Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: World Class Manufacturing (WCM) was first introduced into Nampak in 1990, and since then, there have been three attempts by the organisation to re-implement WCM in the organisation. In the last 23 years, 1990-2013, no formal assessment has been done with regard to evaluating whether the introduction of WCM was effective or not in the organisation, according to the goals and objectives set when the projects were initially implemented. The aim of this research report was to evaluate whether the implementation of WCM was effective in the Nampak Plastic Rigids (PRs) clusters and the study focused on only three operations namely; Nampak Tubes, Closures and Megapak. Secondly, the research aimed to establish what elements were required to successfully implement and sustain WCM in an organisation. Through the research it was established that in order to implement and sustain WCM successfully the following elements are required; strategy alignment, strategy implementation or execution, benchmarking, employee involvement, change management and the correct selection of continuous improvement tools and tactics. The three operations selected in the study were then evaluated against these elements through a survey, in order to gauge their alignment against each element. The research found that none of the three operations met the ideal state of 85 per cent in aligning themselves to the six elements. Nampak Tubes was the only operation that came close to the required ideal level of 85 per cent, as the operation had re-implemented WCM in 2011 and as a result, the operations performance in terms of the selected KPIs was better than that of the other two. However, on average none of the three operations reached the 85 per cent ideal range. This was an indication that the PRs were not aligned to the required six elements in their attempt to implement WCM, and despite the three previous attempts, success had not been achieved. The elements could prove complex as regards their comprehension and implementation as guided by the literature review and research, thus leadership should take careful note of the relationship between all of them. The organisational leadership is responsible for ensuring that the WCM strategy is driven centrally and adopted by all the stakeholders in the organisation, as all the elements require a leadership intervention. World Class Manufacturing is more than a concept or a project; it is a philosophy which should be treated as a way of life, if organisations are to be successful in being competitive.

Acceptable product quality is one of the central pillars of customer satisfaction, which is key to customer retention and business success. The quest to improve and maintain good product quality is as old as mankind himself. In the beginning of time, quality involved selecting edible plants, to craftsmanship then later to mass production. As time went on, various individuals and institutions made valuable contributions to quality control methods, tools and techniques as we know them today. The International Organisation for Standardisation initiated quality management standards, provide requirements, specifications and guidelines that can be used to ensure materials and products meet a certain quality level. These quality management systems were adopted by the global automotive organisations, adapted and tailored to suit their requirements. The result was the development of ISO/TS 16949, which is a requirement for all direct manufacturing suppliers to the automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), like BMW, TOYOTA and GM. Some OEMs specify additional requirements their supplier base, in case of General Motors, Quality Systems Basics (QSB) is a mandatory quality management systems requirement. QSB is designed by GM to help suppliers reduce product defects, improve internal efficiencies and improve supply chain processes. A quantitative approach was chosen, which utilised an explorative and descriptive survey questionnaire in order to complete the research study. The study will show that the majority of the respondents believed that the implementation of QSB has resulted in positive implications in their manufacturing process and supply value chain.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 243-265.

M.Tech. (Operations Management) / It has become a trend for organisations to implement and certify quality systems. The most common quality system that organisations currently implement is ISO 9001. Certification to ISO 9001 has in recent times been used as a marketing tool to enter new markets. Nowadays, customers expect their suppliers and potential suppliers to be certified to ISO 9001. It has become a primary requirement for doing business, and customers now demand it. There have been various studies conducted to establish the advantages of ISO 9001 and its impact on organisational performance. Laboratories are no exception to this developing trend. They are implementing laboratory quality standards like ISO 17025 and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Good Laboratory Practice (OECD GLP). Some laboratories are now applying for certification of compliance to laboratory standards. Implementing and certifying laboratory systems is an exercise that comes at a cost. The exercise is demanding in terms of human resources, time and capital. There has not been a study conducted to evaluate the impact of these systems on the operational performance of laboratories. This is the reason that resulted in identification of the need to conduct the study. A qualitative research approach was pursued in conducting the study, where the researcher investigated the impact of laboratory quality standards on the operational performance of commercial and non-commercial laboratories. Operational performance in this study is defined as health and safety; supplier selection and performance; human resources; customer satisfaction and profitability. Data was collected through interviews, and was then summarised, and analysed in order to address the research problem. Based on the data collected, it was concluded there is no notable difference in the performance of laboratories with or without quality assurance systems such as ISO 17025 and OECD GLP.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration, Business Studies Unit, Faculty of Commerce, Durban University of Techology, 2007. / Quality improvement is a fundamental and important attribute of a company’s business strategy and competitive positioning. The Durban-based paint factory of Dulux (Pty)Ltd, is the primary manufacturing and distribution site in South Africa. This site has to ensure that the consumers and customers in the target market, are satisfied with the quality of product and service received from the factory. This research focuses on the determination of employee perceptions of quality during 2006 at the paint factory site. In particular, how could these perceptions be effectively used by management as a basis for improving the quality ethic on the site. An improved quality ethic ensures a value- added product and service offer to the target market. The research investigates employee perceptions for various site departments and job grades within the context of several quality themes. Employee perceptions were determined by means of a quantitative survey conducted on the site population using a survey questionnaire. The study shows a primarily positive perception of quality by the employees. The subsequent descriptive and inferential statistical analysis quantifies these perceptions as statistically significant in relation to the research questions that were used in the research. There were some perceptions of quality that highlited potential areas for improvement within the site quality management system and the scope of application. These areas need to be considered by management in order to restore positive perception and support for the quality management system. It is recommended that an annual survey of employee perceptions be conducted by the Quality Assurance department and feedback discussed at the annual quality management review forum. An effective quality improvement and communications strategy can then be determined for implementation. It is also proposed that future research consider conducting a similar study at the service oriented Dulux Alberton site and another survey for the management team at the Durban factory.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration, Business Studies Unit, Faculty of Commerce, Durban University of Techology, 2007. / Quality improvement is a fundamental and important attribute of a company’s business strategy and competitive positioning. The Durban-based paint factory of Dulux (Pty)Ltd, is the primary manufacturing and distribution site in South Africa. This site has to ensure that the consumers and customers in the target market, are satisfied with the quality of product and service received from the factory. This research focuses on the determination of employee perceptions of quality during 2006 at the paint factory site. In particular, how could these perceptions be effectively used by management as a basis for improving the quality ethic on the site. An improved quality ethic ensures a value- added product and service offer to the target market. The research investigates employee perceptions for various site departments and job grades within the context of several quality themes. Employee perceptions were determined by means of a quantitative survey conducted on the site population using a survey questionnaire. The study shows a primarily positive perception of quality by the employees. The subsequent descriptive and inferential statistical analysis quantifies these perceptions as statistically significant in relation to the research questions that were used in the research. There were some perceptions of quality that highlited potential areas for improvement within the site quality management system and the scope of application. These areas need to be considered by management in order to restore positive perception and support for the quality management system. It is recommended that an annual survey of employee perceptions be conducted by the Quality Assurance department and feedback discussed at the annual quality management review forum. An effective quality improvement and communications strategy can then be determined for implementation. It is also proposed that future research consider conducting a similar study at the service oriented Dulux Alberton site and another survey for the management team at the Durban factory.

This dissertation summarises an analysis and assessment of the application of Quality Management Systems (QMS) by Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), in the Engineering Manufacturing Sector of the greater Cape Town Metropolitan area. An outline of the existing hypothesis derived from previous international SMME studies related to the adoption of QMS by SMME’s, the management’s understanding of quality principles, the potential business benefits of QMS and the reasons for implementing Quality Management systems are given as background to the study. The dissertation includes a discussion of literature on the state of QMS in SMMEs, in particular, recent international research literature hypothesising that SMME management lack essential QMS knowledge and that, in general, most SMME’s do not have a QMS and that SMMEs only implement a QMS as a result of contractual pressures / requirements. Also reported are the results and findings of a survey conducted to test the validity of the existing hypotheses amongst a representative sample of Engineering Manufacturing SMMEs registered with the Cape Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Western Cape. Results of the survey indicate that almost 90 percent, of the companies surveyed had some type of Quality management System, the only two companies that reported not having a QMS, were companies classified as “Micro”, in terms of the National Small business Act. Analysis of the response to the survey concludes that, in general, more than 80 percent of Engineering SMMEs in the Manufacturing Sector have adopted a QMS based on ISO 9001 and that, on average, their management have a medium to high level of understanding of QMS and the associated business benefits. It is also apparent from survey responses, that companies classified as “Micro” in terms of the Small Business Act of 1996, do not see the need for a formal QM system as the owners of these companies consider them too small for a formal QMS. Instead they take direct ownership of their service and product quality in the face of the customer.

This study uses simulation to examine differences between fixed sampling interval (FSI) and variable sampling interval (VSI) Shewhart X-bar control charts for processes that produce positively autocorrelated data. The influence of sample size (1 and 5), autocorrelation parameter, shift in process mean, and length of time between samples is investigated by comparing average time (ATS) and average number of samples (ANSS) to produce an out of control signal for FSI and VSI Shewhart X-bar charts. These comparisons are conducted in two ways: control chart limits pre-set at ±3σ_x / √n and limits computed from the sampling process. Proper interpretation of the Shewhart X-bar chart requires the assumption that observations are statistically independent; however, process data are often autocorrelated over time. Results of this study indicate that increasing the time between samples decreases the effect of positive autocorrelation between samples. Thus, with sufficient time between samples the assumption of independence is essentially not violated. Samples of size 5 produce a faster signal than samples of size 1 with both the FSI and VSI Shewhart X-bar chart when positive autocorrelation is present. However, samples of size 5 require the same time when the data are independent, indicating that this effect is a result of autocorrelation. This research determined that the VSI Shewhart X-bar chart signals increasingly faster than the corresponding FSI chart as the shift in the process mean increases. If the process is likely to exhibit a large shift in the mean, then the VSI technique is recommended. But the faster signaling time of the VSI chart is undesirable when the process is operating on target. However, if the control limits are estimated from process samples, results show that when the process is in control the ARL for the FSI and the ANSS for the VSI are approximately the same, and exceed the expected value when the limits are fixed.

This study develops a heuristic procedure for specifying parameters for a neural network configuration (learning rate, momentum, and the number of neurons in a single hidden layer) in Shewhart X-bar control chart applications. Also, this study examines the replicability of the neural network solution when the neural network is retrained several times with different initial weights.