Explore publications.

The scarcity of water and energy in South Africa impacts multiple domestic and economic sectors, such as agriculture, industry, energy production, and ecosystems. This leads to diminished output, environmental degradation, and loss of biodiversity. The challenges are closely associated with the ongoing overexploitation of natural resources, attributable to the transformative effects of industrialisation and urbanisation. Current trends in energy and resource consumption, agricultural systems, and urban expansion are largely unsustainable and necessitate strategic interventions to mitigate environmental damage and promote long-term resilience. In the absence of oversight, these trends could exacerbate detrimental climate change patterns and limit economic growth. This study investigates the ongoing challenges related to the manufacturing sector's impact on water and energy resource depletion, while also assessing the potential cost savings from adopting cleaner production technologies. This study provides a significant contribution by presenting empirical evidence from the iLembe District, utilising a quantitative research design. A survey was performed across multiple factories in the iLembe Municipal District of South Africa. Of the 262 businesses surveyed, 184 out of 191 responses were considered reliable for data analysis. The study objectives were evaluated through descriptive and correlation analyses to assess the impact of digital technology on water, energy, and operational cost savings in manufacturing organisations within the district. The findings suggest that manufacturing organisations in the iLembe Municipal District demonstrated a lack of commitment to adopting digital technology as a waste management strategy to decrease electricity and water consumption. Respondents concurred that their organisations have achieved cost reductions by implementing cleaner production processes. The research demonstrated that digital technology has a beneficial effect on water and energy conservation, cost reduction, and the improvement of organisational performance. Management must understand the beneficial effects of digital technology to guarantee sustainable organisational performance..

Automated flow line manufacturing systems are becoming more relevant in the automotive sector.  Improving productivity in the manufacturing system is the core objective of all companies, measured by overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).  OEE is a measure of how well a manufacturing operation is utilised compared to its full potential during the periods when it is scheduled to run. Organisations have thus made technological changes in their processes that have led to opportunities for greater flexibilities.  This sentiment underpins the concept of automation.  Hence, this study examines the impact of automation for productivity improvement in the selected automotive assembly organisation in South Africa.  Automation is the creation and application of technology to monitor and control the production and delivery of products and services.  The study was quantitative in design and examined production and the related experiences of the automotive assembly organisation that has adopted automation system in its automobile roof process in weld plant for productivity improvement.  The Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model, using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse data.  The company operates in the eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.  The study was achieved by collecting pre- and post-quarterly data for labour productivity, process efficiency and downtime.  The results establish that labour productivity, process efficiency and downtime have a relationship and are statistically significant to company productivity after automation was implemented.  It has the potential to reduce errors, increase productivity and augment human capacity.  Hence, the original value of this study is its approach in uncovering strengths and weaknesses of automation for productivity improvement in South Africa. 

Technological advancements are becoming increasingly significant due to the poor production levels of enterprises in South Africa.  Consequently, businesses use technology modifications in their operations that create chances for enhanced flexibility and productivity enhancement.  This emotion supports a transformative concept of digitisation.  Digitalisation involves the separation of information and technologies designed to transform operational dynamics for enhanced corporate performance.  It serves as both an enabler and a catalyst for enhancing productivity.  This study investigates the impact of digitisation on productivity enhancement within a specific distribution sector of a food manufacturing company in South Africa. The study employed a quantitative approach to investigate production and the associated experiences inside the distribution division of a food manufacturing enterprise that implemented digitalisation to enhance productivity.  The Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model was employed to analyse data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).  The corporation functions within the eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.  The study was conducted by gathering pre- and post-quarterly data on product picking accuracy, hourly product loading, product replenishment rate, and product release rate.  The results demonstrate a statistically significant association between the product release pace and the company’s production in the post-digitalization period.  Nonetheless, it fails to demonstrate the correlation between product picking accuracy, product loading per hour, or product replenishment rate and productivity.  A targeted organisational strategy on digitisation is expected to enhance the organization's performance. Digitising records enables the tracking of each phase of the production process, so maintaining transparency and instilling confidence in consumers.  Therefore, the primary significance of this study lies in its examination of the strengths and shortcomings of digitalisation for enhancing productivity in South Africa.