Table Of ContentIntroduction to the Series
The seven books comprising the Macmillan 'Handbooks in Industrial
Management' series were from the outset planned as an entity, and
together they cover comprehensively yet concisely the varied aspects
of knowledge required by those who manage a modern factory or
plant. At the same time, care has been taken to ensure that each
volume shall be complete in itself, and carry sufficient basic manage. .
ment theory for a proper understanding of its specific subject.
By this means, it has been possible to avoid a common pitfall
in the path of many writers on management subjects, namely an
attempt to cover all possible ground in one major volume, with
varying degrees of success.
By contrast, each author in this series is experienced in the subject
of his contribution. A similar pattern has been followed in each book,
but each bears the stamp of the personality of its author. Well
established principles and tested techniques are explained, but equally
new and up-to-date concepts are explored.
It is expected that many practising works managers and mature
students will wish to have the whole set on their shelves, but that
others will welcome the opportunity of buying single volumes to
meet their particular needs.
Thanks are due to the authors for the enthusiasm with which they
have joined in the enterprise, and to members of the staff of the
Institution of Works Managers for practical support on many
occasions.
J. EKINS
MACMILLAN HANDBOOKS IN INDUSTRIAL
MANAGEMENT
Series Editor: J. EKINS, Cranfield Institute of Technology
Executive Editor: A. R. PIRIE, Institution of Works Managers
FINANCIAL CONTROL IN MANUFACTURING
C. N. Aydon
INDUSTRIAL LAW AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE FACTORY
Roderick L. Denyer
WORKS ORGANISATION
Alan Lawlor
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS WITHIN THE FACTORY
W. Mitchell with Alan R. Corbett
THE CONTROL OF QUALITY
V. G. Parry
PLANT LAYOUT AND MATERIALS HANDLING
A. W. Pemberton
TECHNIQUES FOR PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY
Ken Swann
Techniques for Production
Efficiency
KEN SWANN
M.Sc., C.Eng., M.I.Mech.E., M.I.Prod.E., M.I.W.M.
Head of Management Studies Department
The Polytechnic, Huddersjield
Macmillan Handbooks in Industrial Management
published in association with Macmillan Education
ISBN 978-0-333-14544-9 ISBN 978-1-349-01790-4 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-01790-4
©Ken Swann 1973
Reprint of the original edition 1973
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
without permission.
First published 1973 by
THE MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
London and Basingstoke
Associated companies in New York Dublin
Melbourne Johannesburg and Madras
SBN 333 14544 5
The paperback edition of this book is sold subject to the
condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise,
be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without
the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or
cover other than that in which it is published and without
a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed
on the subsequent purchaser.
Contents
Introduction to the Series 1
Foreword by Richard Marsh 7
Acknowledgements 8
1. Introduction 9
2. Variety Reduction 12
3. Value Analysis 22
4. Oassification Systems 29
S. Group Technology 38
6. Work Study 46
A. Method Study 52
B. Work Measurement 69
7. Production Planning and Control 103
A. Forecasting 107
B. Operations Planning 119
C. Network Analysis 122
D. Inventory Control 142
E. Line of Balance 153
F. Machine Interference 159
G. Line Balancing 163
8. Resource Allocation 172
Name Index 189
Subject Index 191
Foreword
In the world of modern industry, it becomes increasingly necessary
for managers to be aware not only of the fundamental principles of
good management, but also of the latest techniques necessary for
putting those principles into practice.
Works managers in particular, because of the salient position
which they hold in the management structure of modern industry
and their responsibility for translating policy into execution, must
be both educated in sound theory and trained in modern methods.
This series of eight books has been designed to provide the basis
of that education and to supplement essential experience.
I welcome the opportunity the Institution of Works Managers has
been given to sponsor this venture and commend the books to all
present and future managers in industry.
RICHARD MARSH
Chairman, British Rail
President, Institution of Works Managers
Acknowledgements
Several authors, publishers and industrial concerns have given
permission to reproduce certain figures and tables included in the
text and I would record my sincere thanks to C. C. Gallagher for
Figs. 4.1, 4.2, 4.3; Holt, Rinehart & Winston for permission to
reproduce Figs. 4.4, 4.5 and Table 4.1, from Techniques ofP roduction
Management by Ray Wild; Heinemann for Figs. 5.2 and 5.3 from
Production Planning by J. L. Burbidge; the M.T.M. Association for
reproduction of their standard tables, and the Journal of Industrial
Engineering for Figs. 6B.3 and 6B.4.
My thanks are also due to the many students whose comments
and discussions have assisted in the development of the arguments
and presentation used, and similarly to my colleagues who have
made many useful comments. Finally my thanks to my typists who
prepared the manuscript.
K. SWANN
1 Introduction
I
During the past few years there has been much criticism of Britain's
economic performance, prompted mainly by the country's slow
economic growth and its failure to achieve an adequate increase in
exports. Much of the criticism and discussion about both problems
and performance has been based on comparative league tables
showing the achievement of other countries in terms of gross
national product, total investment and indices of industrial perform
ance. Useful though these comparisons are, there appears to be a
tendency to stress the overall results rather than to study the actions
and performance of particular industries or companies upon which
in the last analysis the growth of the economy depends.
From politicians, economists and academics the constant cry is
for the country to improve its industrial performance in order to
maintain its place in the 'productivity race' and to improve our
standard of living. The government, management and unions clearly
have their roles to play in improving industrial performance, as was
adequately summed up on the eve of the National Productivity
Conference by the then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson (1967):
... exhortation and appeals alone cannot increase productivity.
It requires firm decisions and action taken by government,
management and unions. The government's role is to shape the
economy so that increased productivity is encouraged and is
rewarded. Management's contribution is to take initiatives, to
plan ahead and to show enterprise - above all to innovate ....
The rewards for the nation of higher productivity will be high.
The wider use of the latest management techniques is often
advocated as one means of improving industrial performance, and
from the continued barrage of advice one is forced to conclude that
more can and should be done in applying them.
Galloway (1968), in his study of the performance of manufacturing
industries, concludes that ' ... techniques which are technologically
possible and economically desirable are still not extensively utilised
9
in manufacturing industries'. In fact it is further suggested that in
many sectors of industry techniques which are of long standing and
well proven are extremely low (5-10 per cent of potential). Through
out industry generally it is considerably less than 50 per cent. As
manufactured output comprises 70 per cent of Britain's total
productive output, it is suggested that some 35 per cent of our total
output is inefficiently produced. Other studies tend to confirm this
suggestion. Swann (1971, 1972) has shown the relationships between
technique utilisation, size and success and the necessity to increase
technique utilisation during company growth.
Works management is primarily concerned with the activities
involved in the acquisition, utilisation and control of resources to
produce goods of value, that is, goods of appropriate cost and
appropriate performance.
It is a dynamic activity because so many factors, both internal and
external, subject the system to almost continual change in exploiting
the advantages of technological progress and the constant demand
to improve the utilisation of resources. It is because of this situation
that works management should be very much aware of the existence,
areas of application, suitability and potential benefits of all existing
and developing techniques. The various techniques are here pre
sented not in the usual way, i.e. individually, but logically, asso
ciatively and without preference as to their utilisation.
Clearly, it could be indisputably argued that many of the tech
niques can be used in isolation with considerable benefit and justifi
cation. However, it is hoped that the reader will appreciate the
dependence of certain techniques on others and the limitations
imposed on utilisation in isolation. In the space allowed it is clearly
not possible to cover in too much depth all the techniques available
to the works manager, or indeed the specialist practitioner, but it is
hoped that those techniques selected for inclusion will provide
students and works managers with sufficient understanding to
appreciate the areas of application and the possible benefits to their
individual companies.
Any text concerned with production management techniques
would beneficially present them within the context of the company
environment and discuss, for instance, the sociological and organi
sational consequences of introduction; indeed, academically this
would be the only acceptable method. However, as much of the
sociological and organisational requirements are discussed in other
10
