Barriers to Successful Implementation of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Within Small and Medium Industries in Kenya

BARRIERS TO SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES WITHIN SMALL AND MEDIUM INDUSTRIES IN KENYA
Jacob Luballo Muyoyo
Department of Computer Studies
Kenya Technical Teachers College
P.O. Box 44600 Nairobi - (0)20 7120212, 0729994440

E-mail:[e-mail]
ABSTRACT
Small and medium scale industries (SMIs) are increasing under pressure to adopt advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) to survive or be competitive. Previous studies suggest that AMTs can diffuse in SMIs that adopt new ways of thinking, have a workforce with higher level of skills, a flexible organizational structure and inculcate a new culture in managing, training and planning of the manufacturing technologies. However, in Kenya where SMIs appear slow to adopt AMTs, little work appears to have been done on the ability of SMIs to implement AMTs successfully. An exploratory survey of 60 SMIs suggest the need to rethink implementation of AMTs if they are to obtain strategic benefits of AMTs. In particular, they need to rethink their organic structure and understanding of the technologies, plan their level of skilled workers and engineers, and change their culture. Increasing their competitiveness and organizational flexibility requires a flexible structure, training of the workers to running multiple machines, stopping production when problem occurs, communicating organizational goals, and participating in idea generation and decision making. Further, SMIs need a higher understanding of these technologies to realize their potential. The results of this survey have implications for innovation research and stakeholders in governmental and non-governmental organizations seeking the successful implementation of AMTs within the SMI sector.

Key words: AMT Implementation, SMIs, Kenya, Organizational Structure

INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
SMIs need to remain competitive and produce high quality outputs of goods and services that larger organizations

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