ABSTRACT

This research paper is about supplies department's relationship with other departments

in the organization about TENESCO-Iringa. The specific study area was at the TENESCO

main store section. The study was aimed to examine the issues that exist in the

supplies department relationship with other departments at TENESCO - Iringa, and hoe

the issues affect the smooth operations of the company.

A case study research design was used. The appropriate stratified sampling technique

was used, whereby 16 members of staff were selected. 5 respondents were selected

due to their position, the remaining 11 respondents were selected randomly. In data

collection, the researcher used the following methods: interview using questionnaires,

review of documents, observations and participation.

The findings revealed issues that affects the company operations, to include: stock out

situation, poor timing of issue of the materials to the user departments from the

supplies department, slow order picking of items needed by users and poor customer

care/ poor customer services

Therefore, the researcher was in a position to conclude that, the relationship between

the supplies department and other departments was facing some issues which were

observed. Hence, some of the research recommendations are that; the top

management should delegate other works so as to improve timing of issues, the

supplies staff should respond immediately to the customers and management should

employ qualified store personnel.

TABLE OF CONTENT

DECLARATION .................................................................................................................... i

DEDICATION ...................................................................................................................... ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ......................................................................................................... iii

LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................. vii

ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................................. viii

ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................... ix

CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................. 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1

1.1 PROBLEM SETTING AND BACKGROUND ......................................................................... 1

1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ...................................................................................... i

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ...................................................................................... 2

1.4 THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY ....................................................................................... 3

1.5 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ......................................................................................... 3

1.6 RESERACH QUESTIONS ................................................................................................ 3

1.6.1 Major Research questions ........................................................................................... 3

1.6.2 Specific objectives ..................................................................................................... 3

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................. 4

1.8 CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK .......................................................................................... 4

CHAPTER TWO ................................................................................................................ 6

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................... 6

2.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF TANESCO IRINGA .......................................................... 7

2.2 SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT STRUCTURE ............................................................................ 8

2.3 MATERIAL SECTION INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES .................................. 9

2.3.1 Regional supplies officer ............................................................................................. 9

2.3.2 Stores assistant ......................................................................................................... 9

2.3.3 Stores Attendant. ....................................................................................................... 9

2.4 INTRODUCTION TO MATERIAL MNAGEMENT ................................................................. 9

iv

2.5 THE MATERIALS MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS .................................................................. 10

2.5.2 PURPOSE OF THE SUPPLIES FUNCTION .................................................................... 11

2.6 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT AND OTHER DEPARTMENT ........ 12

2.6.1 Production department ............................................................................................. 12

2.6.2 Design and Engineering Department ......................................................................... 13

2.6.3 Inspection Department ............................................................................................. 13

2.6.4 Maintenance Department ......................................................................................... 13

2.6.5 Financial department ............................................................................................... 13

2.6.6 Transport Department .............................................................................................. 14

2.6.7 Sales Department .................................................................................................... 14

2.7 PREVIOUS OBSERVATONS .......................................................................................... 14

CHAPTER THREE ........................................................................................................... 16

3.0 RESEARCH PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGY ............................................................ 16

3.1 DESIGN OF THE STUDY .............................................................................................. 16

3.2 AREA OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................. 16

3.3 RESEARCH SAMPLE .................................................................................................... 17

3.4 DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES ................................................................................ 17

3.4.1 Interviews ............................................................................................................... 17

3.4.2 Documentary records-secondary data source ............................................................. 17

3.4.3 Questionnaires ........................................................................................................ 18

3.4.4 Observations ........................................................................................................... 18

3.4.5 Participation ............................................................................................................ 18

CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................. 19

4.0 RESEARCH FINDINGS, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS .................................................... 19

4.1 MATTERS/ ISSUES OBSERVED ..................................................................................... 19

4.1.1 Do the user achieve their needs as and when required? .............................................. 19

4.1.2 Do the users specify their needs clearly and indicate the proper units issued? ............... 20

4.1.3 Are the terminologies used by the users well interpreted by the store personnel? .......... 22

4.1.4 Supplies department speed to meet customer needs .................................................. 22

4.1.5 Can the suppliers be a result of users not to be satisfied by a cross-issuing? ................. 23

V

4.1.6 Are the qualifications of stores personnel a problem to user departments? ................... 24

4.1.7 What are the other possible problems in the suppliers department interface with users? 25

4.1.7 Poor customer care: ................................................................................................. 25

4.1.7.2 Slow order picking ................................................................................................ 25

4.1.7.3 Knowledge of materials ......................................................................................... 26

4.1.7.4 The need for procedures manuals: ......................................................................... 26

4.1.7.5 Stores location ...................................................................................................... 27

4.2 THE CAUSES OF THE ISSUES: ..................................................................................... 27

4.2.1 The internal causes .................................................................................................. 27

4.2.2 External causes ....................................................................................................... 28

4.3 STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT AND USER

DEPARTMENTS ................................................................................................................ 28

4.3.1 Strength of the supplies department: ........................................................................ 28

4.3.2 Weaknesses of the supplies department: ................................................................... 28

4.3.3 Strengths of other (users) departments ..................................................................... 29

4.3.4 Weaknesses of the other (user) departments ............................................................. 29

CHAPTER FIVE .............................................................................................................. 30

5.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................... 30

5.1 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 30

5.2 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................. 31

BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................................... 32