USING ADVANCED MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES AS A COMPETITIVE WEAPON TO ACHIEVE WORLD CLASS STATUS: A CASE STUDY OF ZIMBABWEAN COMPANIES.

Abstract

Human capital is the single most critical pillar in a manufacturing environment. Without people in an organisation manufacturing becomes impossible. Even in the environment of complex machinery there is still need for human interface with machinery. This paper seeks to identify the human management techniques in the manufacturing sector which are being used by Zimbabwean companies in their effort to resuscitate an ailing industrial sector. A survey of fifty manufacturing companies was conducted throughout the major towns in Zimbabwe. Management training was found to have a prevalence of 85.7% and lean six sigma manufacturing (LSSM) is the lowest applied technique at 24.50%. Total quality control is the highest quality control technique with prevalence at 61.2%. Online electronic control is the lowest at 42.9%. Companies that aspire to achieve world class manufacturing status should seriously consider online electronic quality control.