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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Investigating teamwork competencies in the value chain of a selected wool brokerage logistics department
- Authors: Craig, Kenneth Bruce
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace -- South Africa , Teams in the workplace -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8712 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/936 , Teams in the workplace -- South Africa , Teams in the workplace -- Management
- Description: department of BKB Ltd. The research aimed at addressing the team balance, the environment and culture in which the team operates and teamwork competencies of the value chain. Thus, creating a high performance value chain team will add to the success of the team, and hence the company as a whole. Research to establish the degree of teamwork within the value chain was undertaken. A survey which included a structured self-administered questionnaire was used to elicit information from all eight value chain team members (four section heads and their four supervisors), who represented the entire cross-section of the value chain team. The research revealed the following important points pertaining to the value chain team: • The team’s balance needs to be addressed; and • The culture and environment in which the team operates needs to be reviewed. Points of interest pertaining to teamwork competencies include the following: • The degree of teamwork is average; • The level of individual competencies is high; • The extent that team members are team players is average; • That team communication is below average; • A high perception of hidden agendas exists; • Dysfunctional team conflict exists; • A high level of empowerment and autonomy exists; • Team leadership - team linker is absent; • Co-operation and collaboration is below average; • Team attitude is high; • Team motivation is high; • Team strategies exist, but need more attention; • Team set goals are set; • Free-wheelers exist in the team; • Job satisfaction is above average; • Team recognition is high; and • Team synergy is average. Teamwork needs to be analyzed holistically, to ensure that the complex dynamics of teamwork is acknowledged and understood. A greater knowledge and understanding of the characteristics and measurement criteria of teamwork will equip team enthusiasts in building high performance teams, to the benefit of all role players. High performance team based organisations will add to the current and future success of the business. As the term “synergy” implies, the result is greater than the sum of the individual effects and capabilities. This emphasises why team-based organisations are fast becoming the modern trend of doing business.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008