OpenUCT :: Browsing by Subject "Engineering Management"

Browsing by Subject "Engineering Management"

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Open Access
An assessment of the viability of labour intensive township development in the Cape Metropolitan Area
(1994) Steunenberg, Hendrik Stephanus; Lister, Gordon; Ryan, Tom
Labour intensive construction, generally defined by authors as the economically efficient use of labour to produce the quality of product as demanded by the specification (and allowed by the funding available), ensures that significantly more labour is used per unit of expenditure than in conventional construction. Labour intensive municipal infrastructure projects have been implemented in South Africa since 1985, but it is only in recent years that large township development projects in the Cape Metropolitan Area were undertaken with a purposeful exchange of machines for people. This thesis aims to assess the viability of labour intensive construction methods when applied in township development in the Cape Metropolitan Area. Case study methodology was used to design the study and gather and analyse data to reach meaningful conclusions. Six cases where labour intensive construction methods are used to provide municipal services, were investigated. After analysis, the findings were synthesised and recommendations presented. The objectives of the thesis were to investigate the factors; cost, time and quality when labour intensive construction methods are used. Contractual arrangements, possible social benefits and communication were also identified as areas to be investigated. The findings were compared with the industry's norms for conventional construction methods in order to evaluate the viability of labour intensive construction.
Open Access
Defining the human resource processes required to support world class manufacturing
(1996) Middleton, Paul William Warren; Strümpfer, Johan
The aim of this project was to use soft systems methodology (SSM) in an industrial environment to tackle an unstructured problem. An agreement was made with a local company that the project would be of benefit both to them and the author. Whilst the aims of the project were initially defined (see Appendix 1), the use of SSM entailed surfacing the issues without a pre-defined area of concern. The project involved two main groups from the company. Group 1 was the HR2000 committee (a group that had already been formed by the company to lead the initiative to bring the organisation's human resources towards an, as yet undefined, goal in the year 2000). Group 1 would be directly involved in the project. Group 2, the manufacturing line managers, would be kept fully informed throughout the process.
Open Access
The design of collaborative projects: language, metaphor, conversation and the systems approach
(1999) Day, Julian; Strümpfer, Johan
This thesis uses a systems approach to develop a model for Collaborative Project Design (CPD). Failure of the software process is the area of concern. The focus of the argument is, however, on the organizational environment of the software process. A central argument is that the analytic tools of standard software development methodologies are inappropriate for systems synthesis. They provide little assistance in coping with the loose complexity that is inherent in the organizational environment in which the software process is embedded. These analytic tools and the engineering language and metaphor which dominate the software process undermine collaboration and disempower business users. CPD was developed to enable viable collaboration that is necessary for the software process to succeed. The purpose of CPD is to provide a systemic model of causal influences and social process in order to guide a project designer when intervening in projects which call for acts of shared creation and/or discovery. CPD was developed through a combination of action research (in projects involving software development and organisational transformation) and theoretical readings focused on the philosophy of meaning, systems thinking, social process and the software process. CPD emphasises that a collaborative project requires careful design of its underlying languages, metaphors and conversations. It identifies three distinct types of conversation, namely communication, dialogue and collaboration. The thesis describes how these conversation types are utilised in transforming a project's network of commitments from loose complexity via shared meaning to cohesive simplicity. Associated with each conversation type is a set of project influences which are developed into a causal influence model in order to depict a collaborative project as a dynamic system of mutually interdependent influences. This causal influence model was used to synthesise the learning from action research and the theoretical readings. An appreciative systems framework was then derived in order to justify a collaborative project as a self-regulating social system and was overlaid onto the causal influence model in order to derive CPD in its final form. CPD proved beneficial when tested in practical projects as a framework to organise a project designer's mind when designing project interventions.
Open Access
Effective construction project communications
(2016) Freeman, John; Shaw, Corrinne
Large construction projects involve numerous participants, many of whom do not participate for the entire duration of the project. Participants often come from very different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In the case of many large projects, the levels of education of these participants also vary widely, from graduate professionals to labourers with only a basic education. For a project to be developed, executed and handed over to the owner efficiently, the activities and delivered outputs of the project participants need to be coordinated. This requires effective communication to and feedback from all stakeholders. Project communication systems therefore have to take into account the differing backgrounds and information requirements of the participants. The execution of a high proportion of construction projects is negatively affected due to ineffective project communications. This gives rise to the concern that construction project communications can contribute to late or inappropriate actions by participants that can negatively affect project delivery. This informed the research question: "How can project team communication systems be optimised to ensure that all stakeholders have all the information and understanding required to function efficiently, effectively and timeously?" This research study sets out to answer this question. The first objective of this study was to identify the main factors that cause project communications to be ineffective. The second objective was to develop a theory relating to effective project communications systems that could be useful in developing practical solutions to project communication problems.
Open Access
Evaluating delays in execution of public sector construction projects : a study of roads and highways in Ghana
(2016) Narh, Natasha Afi; Shaw, Corrinne; Windapo, Abimbola
This study investigates delays in execution of public sector construction projects in Ghana. A review of literature revealed that previous studies on construction projects focused on cost, time overruns, as well as the causes of delays. It is against this background that this study assesses the causes and effects of construction project delays and means of averting such delays. The research design used in obtaining empirical data from a sample of 290 respondents was a survey research design. Questionnaires were used as instruments for data collection, and a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) used for the data analysis. The statistical tools employed in the study include frequencies, percentages, Relative Importance Index (RII), Spearman correlation analysis and Chi-Square Test. The findings of the study revealed that some critical contributors to road construction project delay in Ghana during the project execution phase are clients' low cash flow to complete the project, contractors' financial constraints on the project, and improper planning of the project life cycle especially during the bidding phase. Site restriction, weather effects and changes in governmental regulations were found to be the least contributors to projects delays. These delays have a negative impact on project performance, project duration and force project participants to modify and adjust their finances. Investigating the way forward, the study explored strategies that are for averting the delays in executing construction projects. The study found that respondents were undecided in their rating on adequacy of training for project staff on specific requirements of construction projects. Other factors such as adequate of knowledge of contractors on project task, effective mobilization and release of resources, early engagement of project managers as well as adequate and effective supervision of construction activities were each identified as strategies that are applicable and feasible in averting the delays in executing road construction project activities.
Open Access
Guidelines for the successful implementation of concurrent engineering practices in the South African electronics industry
(1995) Seeruttun, Dhiren Kumar; Lister, Gordon
This thesis describes the concurrent engineering environment necessary for developing electronics products in the 1990s, and beyond. The broad scope of the research has made it possible to derive guidelines for the successful implementation of concurrent engineering in the South African electronics manufacturing industry. For a long time, design and manufacturing have been viewed as two distinct steps that must be sequential. The problem is that this process delays product introductions and promotes design errors that have to be caught either in the field or on the factory floor. Nevertheless, these drawbacks were viewed as simply an evil of modern industry. Today, progressive companies see that there is a better way to do things. Viewing product design and manufacturing engineering as separate entities is yesterday's technology. Both can be done at the same time in the process called Concurrent Engineering (CE).
Open Access
Identifying and eliminating the root causes of the undesirable effects present in small manufacturing business production systems
(1999) Almeleh, Marc R; Lister, Gordon
The manufacturing industry in South Africa is presently experiencing severe competition from cheap imports from the east. Furthermore, the present high interest rate and newly legislated business and labour laws have created unfavourable conditions for small manufacturing businesses. For small manufacturing businesses to survive in this competitive market and under unfavourable conditions, they require increased performance in lead times, product innovation, product and service quality, manufacturing flexibility and responsiveness and, reduced manufacturing costs. To attain sustainable improvements requires a comprehensive understanding of problematic situations present in small business manufacturing systems. The aim of this project was to identify the major problems present in small business manufacturing systems, to highlight the difference between, and show the causality relationships between, "symptoms" of problems and their root causes, and to propose ways of eliminating the problems.
Open Access
The influence of project structural factors on the time management of electronic engineering projects in the south western Cape
(1993) Fakira, B S J Hamida; Lister, Gordon
Time management is certainly the most invaluable tool in projecting time-phased resource utilisation requirements as well as providing a basis for tracking performance. It allows optimal integration of all the resources in a project such that synergy is produced. Consequently, an effective time management system is crucial to the success of a project. This research highlights the major requirements for setting up an effective time management system for electronic engineering companies in the South Western Cape. It includes a literature review which shows the influence of the project structural factors on time management and the project performance. The research also uses an industrial survey to uncover the current impact of the project structural factors on electronic engineering projects. The effectiveness of alternative time control system is examined as well. From the findings of this research study, it has been possible to set up guidelines for selecting time control techniques which are pertinent to the current project structural factors of electronic engineering projects.
Open Access
Investigating critical success factors for project completion in a South African telecommunications company
(2018) Hamdulay, Irfaan; Shaw, Corrinne
With the growth of the internet and the proliferation of mobile devices, network operators are constantly building and upgrading mobile network technologies. To provide quality voice and data services for increasing customer bases, and to cope with the growing demand for data, network operators embark on capital-intensive base station roll-out projects. The success of these technology projects is critical to the success and sustainability of network operators. These projects involve diverse project teams, vendors and contractors who contribute to the success of the project. The project teams consist of different departments within the organisation, each having their own perceptions of the factors required to complete projects successfully. The lack of agreed upon project success factors from these different stakeholders has resulted in project delays. Therefore this study set out to answer the questions of: 1. What are the success factors that are required to ensure successful project completion in telecommunications Company X in South Africa? 2. How can these factors be managed systemically to improve project success? The approach adopted in this study was first, an integrative review of literature on project success and critical success factors to identify the most important success factors that contribute to the success of projects. A context was given to the literature study by focusing on success factors in developing countries. A total of 71 success factors were identified and condensed into nine literature success factors. Thereafter, a survey was conducted to elicit the perceptions of project team members on success factors. A total of 65 success factors were obtained which were condensed into 10 empirical success factor categories. Both sets of data was analysed using qualitative techniques including content analysis and comparing and contrasting. The literature and empirical success factors were synthesised into nine success factor categories. The nine success factor categories developed from the synthesis process were: managing project constraints; aligning projects with strategy; managing external factors; management support; strong leadership; project team competency; continuous learning; implementing project management bodies of knowledge and stakeholder management. To address the second research question relating to the systemic management of the success factors, systems ideas were drawn upon in the form of a causal loop diagram to develop a project success model. Systems theory was used to determine the relationships between individual success factors and their overall effect on the system in focus. The system behaviour of the project success model initially predicts project success, but as the limiting conditions in the balancing loop take effect in the system, the overall success of the system is negatively affected. The system behaviour of the project success model matched the pattern of behaviour of the “limits to growth” systems archetype. The high leverage system intervention for the “limits to growth” systems archetype is at the limiting conditions of the system. Thus, the proposed system intervention targeted the system limiting conditions which were the “Managing project constraints” and “Managing external factors” variables. Through the implementation of the synthesised success factors and the effective management of project constraints and external factors, the project success model contributes to the success of projects in the context of the telecommunications industry of South Africa. The study concluded by finding that the research questions and concerns were addressed. Recommendations were made for the implementation of the synthesised success factors. Lastly, it was proposed that future studies use multiple case studies and examine the various systems archetypes in the project context.
Open Access
Investigating the effects of variety on the piston rod manufacturing process at Gabriel SA (Pty) Ltd
(1996) Morar, Bharet; Ryan, Tom
This thesis investigates the effects of variety on the manufacturing operations system of a automotive component (shock absorber) manufacturer, Gabriel South Africa Pty Ltd. Effective ways to manage this variety are also considered. By variety is meant the total number of possible states that a system can have. The measure of variety can also be considered as the extent of complexity of a system. The variety of product, people (from different cultures, backgrounds, etc.), processes machines and equipment, etc. and a continually changing environment creates a complex situation in which management decisions have to be made. Over the last three years, 1992 to 1994, Gabriel SA Pty Ltd has implemented world class manufacturing initiatives, for example, cellular manufacture, kanban, employee involvement programs, strategic business units, a Total Quality Management System, etc., but the anticipated results of increased production throughput did not occur. A situation has developed where changes had been implemented and there is now a difference between the actual and expected results. This thesis investigates possible causes for this difference. In order to conduct a rigorous and structured inquiry into the problem situation a theoretical research framework was developed. This framework was developed from the ideas of the American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce (CSP) and that of Chris Argyris. Checkland's, Ackoff's et. al. views on system thinking were also used to form this framework.
Open Access
An investigation into consulting engineering service quality perceptions and expectations
(1998) De Villiers, Gregory Ian; Lister, Gordon
This thesis focuses on the 'Quality of Service' provided by Consulting Civil/Structural engineers. The study assesses whether or not there are shortfalls in the quality of engineering services provided by consulting engineers. It identifies service dimensions that are problematic and also identifies 'real' variables which consulting engineers should manage in order to improve their services. A survey research method was used (pilot and main study) to collect information from management in the consulting industry; and from clients of the consulting engineering profession. The pilot study aimed to determine whether engineers were meeting client expectations; and to what extent formal quality control usage and management support of this, contributed to the delivery of quality services. Furthermore the study aimed to determine whether engineers ever assessed client satisfaction to gather information about providing more accurate services to clients; to determine any costs associated with poor services; and to determine any general service improvements suggested by engineers and clients. The main study aimed to measure the relative size of the gap that existed between the expected and perceived services from clients; as well as the gap across the boundary between clients' expected service and engineers' perceptions of clients' expectations. It was found that on the whole clients were dissatisfied with services received from engineers. This provision of 'poor services' was found to have bigger financial implications to engineers than it did to clients! Three areas of service, were identified which engineers should manage to improve their services i.e. the provision of the optimum solution to the client's exact need, doing this in the allotted time, and tailoring this service to within the client's budget. This was regarded as being superior service provision, and would give engineers the required competitive edge to remain profitable in the market. Includes Bibliography: p. 85.
Open Access
An investigation of Business Process maturity: a case study in a South African parastatal
(2017) Nteo, Maleho; Shaw, Corrinne
Business Process Management (BPM) has become one of the management approaches adopted by many organisations that strive to survive in a turbulent and competitive environment. BPM offers the means to manage and optimize business processes with the objective of improved efficiency and effectiveness; thereby improving the potential of business success. However, the extent to which BPM influences business success is a matter of debate with diverse schools of thought finding it difficult to reach consensus regarding the critical success factors of BPM and the extent at which processes and people influence business success. The capability of an organisation or enterprise is the ability to deliver on a desired outcome. In this dissertation, the enterprise capabilities of BPM are investigated. The research sets out to investigate the BPM maturity level of a South African parastatal. The intention is to identify and improve on those factors that influence maturity of the enterprise capabilities and may have negative impact on stakeholders. The approach taken to address the research objectives drew on case study methodology. Fieldwork was conducted using company documents, observation, a questionnaire and in-depth interviews. The questionnaire responses were qualitatively analysed using the categories of Hammer's model of enterprise capability. The research findings identified weaknesses in all categories of enterprise capability though expertise appeared to be thriving. The findings further suggest that weaknesses in leadership and the leadership style in particular impact on the effectiveness of business processes. The leadership style was seen as the major driver to impede process effectiveness. The following themes describing leadership style were derived from interviews: creation of sense of belonging, degree of approachability and extent of collaboration. In order to improve the BPM in the case company, the following recommendations were made: communication sessions, awareness training and process remodelling. The research study also provides the opportunity to understand BPM in a broader context, thus having potential for transferability to other organisations.
Open Access
Investigation of the failure of statistical process control in manufacturing industries in South Africa : case study - Atlantis Diesel Engines
(1998) Anash, Rockson Boamah; Ryan, Tom B
This work strives to give an insight into why Statistical Process Control (SPC), a quality management tool, is not yielding desired results in some manufacturing industries such as Atlantis Diesel Engines in the Western Cape. Statistical Process Control is an improvement technique that, when properly used, can improve both the quality and the productivity levels which may subsequently improve the competitiveness of a company. SPC achieves this by highlighting when a process is out of control. This happens at the source and a very early stage. The advantage of this is that in the case of manufacturing, rejects are limited and in some cases prevented depending on the relationship between process capability and specifications. The aim of SPC is to reduce variability of characteristics of a product. Wetherill and Brown (1991) revealed that many organisations regulated the quality of their products with SPC during the Second World War. This gives an idea of how long SPC has been in existence. The widespread use of SPC nearly came to an end in the 1960s. The reason for the abandonment of SPC by leading manufacturing industries in most parts of the world was not clear but the belief was that at that time industries were prospering, with little or no competition. However, in the late 1970s, the Japanese industries took the market by storm by the use of quality management techniques and tools, which were introduced by quality gurus such as Deming, Juran, Crosby and many others. This gave the incentive for organisations that wanted to be world class players in their respective sectors to reconsider exhaustively the use of SPC and its tools. In South Africa, predominantly in the Western Cape, SPC has been reintroduced in many companies over the past eight years. The introduction of SPC in most of the industries has not been a smooth transition as it was based on the misconception that if enough of the "right" improvement activities were carried out, then actual performance improvement would improve. There have been many factors hindering the successful implementation of SPC in manufacturing industries such as ADE. This research aims to identify these factors.
Open Access
Learning from systems failure : a case study application
(1998) Thoma, Oliver; Ryan, Tom
The thesis as a whole concerns the identification and resolution organisational issues and details research that was undertaken in a manufacturing company producing light access equipment, Castor & Ladder incorporating Forlezer (C&L inc. rorlezer). The content itself is based on 'systems thinking' which endorses a holistic approach to problem solving - as opposed to the traditional reductionist or mechanistic approaches - and it is hoped to demonstrate the value of adopting a Systems Approach in resolving problems of an organisational nature. Particularly, the aim is to incorporate the consideration of underlying issues i.e. 'soft' problems pertinent to organisational dynamics, into a coherent and rigorous problem solving approach. In this regard, the approach taken focuses primarily on generating a holistic perception of the contextual 'problem situation' faced by the organisation. The view held is that in order to achieve effective solutions, a critical requirement is to first gain comprehensive understanding of the situation and its complexity. From a research perspective, the intention is to first enrich the perceived problem situation and then only to develop a concern (or hypothesis) that adequately presents the true issues at hand. Next, the aim is to develop the relevant theory applicable and necessary to the understanding and resolution of the situation, and to subsequently apply this theory to the context. In observing the outcome, the validity of the concern, as well as the theory is verified.
Open Access
The need for systemic compatibility in management approaches : a basis for long term sustainable performance improvement
(1993) Van Veen, Hugo A R; Ryan, Tom
The textile industry in South Africa is presently experiencing a severe recession. For a textile company to survive in the competitive market prevailing will require increased performance in the competitive variables. Puma Jersey is typically such a company and has realized the necessity of improving lead time and delivery performance to regain market share. To attain long term sustainability of performance requires the systemic compatibility of approaches used to reduce lead times and late deliveries. Systems thinking methodology was used to evaluate the appropriateness and compatibility of the approaches used. Systems thinking as also used to develop and practical implement the suggested approaches. Increased performance in lead time and delivery performance was attained by implementing appropriate performance measurements and then communicating these measurements with a technique called CEDAC. Synchronous manufacturing philosophy was implemented to reduce lead times. Systems dynamics was used as a complementary tool to assist the synchronous manufacturing principals. Systems dynamics was also used to determine the effectiveness of proposed systems to increase lead time and delivery performance. A considerable improvement in lead times and delivery performance was attained at Puma Jersey by implementing these four systemically compatible approaches.
Open Access
A new product development practices model for small and medium engineering enterprises
(2010) Jacobs, Keith; Gryzagoridis, Jasson
The work presented here describes the development and validation of a diagnostic New Product Development Practices (NPDP) Model for the sustainability of Small and Medium Engineering Enterprises (SMEEs). A review of the literature regarding the sustainability of SMEEs, supported with the data gathered through the case study of a sample of SMEEs, led to the creation of a model. The model consists of unique elements such as the Innovative Engine and an environment called the Innovative Space. This model was used to shape further data collection instruments since it represented the ideal status in terms of sustainability potential or a measure of a particular SMEE. Comprehensive data relating to the various components of the NPDP model were gathered from 18 SMEEs. The SMEEs were chosen from a governmental database of small enterprises in the manufacturing sector of the Western Cape. Analysis of the data yielded a classification of these SMEEs in terms of their sustainability potential. This depended on the level of their NPDP as compared with the ones indicated by the proposed model. On the assumption that proof of sustainability of a SMEE is in its “growth”, the 18 SMEEs were re-visited after a period of three years, i.e.: from the original data collection that informed the model and subsequent classification. Data regarding their growth was collected. Analysis of this latest set of data revealed that most companies performed as expected, based on their potential for sustainability within a range of “growth factor” values.
Open Access
Operational effectiveness of the information technology function in business process change: A case study in a financial services firm
(2016) Ball, Richard; Shaw, Corrinne
In order to address the need to remain flexible in dynamic business environments, organisations must focus on the effectiveness of their core operational processes. The importance of operational effectiveness has been claimed to have a direct influence on business performance. In order to improve their effectiveness, many organisations invest in information technology (IT) systems, even though the extent to which these technological initiatives influence operational effectiveness is considered to be largely misunderstood by the organisations who employ them. In this dissertation, the relationship between the Operations and IT departments of a financial services firm is investigated. This study pays particular attention to the factors that have the potential to influence the ability of the organisation to align its strategies. This enquiry takes the form of two distinct research questions: 1) What factors in the organisation have an impact on the success of business process change proposals? 2) How is the role of IT perceived in the preparation of business process change initiatives? The study involved conducting semi-structured interviews with members of both departments. A qualitative inductive approach was used to analyse the data collected from these interviews in order to identify themes. The emergent phenomena were then considered in conjunction with the literature on organisational effectiveness and strategic alignment, in order to develop a theory that answers the research questions. The findings of the theory that developed resulted in four main relationships. They were: how understanding business processes contributes to improved service delivery; how important communication is in contributing to organisational performance; how effective planning has an impact on product complexity; and the impact that effective organisational planning has on the relationship between IT and operations. The results of this study showed that although there was intention to improve alignment between business and IT strategies, with some noteworthy initiatives emerging, there have been a number of factors inhibiting successful alignment. Some of these factors include: a lack of trust in IT solution delivery, IT remaining ignorant to the impact of process changes, the inability to effectively allocate the business analysis function to the correct change proposals, and the silos of process knowledge that exist within operations. The recommendations of this study include: improvements to the visibility of business processes; methods to improve knowledge sharing; and strengthening the focus of the business analysis function.
Open Access
Personality profiling and project success factors: a study in the transportation and operations department of an organisation
(2017) De Vries, Franco; Shaw, Corrinne
The use of personality profiling in various fields, industries and sectors has increased over the last decade. The applications of profiling vary and include assessments as to whether a candidate is suitable for a work opportunity to whether a team's personalities are conducive to achieve their objectives. In the discipline of project management, personality profiling has been used to match project managers to projects as a means to contribute to project success. The organisation in focus in this case study have implemented personality typing in 2012 and the results have shown that since the inception of personality typing there has been improvement in health, environment and safety project success metrics. However, the results have also shown that the implementation of personality typing has had no effect on other project success metrics such as project cost and schedule attainment. This research study addresses the questions of which factors affect the project managers' ability to achieve project success and how personality profiling affects these factors. This study is conducted as a case study in the Transportation and Operations department of the organisation. Literature on the origin and details of personality typing is discussed, its prevalence in the work place and which personality types are more likely to achieve project success. Furthermore, literature on the factors which typically influence the ability to achieve project success are presented. The research design was based on Maxwell's qualitative interactive research design model and the justification for case study methodology is provided. The primary means of data collection was semi-structured interviews. The data generated was analysed using qualitative data analysis using the compare and contrast principles of grounded theory. Consideration of research validation or trustworthiness and ethics were provided. Six factors were found to influence the project manager's ability to achieve project success. These were: the effect of the organisational policies and procedures; the project manager's leadership abilities; the contractor's performance level; the health of relationships with stakeholders; the planning effectiveness and compliance; and the effect of external factors. Secondly it was found that personality typing has mostly a positive influence on these factors and project success. This dissertation concludes with a review of the findings and its implications, the limitations of the study, practical recommendations for the organisation and recommendations for further studies.
Open Access
Production scheduling in a foundry machine shop
(1986) Miller, Jeremy John; Lister, Gordon
The scheduling of production in job shops is generally accomplished in four stages; aggregate planning, machine loading, sequencing and detailed scheduling. In industrial job shops, the number of jobs and machines makes detailed scheduling a particularly complicated and unwieldy task. When faced with this situation, a typical response of managements is to simply ignore the problem and apply some remedial action by adapting existing company operation procedures. The first objective of this dissertation is to indicate the dangers and inefficiencies which result when the problem of detailed scheduling is ignored. This is done in terms of a case study analysis in which the problems which currently exist in the machine shop at Atlantis Aluminium, a jobbing foundry, are illustrated. The second objective is to develop a systematic approach for the solution of detailed scheduling in job shops. Major steps in this approach are: i) a classification of shop scheduling problems ii) a survey of relevant scheduling literature in order to determine existing detailed scheduling techniques iii) the design of the scheduling system This approach is illustrated by applying it to the machine shop at Atlantis Aluminium.
Open Access
"Quality" in urban management
(1999) Van Amsterdam, Errol Ernest; Verhaeghe, Benoit
This Paper brings two important and related issues of current and topical interest together, and argues that this provides an important element that is currently lacking in the urban management framework. It does this through the application of what until relatively recent times in even the advanced industrial economies, was seen as a tool of efficiency enhancement in the production of goods. Quality Assurance and Management concepts are now firmly entrenched in the corporate approach to the more efficient production of both goods and services. Herein lies the justification for the line pursued in the pages which follow. The city role, as described, includes to a significant degree, the provision of space for accommodating economic activities. But through the city's role in administering, in promoting and controlling change, and in providing and distributing services which the community has determined to exercise control over itself, City Management impacts directly on the efficiency of all activities taking place within city limits.