Operations management planning and preventive maintenance in grain milling companies in Nakuru County, Kenya
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Date
2018
Authors
Angaluki, Haron Agoi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Machine condition plays a significant role on plant efficiency in the field of
manufacturing. For this reason, maintenance has become an integral component of
manufacturing. There are various methods of maintenance but preventive
maintenance is key in maintaining the condition of plant equipment in manufacturers‘
state of operation. Preventive maintenance is scheduled and is based on principles of
operations planning. However, research on how operations planning affect preventive
maintenance in manufacturing companies remains a challenge. The general objective
of the study was to establish how operations management planning affects preventive
maintenance in Grain Milling Companies in Nakuru County, Kenya. The study used
four objectives which were: Manpower planning, spares parts availability, production
planning and plant layout. The target population for the study were grain milling
companies which included, Unga millers, United millers, Mombasa maize millers and
Milling corporation. The target population comprised of 226 technical staff directly or
indirectly involved in machine maintenance. A sample of 113 was selected to
participate in the survey using stratified random sampling technique. Questionnaires
were used as the main data collection tool among the grain milling companies.
Analysis of data was done using both descriptive and inferential statistics.
Frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviations were checked. Pearson
moment correlation was used to establish the relationship between the independent
and dependent variables and further to test the hypotheses of the study. Multiple
regression analysis was used to determine the planning components that have greater
impact on implementation of preventive maintenance. The findings of the study
revealed that all the planning aspects had significant effects on preventing
maintenance in grain milling companies. However spare parts availability, followed
by manpower planning had the greatest impact on preventive maintenance in gaining
milling companies. The study therefore recommended that milling companies need to
re look into their manpower planning especially for the preventive maintenance
departments rather than focusing only on reactive breakdown staffing. Besides,
milling companies should invest heavily in enhancing their sourcing strategies for
their spare part. A separate inventory should also be maintained for preventive
maintenance spares in line with maintenance schedules.
Description
A research project submitted to the school of business in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a degree in master of business administration (project management option) of Kenyatta University July, 2018