EFFECTS OF MATERIALS HANDLING SYSTEMS ON PERFORMANCE OF CEMENT MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN MACHAKOS COUNTY
Raphael Ian Kathurima - Masters Student, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
Dr. Kepha Ombul - Senior Lecturer, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
Dr. Mike A. Iravo - Senior Lecturer, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
ABSTRACT
This research project focuses on the effects of materials handling systems on the performance of cement manufacturing firms in Machakos County. The aim of this research was to establish the effects of materials handling systems in order to achieve better performance and generate available efficiency and cost reduction benefits. This study was guided by the following specific objectives; To determine the effect of automating material handling systems on performance, to assess the extent to which information directed systems affect the performance, to establish the influence of mechanized materials handling systems on performance, to examine the extent to which semi -automated systems affect the performance. A descriptive correlational research design was incorporated in the study where a respondent was drawn from selected departments and targeted production, marketing, administration, human resource departments and supply chain. The target population was 60 employees. The researcher conducted a census on the target population. Data was collected primarily by the use of questionnaires. Collected data was edited, coded, entered into SPSS version 21 for analysis. Regression analysis model was used to show the relationship between the independent and the dependent variable. The study found out that there was a positive and significant effect of automating material handling systems on performance in that 32.8 percent of the performance of cement manufacturing firms in Machakos County can be explained by automating material handling systems (R squared = 0.328). The study also results revealed that information directed systems had an effect on performance and the effect was positive and statistically significant (overall p-value = 0.008) while semi automated systems had overall significant positive relationship with the performance (β = 0.464, p-value = 0.004). Mechanized materials handling systems was found to accounted for 18.6 percent of performance of cement manufacturing firms. The study recommends that the cement manufacturing firms in Machakos should stiff to improve on their automating material handling systems, information directed systems, semi automated systems and mechanized materials handling systems in an effort to improve on their performance.
