Mr. Jim Harris, plant director of Electronic Components Assemblies (ECA), commissioned this investigation and report on the 22 August 2001.
             Mr. Harris is concerned about the potential impact of new technology and its effects on production systems. He has commissioned Management Consultants International to review and make recommendations concerning the existing ECA policy.
             1. review strategic options for the business in terms of
             „h procedures and systems for material planning and control
             „h production management systems and
             „h human resource management policies, personnel and payment systems
             2. report on implications on proposed changes for management, staff, customers and suppliers.
             3. develop an implementation plan based on recommendations.
             4. draw conclusions and make recommendations.
             5. submit report by 26 September 2001
             This report describes the result of an in depth analysis of the current policies that ECA employs.
             ECA currently manufactures electronic deflection units for computer monitors for its holding company International Electric (IE) in South Africa. ECA operates as a cost centre within the commercial goods division of IE.
             The plant was established in 1973 and is based in the Western Cape and operates in parallel with a plant in Botswana.
             Jim Harris, the plant director has recently observed a decline in the sales of computer monitors at a time when production capacity is expanding. This has resulted in fierce competition and has forced ECA to reconsider its product sourcing policies.
             The objectives of this report are to identify problems within the existing ECA policy and offers possible solutions. It also identifies the impact of these proposed solutions on ECA¡s current policy and provides a framework for implementation.
             This analysis was restricted to the information enclosed in the briefing document. Where applicable, assumptions were made to augment the findings.
             2.1 Procedu...