Effects of Variety Reduction Process on Effective Materials Control.

Abstract

Considering the importance of variety reduction, the organization obtains greater opportunity in avoiding purchasing different types of products which serves the same purpose. It ensures effective and quicker stock taking, reduce obsolete, reduce overhead cost, effective and less space utilization, ease items specification due to product uniformity. Therefore, this study was carried out to examine the effect of variety reduction techniques on effective materials control. Specific objectives of the study were to examine the influence of staff competency on product variety reduction on effective material control, to identify the areas where variety reduction is covered, to determine the drivers of variety reduction that facilitates operational efficiency of the organization and to explore the benefits of variety reduction in quality production improvement and cost minimization in the organization. The study adopted descriptive survey design whereas purposive sampling technique was used to select 86 respondents. Primary data and secondary data were used while questionnaire and interview were used to gather data. Data that were collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and mean in order to summarize data in a meaningful way with the aid of Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS). Findings revealed that staff competency plays vital role in product variety reduction as it ensures quality goods production since there are training programs conducted to the staff as it was agreed by 73.3% of the respondents. Also findings indicated that there are major areas in which variety reduction covers that facilitate effective material control and there are drivers of variety reduction which facilitate operational efficiency of the organization to ensure timely delivery of the required materials which facilitate operational efficiency of the organization to ensure timely delivery of the required material. This was agreed by 40.7% of total respondents. The study also found that variety reduction plays vital role in quality production improvement and cost minimization at VETA Dar Es Salaam. This was agreed by 52.3% of total population. Generally, the study concludes that variety reduction has significant effect on materials control. The study recommends that more training is needed to continue enhancing the influence of staff competency on product variety reduction on effective material control.