This research investigated the development of a balanced scorecard for a frozen vegetable processing plant. The balanced scorecard can be utilised as a strategic management and performance measurement system. First, an overview of the balanced scorecard concept was presented. Its four perspectives, namely financial, customer, internal business process, and learning and growth were explained. Thereafter, the process of developing a balanced scorecard was outlined and the translation of a firm’s vision into measurable objectives and targets was discussed. Finally, the literature study evaluated the development of balanced scorecards by means of selected case studies. This included an analysis of the successes and failures of balanced scorecards in practice. The research methodology consisted of: (a) A literature study to determine a framework for developing a balanced scorecard. (b) Interviews and workshops to gather the primary data required to develop a balanced scorecard. The development of a balanced scorecard for a frozen vegetable processing plant using the findings from (a) and (b) above. The following recommendations were made: · Targets and action plans should be developed for the outstanding strategic objectives of the plant, and all key performance measurements should be formalised on key performance area documents. All role players should be involved in this process. · All employees must be exposed to, and understand the plant’s vision, mission statement and the purpose of the balanced scorecard. · All employees need to understand how their actions impact on other employees and the well-being of the plant. They must have set objectives and targets that can be measured. · To increase the chance of a successful scorecard implementation, regular feedback must be provided to all employees, and managers must hold people accountable for using the system.

Higher education institutions in South Africa are under pressure on account of changes in their environment so those institutions which can adapt to the changes and continue to carry out their purposes will be the most successful. According to Wellins, Byham and Wilson (1991:21) the employee empowerment and energy that comes with a feeling of ownership, are necessary prerequisites for continuous improvement. When organisational values, leadership actions and human resources systems, for example, rewards, training, and organisational structures are focused on empowerment, continuous improvement actions result. These, in turn, could lead to competitive quality, increased productivity and improved customer service. This dissertation aims to assess what would be an appropriate strategic control model when implementing an empowerment strategy. To this end an empowerment process management model is presented, as well as an investigation into the most effective environment where empowerment can be implemented and the management style needed. Secondly, the characteristics of strategic control are considered and lastly, the particular circumstances of a tertiary education institution are discussed. The findings of this study are that the concept of strategic control and empowerment and the reality which exists at the selected higher education institution concur in certain instances, from the managers’ perspective. Further research to investigate the role of strategic control in implementing an empowerment strategy at the selected higher education institution when all role players are included, is recommended.

Electrical and electronic equipment waste (e-waste) is growing fast. Due to its potential economic value as well as its possible negative impacts on the environment, tracing e-waste flow is a major concern for stakeholders of e-waste management. Especially, whether or not adequate amounts of electrical and electronic equipment waste (WEEE) flow into the designed recycling systems is a fundamental issue for sustainable operations. In this paper, we analyze how technical, market, and legislative factors influence the total amount of e-waste that is collected, recycled, exported and (legally and illegally) disposed off. We formulate the e-waste network flow model as a variational inequality problem. The results of the numerical examples highlight the importance of considering the interaction between the supply and the demand side for precious materials in policy-decisions. Low collection rates of e-waste lead to low profits for stakeholders and make it difficult to establish sustainable recycling operations. Increasing WEEE collection rates increases recyclers' profits; however, it only increases smelters' profits up to a certain limit, after which smelters cannot benefit further due to limited demand for precious materials. Furthermore, the results emphasize the importance of establishing international control regimes for WEEE flows and reveal possible negative consequences of the recent trend of dematerialization. More precisely, product dematerialization tends to decrease recyles' and smelters' profits as well as to increase the outflow of e-waste from the designated recycling system. (authors' abstract)

Effective leaders who can solve complex, strategic business problems are the key differentiator in the new world of work. As external environmental changes converge with internal organisational shifts, the need for a strong bench of leaders becomes critical in driving profitable growth. This study explores the relationship between personality and the ability to manage the complexity of the emerging environment. Based on the CPI and CPA assessments of 256 managers and executives, correlations and multiple regressions were performed to identify the new strategic leadership profile. Anchored in Complexity Leadership Theory (CLT), this research builds on the leadership functions of CLT to provide new insight into the role of individual characteristics in the ability to think strategically. The consolidated findings identified Dominance, Flexibility, Achievement via Independence, Psychological Mindedness and Self-Acceptance as key constructs in the ability to think strategically. These outcomes sharpen the new leadership profile and enable the development of tools that can directly improve the organisation’s ability to identify, attract, select and develop leaders who are proficient in the emergent, complex context. Further research can enhance the robustness of this leadership profile through supplementary exploration of the remaining constructs that determine the ability to think strategically. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / pagibs2014 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

M.Comm. (Strategic Management) / The turbulent and swiftly changing business environment assigns very big requirements and challenges to managers of all enterprises. Because of the current political and constitutional process of reform, local authorities find themselves on the verge of dramatical structural change. Traditionally local authorities operated in a relatively predictable and inert environment. The turbulent and swiftly changing environment, together with the expected structural changes, assign unprecedented demands and challenges to the managers of local government. To enable managers to handle these requirements and challenges to the optimal benefit of their residents and businessmen, the advancement of strategic management is of utmost importance. This study is directed at the distinguishing of potential requirements and challenges that could be assigned to managers in local government and to local government's pressing need of strategic management. A discussion of the use of computerbased management simulation as support to strategic mana~ment training in local government is included in the study. The central purpose of the study is to distinguish different applications of management simulation as an aid to the promotion of strategic management in local government and to indicate the value thereof. Management simulation can successfully be used to provide managers in local authority with simulated experience of the practical application of strategic management theory. Managers get the opportunity of strategically directing a simulated local authority and in this way they can make decisions without the need to fear for the consequences of erroneous decisions. There is no doubt that management simulation can make a worthwhile contribution to the advancement of strategic management in local government.

M.B.A. / The last decade has been a period of great transformation in South Africa and many companies have found themselves facing many challenges. Prospering in this environment have lead many companies to embark on programmes of restructuring and refocusing their companies in order to face the new challenges locally and globally. For this reason the purpose of this study is to determine if management in non-listed companies based in Gauteng have a formalised business plan in place to achieve its short-term objectives and a formalised strategy that would synergise the company's short-term objectives with its long-term vision. The reason for undertaking this research was to enable the researcher to provide an in-depth analysis of the strategic planning process used by nonlisted companies in Gauteng when in developing its business strategy in a transformational environment. The researcher relied on quantitative research techniques and the following data collection method was utilised. Email survey questionnaires produced by the researcher on a proprietary software programme to respondents of the sample group. In assessing the research data and the literature review, the researcher provides a wealth of knowledge on strategic planning in non-listed companies in Gauteng and globally. With this insight strategy consultants will be ideally positioned to facilitate a strategic planning session or the development of a strategic business plan/strategy for a non-listed company in Gauteng. The researcher is confident that the literature review, the research data and the recommendations will provide excellent insight into the strategic planning process in non-listed companies based in Gauteng, South Africa.

M.Com. (Business Management) / The fact that growth is important for the survival of a business cannot be contradicted. It is however, necessary to plan the growth of a business and to keep it within the means of the business. To measure this growth in a meaningful manner, poses a problem. Various definitions for the ideal growth rate, referred to as sustainable growth, do exist. In essence it is the ability of the company to grow without any negative effects on the resources of the company. In managerial and financial literature, models on the aspect of sustainable growth have been developed. In this study these models have been critically analysed and applied to eleven companies quoted on the J.S.E. A comparison of the results, derived from these models, were made and it was found that there were substantial differences in the proposed growth rates. None of these models mentioned, allowed for the effect of inflation. An additional model was developed to eliminate the effect of inflation on growth. The principle of this model was to calculate the growth necessary to maintain business activities at the same levels. All funds in excess of, the financing needed to maintain current activity levels, were available for expansion and growth. This new proposed model was also applied to the same companies for the years investigated. The results were compared and the calculated growth rates from the existing models were not indicative of the real situation, regarding the after inflation growth potential of the companies. It was obvious in the results of the new model, that much less funds were available for growth. Should a company exceeds this proposed level of growth, the company is actually depleting the existing resources and become more dependent on additional borrowed funds. Investors and managers can use this model as a mechanism to predict, plan, manage and monitor the sustainable growth of a business.

M.Comm. / Suid-Afrika is besig om snellende fundamentele veranderinge op politieke, ekonomiese en sosiale gebied te ervaar wat 'n wesenlike treficrag op die bedryf van ondernemings het. Vir ondernemings om te oorleef moet hulle voortdurend aanpas en derhalwe moet hulle beskik oor 'n dinamiese strategie wat deurentyd aanpas by die veranderde omgewing. `n Veranderde omgewing vereis heel dikwels herorganisasie. Lae produktiwiteit en behoeftes wat deur verbruikers gestel word soos onder andere, waarde vir geld, goeie en verbeterde dienslewering, en nuwe tegnologie is enkele faktore wat die onderneming noodsaak om voortdurend aan te pas. Strategie is 'n rasionele bestuursproses wat tot aksies lei om 'n onderneming se produkte en dienslewering aan te pas by 'n spesifieke mark of groep verbruikers. Organisasiekultuur verskaf ondersteuning aan die strategie en beinvloed die sukses tydens die implementeringsfase (Robert et a1.,1994:47). Uitvoerende bestuurders sou waarskynlik van mening wees dat die twee mees kritiese aspekte vir die ondememing in die volgende eeu die bereiking is van die diepste vlakke van kreatiwiteit en die hoogste vlaklce van produktiwiteit van hulle werknemers. In 'n wereld van globale mededinging en waar kennis en tegnologie vrylik oor internasionale grense vloei, besef bestuurders dat die enigste wyse om 'n werklike volhoubare mededingende voordeel te skep, deur die aanwending van menslike hulpbronne is. Hierdeur word maatskappye gedwing om hulle organisasiekulture en —waardes weer in oenskou te neem. Visioenere leiers besef dat werknemerselfvervulling, sosiale verantwoordelikheid en omgewingsbestuur die sleutels is tot verhoogde produktiwiteit en kreatiwiteit in die toekoms (Barret, 1998). Vele maatskappye verander hulle organisasiekulture om hulle mededingendheid te verbeter. Kliente diens, kwaliteit en werknemerbetrokkenheid is slegs enkele faktore waarop gefokus word om die organisasiekultuur ten goede te verander (Gordon, 1996:470).

M.Ing. (Engineering Management) / Driving sustainability, optimising return on investments and cultivating a competitive market advantage, are imperative for organisational success and growth. In order to achieve the business objectives and value proposition, effective management strategies must be efficiently implemented, monitored and controlled. Failure to do so ultimately result in; financial loss due to increased capital and operational expenditure, schedule slippages, substandard delivery on quality and depreciation of market share. This research paper investigates and discusses management strategies with the focus on integration of effective portfolio management, efficient system development life cycles and optimal project control to ultimately drive organisational sustainability and growth. With the aid of this research, optimal decisions on project/organisational venture selection can be made. Furthermore, integrating portfolio management strategies with system development life cycles and optimal project control strategies, will optimise an organisational portfolio and enhance the probability of project and organisational success.

M.Phil. (Engineering Management) / “Business Process Engineering has now become the most important trend in modern businesses. It is often dressed up as many other things, but in the end, how the business delivers value is dependent on the operational effectiveness of its processes” [8]. It is important to understand the benefits that business process engineering will provide in allowing business to be effective through its processes. The benefit needs to be quite evident for a long period of time, while business displays the signs of sustainable growth. I conduct this research to see how the two concepts, which are business process engineering, align in ensuring that business carries on offering the relevant offering to the customer. The approach I used in this research was firstly through understanding what the literature on business process engineering and sustainability entail in order to establish alignment. I therefore formulated a research question based on the variables that were derived from the literature review. These variables are both from business process engineering and sustainability. I further on conducted surveys, interviews with the relevant subject matter experts as well as other business owners. What emanated from the research was that there is a close correlation between the two concepts. It was also learned from the survey and interviews that organisations are so much in favour of sustainable solutions, however the challenge is always on what tools to use, how to use the tools effectively as well as benefit measurement of process engineering interventions. The survey results and the interviews showed that even though organisations think of sustainable solutions, it still seems that there is always an opportunity to implement quick wins that in most cases do not align to the long term goal of creating a sustainable growth of business. This research is important, as it tries to indicate the importance of aligning business process engineering projects to the vision and strategy of the organisation. This approach will ensure that the time and cost invested in executing the strategic and business as usual projects will produce good returns in terms of company performance.