From Data to Insight: A Case Study on Data Analytics in the Furniture Manufacturing Industry

Abstract

The manufacturing sector in South Africa has been dramatically affected by easily accessible and low-cost goods from China and other manufacturing giants in the East. Organizations which have not kept abreast with the technological advances in manufacturing systems and processes have been left behind and often face liquidation. The purpose of this study is to identify solutions to overcome issues faced by manufacturing organizations, through the possible implementation of data analytics. The study furthermore initiates the search for solutions which could revolutionize the manufacturing industry in South Africa. A review of existing literature regarding data analytics capabilities in the manufacturing industry found limited academic literature on the topic. A case study research strategy was adopted to explore the problem at hand through a holistic, in-depth investigation focusing on all the managerial levels in a manufacturing organization. The results indicated that executive and top management were more knowledgeable in the area of data analytics than lower level management and stated that the decisions they make were reactive instead of pro-active. This was attributed to outdated IT infrastructure and information systems. A single system with a central repository of information equipped with real-time analytical dashboards were identified as a good start to improve business processes, reduce time wastage and provide for data-driven decision making.