Lean manufacturing has seen its creators, Toyota, rise from insignificance in the middle of the previous century, to the biggest selling car manufacturer in the world today. Another Japanese car manufacturer, Honda, which has also been practising the principles of lean avidly during the last few decades, has also made huge strides towards becoming a dominant force in the car market. These Japanese companies‟ adoption of lean has seen many of their mass producing United States (US) and European counterparts struggle for survival. Maynard (2003:10) predicted that by the end of the decade, at least one of the „Big Three‟ auto makers in the US – Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors (GM) – would be forced to undertake significant restructuring to continue in operation. At the time of this writing all indications are that this prediction will come true. GM is in the process of major shareholding restructuring in an attempt to keep the company afloat, having run up insurmountable debts in the face of the current global economic downturn. Adopting the lean methodology has become a matter of necessity. The continued use of mass production methods alone is no longer viable; companies need to also employ lean methods intelligently in order to remain competitive. This study is regarded as a crucial endeavour to assist operations managers of manufacturing concerns in developing lean implementation strategies which will maximise the benefits to the organization.

Nonparametric linear programming tests for consistency with the hypotheses of technical efficiency and allocative efficiency for the general case of multiple output-multiple input technologies are developed in Part I. The tests are formulated relative to three kinds of technologies — convex, constant returns to scale and quasiconcave technologies. Violation indices as summary indicators of the distance of an inefficient observation from an efficient allocation are proposed. The consistent development of the violation indices across the technical efficiency and allocative efficiency tests allows us to obtain comparative measures of the degrees of technical inefficiency and pure allocative inefficiency. Constrained optimization tests applicable to cases where the producer is restricted to optimizing with respect to a subset of goods are also proposed. The latter tests yield the revealed preference-type inequalities commonly used as tests for consistency of observed data with profit maximizing or cost minimizing behavior as limiting cases. Computer programs for implementing the different tests and sample results are listed in the appendix. In part II, an empirical comparison of nonparametric and parametric measures of technical progress for constant returns to scale technologies is performed using the Canadian input-output data for the period 1961-1980. The original data base was aggregated into four sectors and ten goods and the comparison was done for each sector. If we assume optimizing behavior on the part of the producers, we can reinterpret the violation indices yielded by the efficiency tests in part I as indicators of the shift in the production frontier. More precisely, the violation indices can be considered nonparametric chained indices of technical progress. The parametric measures of technical progress were obtained through econometric profit function estimation using the generalized McFadden flexible functional form with a quadratic spline model for technical progress proposed by Diewert and Wales (1989). Under the assumption of constant returns, the index of technical change is defined in terms of the unit scale profit function which gives the per unit return to the normalizing good. The empirical results show that the parametric estimates of technical change display a much smoother behavior which can be attributed to the incorporation of stochastic disturbance terms in the estimation procedure and, more interestingly, track the long term trend in the nonparametric estimates. Part III builds on the theory of minimum wages in international trade and is a theoretical essay in the tradition of analyzing the effects of factor market imperfections on resource allocation. The comparative static responses of the endogenous variables — output levels, employment levels of fixed-price factors with elastic supply and flexible prices of domestic resources — to marginal changes in the economy's exogenous variables — output prices, fixed factor prices and endowments of flexibly-priced domestic resources -— are examined. The effect of a change in a fixed factor price on other flexible factor prices can be decomposed Slutsky-like into substitution and scale effects. A symmetry condition between fixed factor prices and flexible factor prices is obtained which clarifies the concepts of "substitutability" and "complementarity" between these two kinds of factors. As an illustration, the model is applied to the case of a devaluation in a two-sector small open economy with rigid wages and capital as specific factors. The empirical implementation of the general model for the Canadian economy is left to more able econometricians but a starting point can be the sectoral analysis performed in Part II. / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

Submitted in fulfilment for the requirements of the degree of Master of Technology: Business Administration in the Faculty of Management Sciences at the Durban University of Technology, 2009. / Competition is increasing as trading borders continue to widen in this global marketplace. As a result, South African organisations need to improve their efficiencies. The primary objective of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the Lean Enterprise Strategy (LES) at improving business efficiency, in the electrical pre-payment industry in KZN. Several underlying objectives which support the primary objective were examined and realtionships established. Two forms of empirical studies, observation and questionaire based, were used. These studies provided substantive findings which were analysed and interpreted. A positive relationship between the LES and business efficiency were established and the various underlying objectives addressed. Communication was found to be inadequate and highlighted. It was also found that there is a substantial delay in return on investments; therefore, sustainability should be targeted and the LES should have a continual re-cycling mechanism, which allows it not only to be sustainable, but also renewable.

published_or_final_version / Asian Studies / Master / Master of Philosophy

Submitted in fulfilment for the requirements of the degree of Master of Technology: Business Administration in the Faculty of Management Sciences at the Durban University of Technology, 2009. / Competition is increasing as trading borders continue to widen in this global marketplace. As a result, South African organisations need to improve their efficiencies. The primary objective of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the Lean Enterprise Strategy (LES) at improving business efficiency, in the electrical pre-payment industry in KZN. Several underlying objectives which support the primary objective were examined and realtionships established. Two forms of empirical studies, observation and questionaire based, were used. These studies provided substantive findings which were analysed and interpreted. A positive relationship between the LES and business efficiency were established and the various underlying objectives addressed. Communication was found to be inadequate and highlighted. It was also found that there is a substantial delay in return on investments; therefore, sustainability should be targeted and the LES should have a continual re-cycling mechanism, which allows it not only to be sustainable, but also renewable.

Orientadores: Roberto Funes Abrahão, Julieta Teresa Aier de Oliveira / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agricola / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-04T04:07:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dinten_CarolinaAlexandraMarchant_D.pdf: 5090267 bytes, checksum: 917f452349491e37ada48bb7d41f1447 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: Este trabalho, realizado junto a unidades avícolas de uma Cooperativa do interior do estado de São Paulo, teve como objetivo verificar as relações entre as formas de organização do trabalho, a tecnologia empregada na produção e os impactos sobre o trabalho do ponto de vista ergonômico. O método da Análise Ergonômica do Trabalho permitiu identificar os principais fatores relacionados às dificuldades na execução das tarefas. O trabalho em equipe e a colaboração entre os funcionários ajudavam a minimizar esforços e alcançar melhores resultados. Observou-se que, se por um lado, o grau de tecnologia adotado permitia o emprego de um número menor de trabalhadores e tornava o manejo mais fácil e preciso, por outro, criava subtarefas e fazia com que o bom funcionamento dos equipamentos dependesse muito da vigilância dos funcionários, diminuindo constrangimentos físicos como menor transporte de carga, mas criando alguns constrangimentos psíquicos, como a própria vigilância. Observou-se que nas propriedades que adotavam força de trabalho total ou parcialmente familiar obtiveram melhores resultados de produção que as patronais. Esta situação pode ser atribuida ao fato de que estas unidades utilizavam tecnologias mais consolidadas e que os trabalhadores gozavam de uma maior autonomia, o que se refletia em maior motivação para que a produção alcansasse bons resultados / Abstract: This work was performed within production units of a poultry cooperative in São Paulo State and the objective was verify the relations among work organization forms, the technology used in the production and the impacts on the work in face of the ergonomic point of view. The method regarding the Work Ergonomic Analysis allowed to identify the main factors linked to task execution difficulties. The teamwork and the contribution among workers help minimize efforts and achieve better results. The adopted level of technology has taken facilities to a reduced number of workers and it makes the management easier. On the other hand, it created sub-tasks involving equipment functioning which depend on worker¿s vigilance. This technology reduces physical constraints, on the other side, it creates some psychic constraints, as the vigilance itself. The properties in which the workforce composition is totally or partially familiar have reached better production results. This may be due to the fact the workers have more autonomy and use a consolidated level technology which leads to a higher motivation for reaching good results / Doutorado / Maquinas Agricolas / Doutor em Engenharia Agrícola

In this intensely competitive environment of the global economy, the survival of even the most established manufacturers depends on their ability to continuously improve quality whilst reducing costs. The resulting productivity of producing more with less is the only key to market leadership and sustainable competitive advantage. Changing production methods from mass-production to Lean Manufacturing has become the essential practise for successful manufacturers (Rogers and Sim, 2009). The purpose of this study is to investigate what factors negate the adoption and implementation of Lean Manufacturing as a means to gain competitive advantage. The focus was on companies that have participated in the AIDC Tirisano cluster programme. The study investigated what effect Organisational Culture, Leadership Behaviours, Employee Involvement and Strategy Integration have on Lean Manufacturing adoption and implementation. This study applied the mixed methodologies of qualitative and quantitative approaches using methodological triangulation. A cross sectional analytical survey approach in a descriptive case study was undertaken. The findings from the questions and the interviews from the respondents who participated in the survey indicated that the practices in some companies enable the successful adoption and implementation of Lean Manufacturing whilst in some others the practices will negatively affect the adoption and implementation. The study concludes by stating that South African automotive component manufacturers are under immense pressure to improve quality and reduce costs. Initiatives like Lean Manufacturing should be undertaken in order to bring about these improvements. But this improvement comes about by changing the current way of doing things. Companies need to undertake a total approach when implementing Lean as part of the business strategy and this must be driven by management as leaders and a team culture that involves all employees needs to be present.

Thesis (MBA (Graduate School of Business))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Globalisation, constant innovations and well-informed customers have made modern business environments dynamic and complex. Organisations, with their ever-changing business models, are striving to improve the quality of their products and services. Congruently, several management theories have evolved. Total Quality Management (TQM),Just in Time (JIT), Benchmarking, Lean Management, Balanced Scorecard and Six Sigma are some of the more well known. Each movement with its own life span, its share of popularity and level of acceptance has the same basic goal – improvement in quality by measuring performance. Recent years have seen an upsurge in the approaches and contributions to the field of performance measurement. Are these management theories just a flavour of the month or do they add value. The object of this study is to provide industry specific manufacturing business with a Manufacturing Performance Measurement Matrix Model, which can be used over time to measure improvement and serve as a basis for Knowledge Management. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Globalisering, konstante inbring van veranderinge en goed ingeligte kliënte het die moderne besigheidsomgewing dinamies en kompleks gemaak. Organisasies, met hulle ewig veranderende besigheidsmodelle, streef daarna om die kwaliteit van hulle produkte en dienslewering te verbeter. Verskeie bestuursteorieë het as gevolg hiervan ontwikkel. Die mees bekende bestuursteorieë is onder andere: Total Quality Management (TQM), Just in Time (JIT), Benchmarking, Lean Management, Balanced Scorecard en Six Sigma. Elkeen van hierdie planne, met sy eie leeftyd, porsie van die gewildheid en vlak van aanvaarding, het dieselfde basiese doel – verbetering van kwaliteit deur die meet van prestasie. Onlangse jare het ‘n opvlam gesien in die benaderings en bydraes tot die veld van prestasiemeting. Is hierdie bestuursteorieë net ‘n nuutjie of is hulle waardevol vir die besigheidswêreld? Die doel van hierdie studie is om industrie spesifieke vervaardigingsbesighede met ‘n Vervaardigings Prestasiemetings Matriks Model te voorsien wat deur die verloop van tyd verbeterings kan meet en kan dien as ‘n basis vir die bestuur van kundigheid.

published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This thesis uses data collected from a sample of thirty-nine Canadian and thirty-nine American manufacturing firms to provide an empirical foundation for the assessment of the performance of Canadian manufacturers through most of the twentieth century. The unbalanced panel of Canadian firms covers the years 1907-1990. The unbalanced panel of American firms covers the years 1902-1990. To quantify the performance of Canadian manufacturers I measure relative technical efficiency by calculating the total factor productivity (T.F.P.) and labour, capital and intermediate input partial factor productivities of the Canadian firms in my sample relative to the American firms. On average I find that the Canadian firms have had lower labour productivity and intermediate input productivities, but superior capital productivity. When measuring the productivity of the entire production process simultaneously there appears to have been no consistent and substantial T.F.P. difference between the Canadian and American firms, on average. To explain the variation in the partial factor productivities between my Canadian and American firms I disaggregate the total variation into differences due to domestically unique input prices, output levels, biased technology and neutral technology. In general the Canadian firms appear to have been responding to lower labour and intermediate input prices and higher capital costs by using the relatively expensive inputs conservatively and the relatively inexpensive inputs liberally. The Canadian firms also appear to have been adapting their technology in response to the unique input market conditions they faced. The evidence that the Canadian firms in my sample were choosing input combinations and technology which reflected the domestic input prices they faced indicates behaviour consistent with competent entrepreneur ship. Additional evidence illustrating the Canadian producers' responsiveness to idiosyncratic and continental changes in their input market conditions reinforces the partial factor productivity evidence: The performance of the Canadian manufacturers' in my sample of firms, with respect to total factor productivity and responsiveness to domestic input market conditions, suggests that on average Canadian manufacturers have traditionally performed at least as well as their American counterparts.