QUALITY RELATED PROBLEMS IN LARGE ETHIOPIAN MANUFACTURING FIRMS: IMPLICATIONS FOR COMPETENCY

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was conducted in sixteen manufacturing industries in Ethiopia. A structured questionnaire with 52 items (open questions, interviews, and facility observation) was used to collect data. The finding indicates that 55 (about 37%) of the large manufacturing firms are making significant losses. The main challenges to the industries are poor quality management, poor raw material quality, rising raw material prices, outdated technology, quality costs, inefficient systems, limitations of skills training, and low motivation. Excluding the systems, these factors correlated at about 79% with market competency. The study also found the widespread use of inspection as a means of problem detection in the manufacturing industries. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sestien groot vervaardigers in Ethiopi is ondersoek. ’n Gestruktureerde vraelys (52 vrae, onderhoude en waarneming) is gebruik vir die versameling van data. Die dataontleding het getoon dat 55 vervaardigers (ongeveer 37%) in 'n verliessituasie was. Die hoofoorsake was swak bestuursgehalte, swak grondstowwe, stygende materiaalpryse, verouderde tegnologie, gehaltekoste, ondoeltreffende sisteme, opleidingstekorte, en ‘n gebrek aan motivering. Met die uitsondering van sisteemdoeltreffendheid, is daar ‘n 79% korrelasie tussen die hoofoorsake en markbevoegdheid. Die studie het ook gevind dat inspeksie algemeen as probleemopsporingstegniek gebruik word.