Application of "just-in-time Manufacturing Techniques" in Kenya. A Case of Metal Manufacturing Industries in Nairobi

Abstract

Industrialization achieving has been embraced structural by many developing transformation of their countries economies. as a means of In Kenya the goal of industrialization has long been held as a strategy for economic development. led to manufacturing industries applying Just-In-Time that is cost effective, waste conscious, (JIT) manufacturing This has technique and leads to improved quality to strengthen their survival against global market competition. The current study was undertaken to investigate the manufacturing application of JIT manufacturing technique among metal industries. The study was carried out in Nairobi production thatcomponents maintenance metal city. The research manufacturing industries investigatedthe JIT had applied, basic tasks performed by machine operators, production machine set- up times, cross training among machine operators, the professional qualifications production managers and machine operators, the study also investigated challenges metal manufacturing order to get a representative of the various industries were facing in their effort to modernize. In sample in the study metal manufacturing industries were subjected to simple random sampling technique. The sample for the study composed of production managers with a sample size of thirty-seven by the use of questionnaires, data analysis interviews and observations. were Chi-square (37). Data was generated The statistical tools used for at 0.05 level of significance and spearman rank correlation. The study manufacturing found out industries that the had number applied of JIT were production significantly components different from metal thosev recommended for lIT production, seldom perform basic machine on machine maintenance maintenance, tasks, on machine were very long compared to what is recommended machine operators set-up times, these for lIT production. The study also found out that machine operators were poorly trained to operate different machines in the industry. It was found out that there is a relatively correlation between the professional qualifications high degree of production of negative managers and those of machine operators. The study revealed that about half of machine operators are on- job trained. From the findings, appropriate the study recommends research and development industrialists programmes institution take an aggressive on lIT manufacturing, Secondly manufacturing for machine that, first the Government its application and the underlying benefits. industries through their umbrella body should design training operators in basic machine maintenance, it and offer certification. Fourthly the Government sector in sourcing affordable credit to purchase machine set-up should assess the training offered to on-job trained labour force in formal industries manufacturing its role in educating time reduction as well as cross training. Thirdly the Government harmonising through with a view to should support the modern production equipment. Suggestions manufacturing for further research sectors, continuous gap in the manufacturing include performing improvement a similar study in other on quality, and how technological sector can be bridged. The nature of training given to on-job trained machine operators need also to be investigated.