Bestuur en administrasie van materiaalbeheer met spesiale verwysing na die staalbedryfstak in die Vaalnywerheidsdriehoek

Abstract

This thesis deals with an important but rather neglected corner of the industrial field, viz materials and inventory management. The fact that the post-war productivity drive has not as yet affected industry's attitude to materials and inventory can, perhaps, best be explained by the emphasis placed at present on production per man hour. Management has tended to lose sight of what can be gained by better material utilization. The object of this thesis is to identify bottlenecks in the management and administration of materials and inventory . To achieve the object envisaged, the thesis is divided into the following chapters: In Chapter I attention is given to outlining the concepts used in the thesis. Alternative views are discussed in some cases but the accent is placed on explaining the concepts expressed in the thesis . Apart from outlining existing concepts, new concepts are introduced for the purpose of further analysis . In Chapter IT the course of development of the South African Steel Industry is outlined. Special attention is given to historical events and their influence on modern industry. Future possibilities are analysed further and the relationship between basic and subsidiary industries and their influence on each other's cost structure is briefly discussed . An empirical survey of the Va-al industrial area is presented in Chapter m and the extent of industrialization and possibilities for future development are indicated. The suggestion is made in Chapter IV that depending on the extent of industrial growth, the problem of industrial 1.management has become more and more a problem of personnel management. Stress is laid particularly on the influence of the human factor on material control from the viewpoint that it is merely a partly rational calculable production factor. In order to analyse the requirements of the problem, attention is given to the development of management, management techniques and management planning. In Chapter V an attempt is made to indicate the position of cost administration in relation to material control. Three distinct activities are identified in the maintenance and administration of the cost element material, namely, physical maintenance, recording and reporting. With regard to physical maintenance attention is given to the quality and quantity aspects while recording, accounting and reporting are identified as control aspects. Consideration is given to cost administration as the aim of material control as well as to management techniques which can be used to increase the efficiency of the departments concerned with the maintenance and administration of the cost-element material. The subject is outlined further in Chapter VI and the relationship between cost and material control is indicated. Functional activities such as quality control, production planning and purchase planning are discussed but attention is directed mainly to pre-administration in respect of material control. The role of the human factor is discussed and methods which can be used to simplify activities and promote efficiency are described. Whereas quality administration and the control of materials are discussed in Chapter VI, in Chapter VII attention is given to physical maintenance which forms a strong relationship with quality administration. The physical cycle of production supplies are reviewed and problems which have a definite influence on the cost structure of physical administration are discussed. In Chapter VIII the last element in the material administration cycle is examined, viz accountancy. This element is subdivided into basic administration which is normally performed by the cost-accountants department and management which deals with matters of policy.