Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / Some digitised pages may appear illegible due to the condition of the original hard copy. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The manufacturing industry is an important contributor towards the economic well-being and competitiveness of any country. It is widely accepted that improvement in the standard of living is linked to the improvement in productivity, and that this can be achieved through the manufacturing sector of a country. The level of business excellence of manufacturing organisations in the Western Cape is not currently known. It was the aim of this research to determine the level of business excellence of manufacturing organisations in the Cape Metropolitan Area, to determine the content of manufacturing strategy, and to investigate the linkages of manufacturing strategy and levels of business excellence. The research was conducted amongst manufacturing organisations in the Cape Metroplitan Area with an annual turnover of at least R50 million rand. A questionnaire was designed and distributed to organisations. Twenty responses were received and analysed. Due to the small sample, this study can only be regarded as exploratory in nature. The main results of the research indicated that the respondent organisations tended to overscore themselves, with an . average level of business excellence of 73.6%. Furthermore, there is a significant difference in the perception of the SAEF model criteria weights between the surveyed organisations and the SAEF. Although it was not possible to identify a 'right' or the 'best' manufacturing strategy, important trends were identified. Furthermore, the research indicated that there are several manufacturing strategy related factors that can positively contribute towards higher levels of business excellence. One area is the focus on overall organisational strategy development, and another is the implementation of several manufacturing practices such as '5-S' and 'selfdirected work teams', 'balanced score card', and 'TQM', amongst others. Several recommendations were made, addressing issues such as specific actions for manufacturing organisation, policy makers, and the SAEF, but also recommendations regarding research methodology and future research areas. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vervaardigingsindustrie is 'n belangrike bydraende faktor tot die ekonomiese welstand en kompeterendheid van 'n land. Dit word wyd aanvaar dat verbetering in produktiwitiet tot verbetering in lewenstandaarde lei, en dat dit deur middel van die vervaardigings sektor van 'n land bereik kan word. Die vlak van besigheids uitnemendheid van vervaardigings organisasies in die Wes-Kaap is nie tans bekend nie. Dit was die doel van hierdie navorsing om die vlak van besigheids uitnemendheid van vervaardigingsorganisasies in die Kaapse Metropolitaanse Area te bepaal, om die inhoud van vervaardigingstrategieë te bepaal, en om die verband tussen vervaardigingstrategie en vlakke van besigheidsuitnemendheid te ondersoek. Hierdie navorsmg was uitgevoer onder vervaardigingsorganisasies in die Kaapse Metropolitaanse Area met 'n omset van ten minste R50 miljoen. 'n Vraelys is ontwerp en versprei aan organisasies. Twintig response is ontvang en geanaliseer. Weens die klein steekproef, kan hierdie studie slegs as verkennend van aard beskou word. Die hoofresultate van die navorsing het getoon dat die organisasies geneig is om hulself te oorskat, met 'n gemiddelde waarde van die vlak van besigheids uitnemendheid van 73.6%. Verder is daar 'n beduidende verskil tussen die organisasies en die SAEF in die persepsie van die kriteria gewigte van die SAEF model. Alhoewel dit nie moontlik was om die 'regte' of 'beste' vervaardigingstrategie te bepaal nie, is belangrike tendense geïdentifiseer. Die navorsing het getoon dat daar verskeie vervaardigingstrategie faktore is wat positief bydra tot hoër vlakke van besigheids uitnemendheid. Een area is die fokus op algehele organisasie strategiese ontwikkeling, en 'n ander is die implementering van verskeie vervaardigingspraktyke soos onder andere '5-S', 'self-gerigte werkspanne', 'balanced score card', en 'TQM'. Verskeie aanbevelings is gemaak, wat kwessies aanspreek soos spesifieke aksies VIr vervaardigingsorganisasies, beleidmakers, en die SAEF, maar ook aanbevelings rakende navorsingsmetodologie en areas vir toekomstige navorsing.

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