1. What are the particular challenges of implementing an improvement programme in a developing country? South African Breweries plc is currently the third largest brewing company in the world. SAB Limited, the domestic arm of the organization, embarked on a process of improving operations capabilities through the 1990s, which was founded on three best operating practices:

• Process control – operator-driven quality measurement, control and corrective action.

• Process performance management – improvement in yield and reduction of waste in all its forms: motion, materials handling, processing, waiting, over-production, correction and inventory.

• Plant availability – reliability-centred maintenance (see next chapter) with operators performing simple autonomous maintenance (including condition monitoring), with specialists being utilized for specialist tasks and coaching.

South Africa’s history has resulted in an unusual mix of first- and third-world conditions in one country. It has been ranked relatively low in the Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum. Of particular concern is the ranking for labour skills, where it was placed last. Historically, poor educational infrastructure had resulted in many South Africans being functionally illiterate. This obviously has huge ramifications for South African operations attempting to implement world-class operations on the shop floor.