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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- 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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
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
- 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
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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- 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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
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
- 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
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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- 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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- 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.
- Full Text:
- 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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- 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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- 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.
- Full Text:
- 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
- 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
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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- 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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
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