TRANSACTION PAPER

The development of a comprehensive, practical, and integrated management method for the South African mining industry

J.D. Stone; J.N. van der Merwe

University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

SYNOPSIS

This paper briefly reviews the adequacy of existing management theories and practices and the managerial proficiency or competency in the South African mining industry. The investigation revealed that existing management practices are totally inadequate to enable all employees on all the levels of the mining industry to achieve the results required from them, in all aspects, at all times. As a result, the South African mining industry is gradually losing its long standing reputation as a relative cheap, competitive, and reliable supplier of minerals to the local and global markets. According to some prominent management authors and theorists, an all-inclusive unified management theory does not exist at present. In this paper the authors summarize the main aspects of a newly developed comprehensive, practical, and integrated management method. It is believed that the application of this method would significantly improve the future performance and competitiveness of the South African mining industry.

Keywords: Comprehensive integrated management, mine management, mine planning, Mine Managers Certificate of Competency

“Full text available only in PDF format”

References

1. CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA: Annual Report 2006- 2007. Produced by the Communications Services of the Chamber of Mines of South Africa. Marshalltown, Business Print Centre. pp. 12-18.         [ Links ]

2. HAINES, S.G. Strategic and Business Planning: The Systems Thinking Approach. Amherst Mass, HRD Press. 1999. pp. 10-14.         [ Links ]

3. DRUCKER, P.F. The Practice of Management. London, Pan Books. 1968. pp. 7-8.         [ Links ]

4. ALLEN, L.A. Professional Management: new concepts and proven practices. Maidenhead, McGraw-Hill. 1973. pp. 46-47.         [ Links ]

5. RUE, L.W. and BYARS, L. Management-Theory and Application. 5th ed. Homewood, Ill, Irwin. 1989. pp. 49.         [ Links ]

6. CALLAWAY, R.L. The Realities of Management: A View from the Trenches. Westport, CT, Quorum Books. 1999. pp. 21. Available from: http://www.questia.com.         [ Links ]

7. DRUCKER, P.F. Management Challenges for the 21st Century. Oxford, Butterworth Heinemann. 1999. pp. 39.         [ Links ]

8. DAFT, R.L. Understanding Management. New York, The Dryden Press. 1995. pp. 14-15.         [ Links ]

9. STONE, J.D. The Development Of a Comprehensive, Practical And Integrated Management Method With Specific Reference To The South African Mining Industry. PhD Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2009.         [ Links ]

Paper received Feb. 2009
Revised paper received Nov. 2009