Effectiveness of housekeeping methodology on productivity in the automotive parts manufacturing organisation in South Africa

Abstract

The majority of South Africans expect greater prosperity that can be accomplished through greater employment and high productivity. Thus, the need for productivity improvement in South Africa should be uppermost in both the public and private sector’s agenda. This can be achieved by implementing an effective management system that has a bearing to improved business performance. This sentiment underpins the concept of housekeeping methodology, namely, the 5S. 5S is a housekeeping philosophy represented by the practical approach for sorting, set in order, sanitise, standardise and sustain. As a result, this study evaluates the effectiveness of 5S on productivity in the automotive parts manufacturing companies in South Africa. 5S is an approach designed for achieving overall organisational cleanliness and standardisation at workplace that is motivating and pleasing to all the employees in the organisation. The study was quantitative in design and examined the production and related experiences of the automotive parts manufacturing company that has adopted a 5S strategy. The Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model, using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse data. The company operates in the eThekwini District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. The study was achieved by collecting pre- and post-quarterly data for machine downtime and labour production output rate. The results establish that machine downtime has a relationship and statistically significant to productivity. However, productivity has no relationship with both the 5S and labour production output. This study uncovers the strengths and weaknesses of 5S strategy on productivity in the automotive parts manufacturing organisations in South Africa.