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Development of a lean implementation strategy in a South African dependency of an international automotive supplier

Includes bibliographical references

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Hartle, Heathcliff John
Other Authors: Kahlen, F J
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Mechanical Engineering 2014
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access_status_str Open Access
author Hartle, Heathcliff John
author2 Kahlen, F J
author_browse Hartle, Heathcliff John
Kahlen, F J
author_facet Kahlen, F J
Hartle, Heathcliff John
author_sort Hartle, Heathcliff John
collection Thesis
description Includes bibliographical references
format Thesis
id oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9138
institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:26.116Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2014
publishDateRange 2014
publishDateSort 2014
publisher Department of Mechanical Engineering
publisherStr Department of Mechanical Engineering
record_format dspace
source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9138 Development of a lean implementation strategy in a South African dependency of an international automotive supplier Hartle, Heathcliff John Kahlen, F J Includes bibliographical references Implementing a lean strategy within a South African plant has its own benefits and pitfalls. This case study takes place at Donaldson Filtration Systems, a high volume, low mix automotive parts supplier in South Africa. This case study is performed within the framework of action science, aiming to highlight an implementation strategy that seeks to create a sustainable initiative that goes beyond the standard top-level-down implementations while still seeing the gains lean implementations have come to expect. A lean seed initiative is introduced to create a lean culture and develop the necessary tools relevant to creating a continuous improvement environment within the seed’s defined boundary. The strategy makes use of an improvement loop to introduce known lean tools to the system in question to generate buy-in and sustainability. The research showed that the lean seed provides a capable platform for companies to launch an effective lean implementation by following the strategy developed at Donaldson. The strategy confirmed that a sustainable implementation was possible provided the culture was created to introduce the known lean tools available to the continuous improvement movement. A step-by-step improvement loop guide to facilitate the introduction of the culture was developed to ensure practicable outcomes are always made relevant. Management drive, willingness to change company infrastructure, a capable seed team and the freedom to focus on sustainable solutions were key factors found during the implementation that are necessary considerations for a South African manufacturer or facility looking to implement the lean seed strategy. The main objectives of this study were to determine whether a lean seed implementation strategy could develop the necessary culture and understanding to create a successful and sustainable lean implementation. 2014-11-05T03:50:35Z 2014-11-05T03:50:35Z 2012 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9138 eng application/pdf Department of Mechanical Engineering Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Hartle, Heathcliff John
Development of a lean implementation strategy in a South African dependency of an international automotive supplier
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Development of a lean implementation strategy in a South African dependency of an international automotive supplier
title_full Development of a lean implementation strategy in a South African dependency of an international automotive supplier
title_fullStr Development of a lean implementation strategy in a South African dependency of an international automotive supplier
title_full_unstemmed Development of a lean implementation strategy in a South African dependency of an international automotive supplier
title_short Development of a lean implementation strategy in a South African dependency of an international automotive supplier
title_sort development of a lean implementation strategy in a south african dependency of an international automotive supplier
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9138
work_keys_str_mv AT hartleheathcliffjohn developmentofaleanimplementationstrategyinasouthafricandependencyofaninternationalautomotivesupplier