Productivity Improvement in Manufacturing Smes : Application of Work Study

This book focuses on the application of workstudy in productivity of manufacturing SMEs locally and abroad and also explores various industrial problems which face manufacturing SMEs in developing and underdeveloped countries in the rest of the world. Low productivity is currently a serious challenge facing manufacturing SMEs, where these SMEs are operating below expected production output levels which makes it difficult for them to compete in the global market. SMEs are the engine drivers of economic growth, one of which is manufacturing.

The challenge is that government from various countries in developing and underdeveloped countries, mandated agencies in their respective areas, to ensure that there is economic progress for these SMEs, but productivity remains low in the manufacturing SMEs. When SMEs do not perform well, productivity of manufacturing SMEs declines and unemployment increases. Thus, an increase in unemployment results in a drop of GDP in the country and can become a global and economic crisis. This book describes a process which enables the reader to use effective knowledge that addresses problems facing the productivity of manufacturing SMEs such as work study tools and case studies and provides solutions and applications to improve the running of the manufacturing SMEs in growing their productivity.

Thomas Munyai is the lecturer and Head of department in Operations Management at Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria South Africa. Currently He is a Doctoral student in Engineering Management at University of Technology with main focus on development of model to empower small business to enhance productivity in South Africa. He hold and MBA from UNISA, BSc (Hons.) Mathematical Statistics (Wits university), and BSc. in mathematics and statistics (University of Limpopo). He has 20 years’ experience in manufacturing and food processing industry, as factory manager, operations manager, product and sales manager, procurement manager. His professional memberships include the South African Production and Inventory Control Society (SAPICS). His field of interest are optimization though linear and non-linear modelling, statistics, mathematics, process mapping modelling; information and technology and manufacturing technology.

Boysana Mbonyane is a senior lecturer in the Department of Operations Management at the University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa. Currently, he is a doctoral student in Engineering Management at the University of Johannesburg with a main focus on the development of a framework for efficiency in relation to physical and technological capital to yield continuous growth in small business in Gauteng, South Africa. He completed his master’s degree in Business Leadership in 2014 and a master of Technology degree in Business Administration in 2007 at the University of South Africa (UNISA). He also completed his BCom (hons) in Industrial Psychology at the University of Johannesburg in 2006 and a BTech in Business Administration in 1999 at the University of South Africa. His undergraduate qualifications are a national diploma in Organization and Work Study, completed in 1995 at Technikon Witwatersrand. He spent 10 years in the mining industry and 10 years as a lecturer at the University of Johannesburg. Boysana joined the University of South Africa, 01 February, 2010.

Charles Mbohwa is a Full Professor and Vice-Dean: Postgraduate Studies, Research and Innovation at University of Johannesburg's (UJ) Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE). He is a Project Leader of several initiative on renewable technology as well as projects on Platinum Group Metals and HFCT research project, South African and international collaboration. His research activities are in renewable energy sustainability. He has supervised HFCT Master and doctoral research studies in HFCT. He has supervised several post-graduate students. He has taken part in organising many International Conferences and has managed several research projects involving collaboration with partners in the USA, Brazil, China, Norway, United Kingdom, Germany, United Nation and with many African countries. He is an established researcher and professor in operations management, manufacturing systems, green supply chain management and sustainability engineering, optimization, and his specializations include renewable energy systems, and bio-fuel feasibility.