OpenUCT :: Browsing by Author "Jervis, W"

Browsing by Author "Jervis, W"

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Open Access
The development of a forecasting method for mining house capital projects
(1982) Michalakis, George; Jervis, W; Ryan, Tom B
A broad description of a project is a single, non-repetitive enterprise which is undertaken to achieve planned results within a time limit and a cost budget. This description could equally well apply to fixing a punctured tyre, expanding an existing mine, the design of a computer system or the building of the pyramids. Modern civilisation is largely based on the successful completion of projects. It is surprising therefore, that it is only in the very recent future, since the 1950's say, that the effective management of projects has been considered worthy of academic attention. Today project management in in the process of becoming a management science in its own right. This need for the effective management of projects is further evidenced by the emergence in large organisations of departments whose function it is to control projects. Typically, a project control department would, in addition to other functions, be required to report to management regularly on the health of a project - is the project on schedule and on budget? If it is not, management clearly needs to be given an indication of where the project is heading. A number of techniques are in common use which claim to 'forecast' the final cost and completion date of a project. These techniques include the S-curve in its many forms and Critical Path Networking, amongst others. On close analysis however, it soon becomes apparent that although these techniques offer a wealth of useful information regarding the present state of the project, and give a qualitative idea of the direction the project is heading in, they do not give any quantitative indication of the final cost and completion date of a project. In other words these techniques are control methods rather than forecasting methods. Most forecasting tends, in fact, to be done by an expert judgemental process which is highly subjective. iii It was felt therefore that there was a need for the development of an objective forecasting method. An informal Industrial Opinion Survey was conducted which confirmed this belief. On the basis of this it was decided to attempt to develop an objective forecasting method and to determine whether it was more useful, reliable and accurate than existing subjective forecasts. An exhaustive Literature Survey was then carried out in an attempt to find past work in the field. It was found that most techniques in use were control techniques as described above, with the exception of the Resource Appraisement Model developed by Dr P.P. Pekar. This model (with three variations), provides a means of recalculating the complete project plan in terms of cost at each report period in the light of reported expenditures. However, the model assumes the same time phasing as the original project plan. In other words, it assumes that the project will end on schedule. This assumption limits considerably the practical use of the model. As a result, the Resource Appraisement Model was refined and modified somewhat to include the forecasting of time as well as cost. This was done by relating the two parameters independently to percent physical completion. The resulting model, known as the Generalised Resource Appraisement Model (GRAM), was then tested using a computer program and a case study project. The results of this evaluation were then compared to the forecasts which had been produced by the existing subjective method for the case study project. On the basis of this evaluation it was concluded that the GRAM was more accurate but as reliable as the existing method in forecasting final project cost. It was also found that the model was much quicker in informing management of general project trends (i.e. over or under budgeting). iv It was found however, that the model was too sensitive to large periodical fluctuations in expenditure which were not necessarily true reflections of changes in trend. There is reason to believe that this characteristic may be overcome with relatively minor refinements to the model. The objectives of the thesis were therefore attained adequately. Inevitably however there remains a great deal of work to be done before the technique could be used with confidence. Future work is indicated in taking the model less sensitive to large random fluctuations, and making the model a more flexible management tool by allowing the 'what if' type of investigation.
Open Access
Effective shutdown maintenance project management
(1986) Klingenberg, Bernard Ekhard; Jervis, W
Shutdown maintenance projects are an intergral part of any plant maintenance system. When a plant is shutdown, production stops and major maintenance work and modification of components is carried out. Whatever the size and scope of the shutdown, component project management. is vital if the shutdown project is to be completed successfully. This autnor has found that there is little or no literature available that treats shutdown maintenance projects as a complete study. The study of the management organisation and structure, as well as the associated resources and services required by a shutdown project manager has been neglected. The aim of this thesis project is to research and investigate shutdown maintenance and to present it as a complete study. All the aspects of shutdown maintenance project management are dealt with. This is done in tne following way. Shutdown maintenance is defined with specific objectives. Then the management organi sati on. and structure, as well as the resources and services required for shutdown projects are discussed. The shutdown project management procedure and techniques are dealt with next, and finally there is a section on the effect of condition based maintenance on shutdown maintenance projects. This thesis project serves to provide a complete perspective on snutdown proJects where this was found to be lacking in previous literature on maintenance management. This thesis provides a useful source of instruction and information to an engineer who for the first time has been given a shutdown project to complete.
Open Access
Evaluation of models for decision making in inspection and repair maintenance
(1987) Coxon, W D; Jervis, W
There has been growth in the costs of maintenance over the last 40 years. This can be linked directly to the changes in production technology over that period of time. However. there has also been growth in the field of management science and operations research. Many models have been developed to assist the maintenance function in its decisions. However. it would appear from engineering journals and shop floor practice that these models are not well used. For this research the method of inspection and repair maintenance has been chosen. Mainly because it is one of the most widely used methods. The objectives of the research are as follows: (1) To investigate the state of the art of plant and equipment maintenance paying particular attention to the inspection and repair policy. (2) To establish what basic models are available for decision making in inspection and repair maintenance. (3) To establish how feasible and useful each of these models is in the practical engineering environment. (4) To consider factors in the implementation of a decision making model in the inspection and repair policy with particular reference to the most practical and feasible model investigated.
Open Access
An inquiry into significant factors for accident prevention embodied in the Factories Act
(1981) Horne, Jerome; Jervis, W
The Factories, Machinery and Building Work Act of 1941 has embodied in it certain factors which are apparently intended to promote the prevention of accidents in industry. These factors have been lifted out of the Act and Regulations and their significance is discussed in this thesis. The results of a questionnaire posed to firms are presented and analysed. These results indicate a limited degree of effective accident prevention which can be ascribed to the existence of the Factories Act. This thesis is divided into three parts: Part I : What the Factories Act provides for. Part II: The significant factors for accident prevention embodied in the Act. Part III: Conclusions and Recommendations. The history of the Factories Act is briefly traced and the Act in its present form is discussed in considerable detail. The following factors are revealed: - Registration for the purposes of control; - Approvals for the purpose of quality; - The creation of a safe and healthy environment; - The utilisation of competent persons; - The legal obligations of various classes of persons. Case histories of accidents are worked into the text to illustrate aspects under discussion. These are accidents which have been investigated by the Division of Occupational Safety of the Department of Manpower. Identifying features have been omitted. A limited comparison is made between the Factories Act and the British and American occupational safety acts. The proposed Machinery and Occupational Safety Draft Bill is discussed. It is concluded that there are factors for accident prevention embodied in the. Act. These are: legal registration, approvals, specific regulations, written appointments of competent persons, appointment of inspectors and accident enquiries. How effective these factors are, requires further statistical work. Certain recommendations are made which are intended to make the application of the Act more effective. A particular shortcoming of the Act is the small emphasis on training of persons in safety awareness. Greater provision should be made for such training and definite guidelines should be laid down in the Act for safety training of the worker. The Government has published a Machinery and Occupational Safety Draft Bill which retains many of the features of the present Act. If the positive factors discussed in this thesis are retained and added to during the passage of the new Bill through Parliament, industry and its workers should feel the benefits in the years ahead.
Open Access
An investigation into quality assurance with respect to the management of quality in the South African building industry
(1982) Mills, Arthur Rory; Jervis, W
This thesis cont a ins a descriptive research concerning the Building Industry in South Africa and Quality Assurance. The study identifies the Building Industry and investigates the process of quality management. The thesis does not attempt to solve any problems in the industry but shows the need for the application of quality assurance to the industry. Through experience the author has identified this need, which is not confined to the Building Industry alone. The urgency of this need is what has prompted research in this area.
Open Access
The just-in-time system and its applicability in South Africa
(1986) Hands, Kenneth Harry Morkel; Jervis, W
This thesis discusses the philosophy and techniques of the Japanese Just-in-Time manufacturing system and its applicability in South Africa. The Japanese system consists of two types of procedures and techniques. They pertain to: 1) productivity; (2) quality. The aspect of the system dealing most directly with productivity is known as the just-in-time system. Just-in-Time addresses the material cost component of productivity. The diverse indirect effects are even more pronounced. Just-in-Time partially covers Japanese quality improvements but there are a host of other Japanese quality improvement concepts and procedures. Total quality control describes the set of Japanese quality improvement procedures which in turn encompasses some of the Just-in-Time techniques and improves productivity through the avoidance of waste. The two entities of the Japanese manufacturing system overlap.
Open Access
The process of marketing strategy design : an illustrative example for post graduate courses
(1982) Asher, Clive Masureik; Miller, P; Jervis, W
The marketing of academic courses is a topic receiving increasing attention - both in terms of academic interest and out of practical necessity. In this study an extensive marketing evaluation is done of a particular course - the Industrial Administration Programme (IAP) at the University of Cape Town. This example serves as the specific model used to illustrate the process of marketing strategy design. The primary objective of this study is to illustrate how the principles of marketing strategy design may effectively be used to formulate a specific and detailed marketing strategy and plan for academic courses but particularly those at post graduate level. The illustrative example chosen is the Industrial Administration Programme offered by the Faculty of Engineering at U.C.T. Though the very specific nature of the research done into the IAP precludes the use of this study as a universal model for evolving a marketing strategy for academic courses, it does serve the function of acting as a guide as to how similar marketing problems may be approached. Part I describes the theory, process and procedures adopted to recommend the marketing strategy, while Part II describes in detail the specific plan suggested.
Open Access
The provision of local authority services, principally engineering services, in metropolitan areas : a perception and a generalised methodology of investigation, illustrated by a case study of greater Cape Town
(1983) Wall, Kevin Charles; Dutkiewicz, Ryszard Karol; Brand, J G; Jervis, W
The provision of local authority services in many metropolitan areas is complicated by the problem of ill-fitting functions and areas. This is particularly so in respect of engineering services. In the thesis, criteria of efficiency and effectiveness, finance, and community participation are selected for use in an analysis of the situation. The thesis critically examines alternative organisational forms for the provision of local authority services, particularly engineering services. These alternatives are assessed against a blend of the three criteria.
Open Access
Tender evaluation : a means of assessing the true value to the client.
(1984) Kipps, Shirwell Barry; Jervis, W
The advent of large multidisciplinary projects has necessitated an in-depth evaluation of tenders to ensure that the tenderer awarded the contract has submitted the lowest acceptable evaluated tender sum and has convinced the evaluation team that, by adequate resourcing and programming, he has appreciated the technical implications. The objectives of this thesis were threefold: * to discuss the need for a new approach to tender evaluation; * to propose amendments to the traditional tender document to provide a basis for a detailed tender evaluation; and * to propose methods of evaluating the information received from the tenderers so that the tender most suitable from both financial and technical considerations is recommended to the client. An extensive literature survey revealed little relevant reference material and, as a result, the author's experience in the evaluation of tenders, together with input from engineers knowledgeable in this field, has formed the basis of this thesis. To obtain the information necessary for the evaluation phase, the tender document must be so structured as to provide the tenderer with sufficient detail to adequately assess the complexity of the project and to provide the evaluation team with sufficient pertinent information to adequately evaluate the tender.
Open Access
The role of condition monitoring in maintenance management
(1986) Mossner, J R; Jervis, W

Browsing by Author "Jervis, W"

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