The impact of world class manufacturing implementation at element 6, Springs
- Authors: Maqutyana, Sakumzi
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Industrial management -- South Africa , Production management -- South Africa Manufacturing processes -- South Africa Competition -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18540 , vital:28662
- Description: The manufacturing environment is competitive and the competitiveness manifests itself in the market place. On the other hand, the customers are demanding a range of high quality products at low costs. Organisations pursue, and obtain, competitive advantage by abandoning the outdated traditional manufacturing methods and practising comprehensive approaches, such as World Class Manufacturing (WCM), which enable effective and efficient internal processes. These will, in turn, ensure that customer demands are met or exceeded. The challenge lies in measuring the effectiveness of the implementation of such a WCM approach. This paper provides an overview of the effective World Class Manufacturing measuring metrics, as implemented at Element Six South Africa. There are common KP’s that are recommended in the literature as being the ones that measure the impact of WCM in an organisation. To establish this, a survey was conducted using the employees of Element Six at Springs. The reason for selecting this company is because it has been on a world class journey for the past five years. Three groups of employees, made up of shop-floor employees, general staff and management, were targeted. From the distributed questionnaires, a total of 40 questionnaires were received. The empirical results from these variables showed no difference in their means when it comes to the measured KPI’s.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The evolution of the function and role of finance within the current South African business envionment
- Authors: Sonjica, Siphokazi Nondumiso
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Business enterprises -- Finance , Industrial management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8925 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021144
- Description: The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which the finance function has evolved from being mere transactional – into one being more value-adding and business-partnering. The main focus of this study is on the role of finance as a business partner. Its main function is to add value to the business and the operations, and to offer the required support, in order for management to be able to make the right decisions. In this role, finance is regarded as part of the management team – and not just an external support function providing number ‘crunching’ – but a member that provides valuable input in the processes that the business follows. They become an in-house consultant for the business, thereby providing technical knowledge, which is aligned to the manner in which the business conducts its operations. The activities that are to be done by finance in this role comprise the following: Alignment of the functions of finance with those of the business, and what is thereby required; Providing information to the business on a timely basis; Providing information that assists and is relevant in the decision-making process of the business; Having a balance between providing governance support, as well as ensuring adequate control of the assets of the organisation. Reducing non-value adding activities that can be outsourced, such as standard reports, which can be developed and housed within a linked IT system. In order to be able to perform these activities effectively, there needs to be adequate support from the organisation’s IT environment, where standard templates can be developed, which are linked, and which lead to the availability of time for the analysis of the data. The resources also needs to have the required soft skills – of which communication and the ability to influence are important aspect – as there would be times when the people in operations would need to align their business decisions to the right finance decision – without becoming an obstruction to the business. A survey was carried out involving the accountants, whose role was to support the business in the South African environment, and which provided information on the following research questions: (i) Are finance professionals moving towards becoming business partners and away from transactional back-office work? (ii) What are the main reasons for the lack of transformation of the finance function? (iii) Is the size of the organisation a factor in its transformation? (iv) Does the fact that a company is a multinational or a South African organisation have any impact on the transition? The results of the survey were used to draw a conclusion on the extent of the change in the role of finance. The research concluded that there had been some change in the role that finance was performing in regard to the business. However, there were still areas where more could be done to move the change along, and to arrive at a position where finance becomes a full business partner.
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- Date Issued: 2014
The effect of outsourcing a South African automotive company's material handling activities on its operational performance
- Authors: Dolley-Ryneveld, Mieshkah
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Contracting out -- South Africa , Industrial management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8936 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021202
- Description: Outsourcing has become a popular trend in the last two decades and has been applied in both non-essential and critical business functions. It has been viewed as a vital source of competitive advantage and is expected to remain an important component in future business strategies. Over the past few years, the outsourcing of logistics functions in particular has shown strong growth. Thus, an abundance of research on the outsourcing of logistics is available. However, there has been little research on the outsourcing of material handling activities as a sub-component of logistics, nor its effect on a company’s operational performance. The purpose of this treatise is to determine the effects of outsourcing a South African automotive company’s material handling activities on its operational performance. It further aims to compare the company’s expected outcomes for outsourcing with actual outcomes. In addition, the factors which contributed positively and negatively to the operation of the outsourced material handling activities at the company, are established. The automotive company in this study is situated in Port Elizabeth, but due to confidentiality reasons the name of the company is not mentioned in the study. The study consists of a literature review on the background of outsourcing, outsourcing theories, outsourcing trends, important outsourcing considerations and gaps in outsourcing research. Primary data, collected through the use of a questionnaire to determine the effects outsourcing has on the company’s operational performance, is collected, reported and analysed in the study. The performance criteria used to determine these effects are: cost; delivery speed and reliability; flexibility; quality; the outsourcing relationship and the management of the outsourcing relationship. The study results reveal that the operational performance of the company remained the same after outsourcing.
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- Date Issued: 2014
Leveraging shop floor management to create an organization of self managed people at SA canopy
- Authors: Swart, Jacques
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Industrial management -- South Africa , Production management -- South Africa , Teams in the workplace -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8785 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013753
- Description: All world class manufacturing organizations have shop floor management in place. Shop floor management principles and tools are utilised to plan and to react in out of control conditions. Shop floor management is also utilised to involve people in decision making and to encourage continuous improvement. Various shop floor management principles exist and are applied differently depending on the nature of the business, however all these principles are present in all the companies researched. SA Canopy currently applies very little or no shop floor management principles. To be able to achieve its objectives and mission set by the new shareholders, shop floor excellence must be achieved. The objective of the study was to establish shop floor management principles utilised by the automotive industry as well as best in class organizations. To achieve this, a comprehensive literature study was performed on shop floor management. A questionnaire and audit schedule was designed based on guidelines in the literature study in order to establish what shop floor management principles are being utilised in the industry. The researcher used random sampling methods in distributing the questionnaire. An internal audit of the companies was conducted to support the responses in from the questionnaires. The opinions of the various respondents were compared with the guidelines provided in the literature survey in order to indentify shop floor management principles which would be suitable for SA Canopy. The following main recommendations were made: In order for SA canopy to achieve its objectives the company needs to develop a mission statement for everyone to work towards; SA Canopy needs to become more customer and supplier orientated. This will improve the overall performance of the business in respect of cost, quality and output; It is important that SA Canopy promotes teamwork so as to create a culture of continuous improvement; Problem solving skills need to be developed in the organization; Roles of Supervision need to be clearly defined and development programmes need to be put in place for supervision; A management process similar to the “Plan, Do, Check, Action “needs to be put in place to ensure effective actioning and monitoring of improvements and performance of stakeholders.
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- Date Issued: 2011
An investigation into how marketers cope with an environment of high complexity and turbulence, with special reference to the South African environment
- Authors: Mason, Roger Bruce
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Marketing -- South Africa , Success in business -- South Africa , Industrial management -- South Africa , Organizational change -- South Africa , Chaotic behavior in systems , Complexity (Philosophy)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:752 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003873 , Marketing -- South Africa , Success in business -- South Africa , Industrial management -- South Africa , Organizational change -- South Africa , Chaotic behavior in systems , Complexity (Philosophy)
- Description: This study investigated relationships between marketing success, the level of external environmental complexity and turbulence, and marketing mix tactics. The literature suggested that more successful companies in simple and stable environments use stabilising marketing tactics, while more successful companies in complex and turbulent environments use destabilising tactics, regardless of industry habits, management preferences or market sector. A marketing mix model for the different environments was developed using a chaos and complexity theory perspective. The study was exploratory, using a qualitative, case study technique. Data was collected via depth interviews and document analysis from four companies in the information technology (IT) and packaging industries. These industries were identified as, respectively, the most complex and turbulent, and the simplest and most stable, South African environments. Two companies from each industry were chosen to reflect more successful and less successful companies. The more successful company in the complex/turbulent environment was found to use destabilising tactics, as did the more successful company in the simple/stable environment. Therefore, contrary to expectations, it appears that destabilising tactics contribute more to success than stabilising tactics do, regardless of the environment. It was also found, contrary to expectations, that stabilising tactics were used by both the less successful companies. The research concluded that destabilising tactics are related to more success and stabilising tactics to less success. The lack of clear differentiation between the two industries may be because the whole South African environment is complex and turbulent, because the packaging industry is not sufficiently simple and stable to differentiate it from the IT industry or because packaging industry managers perceive their industry to be complex and turbulent and act accordingly. Despite these uncertainties, the research showed the marketing mix model to be reasonably accurate for the complex/turbulent environment, and therefore of potential value to South African companies. To overcome the equivocal findings, further research is recommended in different industries, in countries with different levels of complexity and turbulence and into specific marketing mix tactics. Research into managers’ perceptions of environmental complexity and turbulence and into co-evolution of marketing tactics and external environments would also be of value.
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- Date Issued: 2004
An exploration of functional and numerical flexibility in South African organisations: a qualitative study in two textile factories in Cape Town
- Authors: Sela, Ronit
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Business enterprises -- South Africa -- Case studies , Industrial management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:3347 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006149 , Business enterprises -- South Africa -- Case studies , Industrial management -- South Africa
- Description: During this research, an attempt was made to gain an understanding of management and their employees' perceptions regarding functional and numerical flexibility practices within South African organisations. To achieve this, twenty-six people, comprising of a variability of positions within the organisation, were interviewed in the region of the Western Cape. It was found that, although extensive research on the two forms of flexibility have been globally conducted, South African literature, particularly on the part of numerical flexibility, is limited. It is thus believed that this study will present a valuable basis to pursue in further research. Literature that was consulted was found to be supportive of the theoretical notion that South African organisations, in order to be globally competitive, have had to restructure and redefine themselves by ensuring that they make the most efficient and effective use of their human resources. The study found that whilst functional flexibility practices benefit employees in that they experienced increased job satisfaction and job mobility, it was the area of numerical flexibility which raised many dissatisfactions, including those of immense job insecurity and remuneration, both financial and otherwise. The study findings suggest a need for a more comprehensive and employee integrated approach by combining organisational with individual oriented initiatives, and ensuring the trade union's involvement in all facets of functional and numerical flexibility initiatives. The thesis ends with recommendations of various strategies for addressing the concerns of management, employees and the trade union in order to ensure full and proper utilisation of human resources so that the end product, namely job satisfaction, leads to organisational success.
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- Date Issued: 2002
A model for linking innovation and sustainable growth of immigrant entrepreneurs in the Johannesburg Metropolitan Area, South Africa
- Authors: Mzamo, Ziyanda
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: Immigrant business enterprises -- Technological innovations -- South Africa , Business Management -- South Africa , Industrial management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/28828 , vital:75130
- Description: South Africa experienced hard times during the apartheid era. This led to some of the South African nationals seeking solace and hiding in neighbouring African countries. Post 1994, this situation has largely changed. Other African countries have not been as privileged to recover from the political turmoil nations have experienced and have left civilians stranded with no comfort or job security. It is for this reason that immigrants from other African countries track to South Africa for the hope and promise of a better future. While this is the case and hope, South Africa is dealing with its own issues of high unemployment rate, violence and crime, poverty, lack of quality education, drug and substance abuse, unstable political issues and influx of immigrants who have no plans or ways of survival. This makes things even harder for the government to accommodate everyone as the focus and priority is seen to be given to its citizens. Entrepreneurship becomes the most feasible and practical way of survival for the immigrants. Some of these businesses have stood the test of time, are making strides and thriving. Their growth journeys may even be better than those of citizens due to these businesses primarily being characterized by survival tactics. This study was hence conducted to predominantly formulate a model for linking the innovation and sustainable business growth of immigrant entrepreneurs. The secondary objective was to gauge if there is a significant relationship between innovation (incremental, radical, and technological) and sustainable business growth of immigrant entrepreneurs in the Johannesburg Metropolitan Area. A mixed approach was used to achieve these objectives. The population of the study targeted immigrant entrepreneurs from the African continent who are running small and medium (SME) businesses in the Johannesburg Metropolitan area. The data was gathered using semi-structured interviews and a survey. Seventeen (17) interviews were held, and one hundred and two (102) surveys were collected, totalling one hundred and nineteen (119) research study participants. The participants were selected using convenience sampling and snowballing due to the population of immigrant entrepreneurs being unknown in Johannesburg. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyse the data. The findings revealed that innovation played a major role in sustainable business growth of the immigrant entrepreneurs. The research study showed the typical measures of innovation (incremental, radical and technological) as well as business growth may not be reflective and applicable to the SME space due to the businesses being survival businesses. The research study recommends that development of immigrant entrepreneurship focused programs for coaching, support, funding, and handholding be of absolute government focus. Internal collaborative innovation agendas are key for businesses to balance incremental and radical innovation. This will minimise the reliance on business owners or leadership to drive innovation, but rather, for innovation to be a way of working for all in the business. Growth and sustainability rides on shared innovation as opposed to individually led or an isolated agenda. Education, change management and training of citizens and safety officials is recommended to understand the benefits of immigrant owned businesses as an economic driver and as a point of embracing fellow Africans. This will eliminate the stereotypes that make immigrant entrepreneurs exposed and uncomfortable in their business journeys. , Thesis (DBA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-08