A grounded theory based approach for integrating asset management with total quality management in South african food industries

Date
2016-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the quest to effectively apply a Total Quality Management System (TQMS) within South African food organisations, the integration of the Asset Management System (AMS) with the TQMS in the prevention of production and maintenance process challenges and to overcome the high competitive pressure of producing high-quality food products has become important. Given the potential for such collaborative improvements and the Asset Management (AM) prospect of extending the benefits of the TQMS as well as induced customer satisfaction, the integration of these two improvement programs deserved further exploration. The integration of the AMS with the TQMS remains unexplored within South African food industries. Furthermore, if integration is a possibility to consider, management will lack the understanding of, and the necessity for, integrating two managerial approaches to achieve collaborative results. Proper guidance to survive in the competitive environment of high-quality and customer demands is required. The purpose of this research study is, therefore, to develop a guideline for the implementation of an integrated approach to AM and Total Quality Management (TQM), which would improve product quality and subsequently support the food industry to strive for business excellence. Owing to the qualitative complexity of this study, it was deemed necessary to engage and understand the context or settings in which management address a problem or an issue. This was done with a view to ultimately allow the voices of managers to be heard whilst generating possible solutions to their current situations. Hence, the grounded theory methodology was adopted to holistically portray the integrated approach grounded in management’s input. All professional experiences of the senior managers in this study were described and interpreted as documented from in-depth interviews with nine such managers throughout eight distinct food organisations. In accordance to the grounded theory methodology, the analysis has resulted into a theory that depicts the causal conditions to the phenomenon (named Systems Integration), the strategy developed in response to the phenomenon, the intervening conditions that influenced the strategy, and the outcomes or consequences of using the strategy. It is imminent that the theory has successfully portrayed all aspects grounded in senior management’s inputs concerning AM integration with TQM. The developed theory was summarised and consolidated into a theoretical guideline for management. It served the purpose of assisting management to steer their focus and efforts on the practices that ensures the firms’ ability to establish a holistic and competitive quality management capability. In the essence of integration, it is believed that the AMS incorporation will provide South African food organisations with a small step towards being the Best-in-Class; hence, it will improve the quality of the product, efficiency of the machines and productivity of the people. Further empirical evaluations are required to support and verify the findings from this study.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Te midde van die belangrikheid van die effektiewe toepassing van ‘n Totale Kwaliteit Bestuur Sisteem (TKBS) binne Suid-Afrikaanse voedselorganisasies, het die integrasie van die Bate Bestuur Sisteem (BBS) met die TKBS ‘n interessante konsep vir navorsing geword. Die rede hiervoor is dat die BBS kan help met die voorkoming van produksie proseskwessies asook om die hoë mededingende druk van die vervaardiging van hoë-gehalte voedsel produkte te oorwin. Aangesien die potensiaal vir gesamentlike verbeterings bestaan asook omdat Bate Bestuur (BB) moontlik uitgebreide voordele vir die TKBS kan bied en in so ’n manier kliënt-tevredenheid sal verhoog, verdien die integrasie van hierdie twee verbeteringsprogramme verdere navorsing. Die integrasie van die BBS met die TKBS is steeds hoogs onbekend binne Suid-Afrikaanse voedselindustrieë. Indien integrasie as ‘n moontlikheid oorweeg sou word, sal die bestuur die begrip, en die noodsaaklikheid daarvan betwyfel asook heelmoontlik nie die integrasie van twee bestuursbenaderings van gesamentlike resultate suksesvol kan bereik nie. Om hierdie rede word behoorlike leiding vereis om te kan oorleef met die mededingende omgewing van hoë gehalte en kliëntediens-vereistes. Dus is die doel van hierdie navorsingstudie om ‘n riglyn van ‘n geïntegreerde benadering tot BB en Totale Kwaliteit Bestuur (TKB) wat as ‘n moontlike volgende stap om sake uitnemendheid te bereik, te ontwikkel vir implementering. As gevolg van die hoë kwalitatiewe kompleksiteit van hierdie studie, was dit nodig geag om die konteks waarin bestuur probleme aanspreek te verstaan; asook om meer betrokke te raak ten doel om te verseker dat die stemme van bestuurdes gehoor sal word. Dus hierdeur, kan moontlike oplossings ge-genereer word vir hul huidige situasies en probleme. In reaksie tot dit is die gegronde teorie metodologie aangeneem om holisties die geïntegreerde benadering (soos gegrond op die bestuur se insette) uit te beeld. Alle professionele ervarings van die bestuurders in hierdie studie is beskryf en geïnterpreteer soos gedokumenteer van in-diepte onderhoude met nege seniorbestuurders in agt afsonderlike voedselorganisasies. In ooreenstemming met die gegronde teorie metodologie, het die ontleding gelei tot ‘n teorie wat die volgende uitbeeld: die oorsaaklike toestande; die verskynsel wat oorsprong geneem het van die oorsaaklike toestande (genoem Sisteem Integrasie); die strategie soos ontwikkel in reaksie op die verskynsel; die tydelike voorwaardes wat die strategie beïnvloed het; en die uitkomste en gevolge van die gebruik van die strategie. Dit is dus vanselfsprekend dat die ontwikkelende teorie het suksesvol alle aspekte van die integrering van BB met TKB uitgebeeld. Die ontwikkelde teorie is opgesom en gekonsolideer in ’n teoretiese riglyn vir die gebruik deur bestuur. Dit mag ook beklemtoon word dat die ontwikkeling van die riglyn (gegrond op die insette van seniorbestuur) het uiteindelik die doel gedien om bestuur by te staan om al hul pogings te fokus op daardie areas wat die organisasie se vermoë om ‘n holistiese en mededingende kwaliteitsbeheer te vestig. Daar word dus geglo dat die integrering van die BBS sal Suid-Afrikaanse voedselorganisasies bystaan om die Beste-in-Klas te word, maak nie saak hoe groot of klein die invloed is nie. As gevolg hiervan kan dit moontlik die kwaliteit van die produk, die doeltreffendheid van die masjinerie en die produktiwiteit van die mense verbeter. Verdere empiriese evaluering is wel nodig om hierdie studie se bevindings te beklemtoon.
Description
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2016.
Keywords
Total quality management, UCTD, Food quality, Food industry and trade -- Law and legislation, Food industry and trade -- Quality control -- Management
Citation