Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 137 p.; also includes graphics (some col.). Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-137). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

This research investigates the relationship between the leadership, internal quality, and customer satisfaction levels in the dealerships of a South African motor vehicle organisation. The Service Profit Chain provides the background theory to this relationship, by suggesting that various factors within the service delivery system of an organisation affect the level of customer satisfaction. From the Service Profit Chain, it is established that two of the prevalent factors affecting customer satisfaction, are leadership and internal quality. The Full Range Leadership Development Theory provides the backdrop for analysing the leadership style of each dealership by using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. The Competence Process forms the theoretical construct against which the internal quality of these dealerships is assessed using the Organisation Competence Analysis Questionnaire. Information was gathered, using these two instruments, from a sample of 85 motor vehicle dealerships within South Africa. The customer satisfaction levels at each of these dealerships, is measured by the motor vehicle organisation’s own instrument, known as the Customer Satisfaction Index. Data obtained from each instrument, for the respective dealerships, was then statistically analysed. However, due to the low reliability of the instruments used in this research, the results of this study indicate that there is no relationship between the leadership, internal quality, and customer satisfaction levels within a South African motor vehicle organisation. Therefore we can conclude that the null hypotheses can not be rejected.

M.Tech. (Operations Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Research in strategic performance measurements has focused mostly on large organisations. In the last few years, there has been a widespread adoption and implementation of balanced strategic performance measurements that no longer narrowly focus on financial measurements but include other non-financial measures. Again, such improvements have focused on large organisations. This study aims to assess strategic performance measurement practices in the Small and Medium Enterprises within the construction industry. The Balanced Scorecard is used as a generic measurement framework to ascertain the current strategic performance measurements within this sector. The four perspectives of measurement; namely, financial, customer, internal process and learning and growth are used to determine the generic measurements within the construction industry. These are then used to determine to what the extent Small and Medium Enterprises in the construction industry have adopted the measurements outlined in these four perspectives. The nature and extent of strategic planning and perceived relevance of various sets of balanced measurements were also assessed. A survey was conducted in the form of a questionnaire in order to obtain primary data from a selected sample group. Using qualitative and quantitative techniques, the data was analysed to get a clear picture of current practice. From the results obtained from the respondents in the sample group, it seemed that there was some strategic planning within this sector although the process was mostly unstructured. The results also showed that the owner-manager is still solely responsible for strategic planning with little or no inclusion of other managers or employees.

Manufacturing in South Africa constantly face competition from both local as well as foreign entities. Productivity growth is viewed by many executives and business leaders as the key element in maintaining competitiveness in the global economy. The success of the South African manufacturing and its global competitiveness lie in its productivity. By focusing on promoting productivity, South African manufacturers will establish a source of sustained competitive gains, while labour will establish a sustainable source of income growth. The Eberspacher South Africa Port Elizabeth (ESA) is not in any way immune to the level of competition that impacts all businesses in South Africa. ESA not only competeswith other local catalytic converter companies in terms of a high level of productivity, but also with other manufacturing plants within the Eberspacher Group globally. In Eberspacher all exhaust manufacturing plants are constantly benchmarked, comparing productivity levels, quality levels, cost and delivery. This data is used not only to determine goals, but also forms a key determinant as to where any new business is placed. The internal competition encourages all manufacturing plants within Eberspacher to continously improve plant productivity within group. A company is competitive if it is able to produce products that are either cheaper or better than those of other firms. Most of ESA customers are internal final assembly plants from Europe, USA, India and China. ESA therefore constantly have to ensure that they are competitive in all aspects of business, including productivity. In ESA, the overall productivity performance of the manufacturing plant is of utmost importance to ensure the ability to supply all the customers with cost competitive products, at the right time and with zero defects. Productivity in Eberspacher is used as a vital measurement to the sourcing decision for any new business awarded to the group. The main purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of productivity improvement initiatives at the Eberspacher Port Elizabeth Manufacturing Plant.

The efficient processing of defective or nonconforming hardware and paperwork is important to both defense contractors and the government. Management's concern of excessive costs in this area initiated an investigation into the actual activities, personnel, and computer systems involved in such processing. Applicable military specifications and an assortment of corporate and divisional procedures were reviewed to obtain baseline data. Additional information was sought through personal interviews and visits to the manufacturing areas. The activity flow was documented in block diagrams and time estimates and labor requirements were applied. The detailed labor estimates were input to a LOTUS123 spreadsheet and used to determine average labor cost per disposition type, i.e., rework, scrap, return-to-vendor, or repair. The spreadsheet facilitates quick cost analysis of proposed management changes to the procedure and system. The estimates were merged with actual distribution of dispositions in an expected cost probability network to identify high cost areas and potential savings. Suggested improvements are evaluated by using the expected cost network and the electronic spreadsheet. Library research on recent publications form industry and academe provide further information in an area rich with potential savings: the white collar worker and quality assurance.

This research study investigated how gainsharing works to affect organizational performance. Six top managers at Commonwealth Paper (a pseudonym) described how they believe their gainsharing program works to affect company operations and performance. From their verbal descriptions, a site-specific causal model was created. This site-specific model was then compared to the gainsharing literature and a general model hypothesized. Future research studies could build on the research findings to enhance the quality of the general case model. Additional site-specific models and the enhanced general model could later be translated to a mathematical simulation model to see what might happen to a gainsharing program over time. The research findings suggest that gainsharing works to affect organizational performance by providing additional forces for performance goal achievement. Gainsharing, however, does not provide a management practice or process through which performance goals are achieved. Because gainsharing can also provide forces for setting safe performance goals, it should be implemented in a culture where a critical mass of managers and workers are both intrinsically motivated and allowed to perform well. / Ph. D.

This research provides a basis to explore the relationship between Just-In-Time (m) and performance of the manufacturing system using a systems approach. Specifically, a conceptual model that captures system-wide performance of the manufacturing system was built using system dynamics in an effort to investigate the relationship between JIT and performance of the manufacturing system. The model was designed and built to measure total-factor productivity (TFP) which represents a global performance measure of the manufacturing system. TFP captures the integrated, synergistic effect of the system variables and functions on global system performance. A major part of the research was devoted to building and testing the system dynamics model. The model consists of four sectors: production-inventory, labor, machine, and material. The labor, machine, and material sectors represent the input classes used to produce the finished goods. The production-inventory sector contains a variable representing the finished goods (output of the system). It also contains the TFP variable which relates all the input classes and the output, and calculates the TFP value simulated under a specific system state. / Ph. D.

Ngai, Fai Shuet. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 67-72). / ABSTRACT / ACKNOWLEDGMENT / Chapter Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- The Management Structure Before1978 --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2 --- The Post-1978 Enterprise Reform --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- An Introduction to Wuhan --- p.8 / Chapter 1.4 --- A Review of Recent Empirical Studies on the Productivity of Chinese Industry --- p.13 / Chapter 1.5 --- Aims of the Study --- p.18 / Chapter Chapter 2. --- "Wuhan's Industrial Productivity Changes, 1962-1992" --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1 --- The Theoretical Framework --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Production Function Estimates --- p.26 / Chapter 2.3 --- The Productivity Changes --- p.27 / Chapter Chapter 3. --- The Sources of Productivity Differences - Theoretical Foundation --- p.32 / Chapter 3.1 --- The Technological Progress --- p.32 / Chapter 3.2 --- The Incentive to Work --- p.3 6 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- The Bonus Payment --- p.37 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- The Retained Profit --- p.39 / Chapter 3.3 --- The Vintage Adjustment on Capital --- p.41 / Chapter 3.4 --- The Refined Production Function --- p.42 / Chapter Chapter 4. --- The Sources of Productivity Differences - Empirical Analysis --- p.46 / Chapter 4.1 --- The Estimation Procedure --- p.46 / Chapter 4.2 --- The Empirical Results --- p.49 / Chapter 4.3 --- Discussions on Sources of Productivity Differences --- p.54 / Chapter Chapter 5. --- "An Analysis on Allocative Efficiency,1987-89" --- p.59 / Chapter 5.1 --- An Introduction --- p.59 / Chapter 5.2 --- The Value of Marginal Products and Their Implications --- p.61 / Chapter Chapter 6. --- Concluding Remarks --- p.64 / REFERENCES --- p.67 / APPENDIXES --- p.73 / Appendix 1: The Data Set --- p.74 / Appendix 2: The Correction on Capital --- p.76 / Appendix 3: A Summary of Notations --- p.78 / Appendix 4: The Relationship between Payment Scheme and the Incentive to Work --- p.79 / "Appendix 5a: Mean, Variance, Maximum and Minimum for Each Variable (Original Data)" --- p.81 / "Appendix 5b: Mean, Variance, Maximum and Minimum for Each Variable (Without outliers)" --- p.83

Cheung, Pok Yu. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 39-40). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Section 1: --- Introduction --- p.P.1-P.11 / Chapter Section 2: --- "Empirical Matter in ""Allocation Puzzle""" --- p.P.11-P.18 / Chapter Section 3: --- "Methodology, Data, and the Relation" --- p.P.18-P.23 / Chapter Section 4: --- Panel Analysis / Chapter 4.1 --- One-factor Regression --- p.P.23-P.28 / Chapter 4.2 --- Multi-factor Regression --- p.P.28-P.30 / Chapter 4.3 --- Arellano-Bond Dynamic Panel GMM Estimation --- p.P.30-P.33 / Chapter 4.4 --- Robustness Check for Western Development --- p.P.33-P.35 / Chapter Section 5: --- Decomposition --- p.P.35-P.37 / Chapter Section 6: --- Conclusion --- p.P.37-P.38 / Reference --- p.P.39-P.40