment, asthma education, education on inhaler technique and the provision of medication aids in the form of spacers, can significantly improve the management of asthma patients and improve their well-being and quality of life.
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- Date Issued: 2007