No Abstract Provided

Credit card fraud losses within the South African credit card market in 2006 exceeded R257M. A portion of these losses (R179M) are within the borders of South Africa and its common monetary area partners. This represents a startling 70% of credit card fraud on magnetic stripe cards used within the borders of South Africa. The South African credit card industry adopts floor limits at certain merchants and merchant categories. South Africa is one of a few countries in the world that still adopt floor limits on credit cards within its payment card industry. Credit card transactions on magnetic-stripe cards conducted below the merchant’s designated floor limit do not go to the issuing bank for authorization. The first time the issuing bank acknowledges these transactions is when they are settled on average two days later. The rationale for not adopting zero floor limits within the South African credit card market is the supposed inability of the existing telecommunications infrastructure to handle the volume and frequency of data submitted by merchants for authorization. The impact of reduced fraud and bad debt losses through adopting a zero floor limit in relation to merchant operational costs is the basis of the research. The research also aims to examine the Proposition that the existing telecommunications infrastructure is unable to support a zero floor limit proposal.

No description available.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about disruptive consequences to many people’s livelihoods around the world. The package of restrictions to contrast the health crisis caused a contraction of income and employment, on the demand side, and a disruption of domestic and global value chains, on the supply side. In many low-income economies, the crisis exacerbated an already fragile situation, raising concerns in terms of food insecurity and malnutrition. However, given the peculiar characteristics of the COVID-19 shock, not all individuals are expected to be affected in the same way. Nevertheless, evidence of the ultimate impact on food security, and the mechanisms of transmission, is still scarce. This thesis aims to address this literature gap, providing evidence for three African countries. Specifically, the study analyses the change in terms of food production and food consumption, as well as their relationship, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak, disentangling the heterogeneous impact over different types of households and different segments of the food value chain. To answer the proposed research questions, the study uses the most appropriate econometric techniques, which include a longitudinal model with household fixed effects, a structural equation model, and a cross-sectional model. What emerges is that the COVID-19 crisis severely impacted both household employment and income in 2020, the more so the longer the time length from the pandemic onset. The shock operated through two main channels of transmission, namely food value chain disruption and job loss, ultimately affecting household food security and child nutrition. The study also highlights the importance of considering the specific context under analysis and distinguishing between different types of households, specifically their market positioning when considering agricultural households.

No / Key areas of focus at the Conference. Supply and Value Chain Management Global Operations and Supply Chains Operations Strategy and Innovation Logistics and Physical Distribution Inventory and Operations Planning Environment and Sustainability Performance Management Purchasing and Supply Service Operations Collaboration / ORACLE

Digital innovations are about to overtake the supply chain systems and revolutionize the way of producing products. With the use of technology in the value chain a sustainable development can be generated and developed. The usage of digital tools for manufacturing can minimize waste and further develop sustained processing. 3D printing is a technology that produces products by adding layer by layer of material. The additive manufacturing process theoretically produces no waste and aims for a sustainable and efficient processing. The textile and sportswear industry adopted this process for high fashion or functional performance products. Especially in the sportswear sector the process shows great potential. Brands like Adidas, Nike and Underarmour adopted the process in order to create midsoles for performance shoes. This research aims to identify the potential of 3D printing for the textile and sportswear industry. The purpose of this research is to explore the advantages and disadvantages of 3D printing within the textile industry and sportswear value chain, to survey where are potential solutions to reduce waste. The qualitative research consists of a theoretical and empirical part. The study begins with a systematic literature review that presents the state of the art of 3D printing in the textile and sportswear industry. In order to add empirical data, interviews with five experts from academia and industry have been conducted. The experts work with 3D printing and three of them with 3D printing and textiles. The case study methodology was chosen in order to compare a small number of cases and their approaches. In order to answer the research questions, the empirical data was thematically analyzed and one overarching theme and seven sub themes emerged. The sub themes were compared to the effects and challenges of 3D printing for the textile and sportswear value chain that emerged from the literature review. The findings show that there are several advantages as design freedom and customization and disadvantages as slow production speed and costs. 3D printing is mostly used as an additional process when implementing the process in the textile and sportswear value chain.

Den globala ekonomin har under de senaste åren påverkats i flera olika aspekter däribland geopolitiska spänningar samt ökade transport-och arbetskostnader, vilket har utmynnat i utmaningar för företags globala värdekedjor. Företag som har globala värdekedjor har ofta valt att utkontraktera delar av sina processer till internationella leverantörer, främst för att ta del av expertis, billig arbetskraft samt närhet till råvaror. Trots fördelarna tillkommer utmaningar och risker som företagen behöver hantera. Det kan vara allt från osäkerheter i form av längre transportsträckor samt svårigheter i att granska standarder och kvalitén vid utkontrakterade produktioner. I samband med detta har företag genom åren velat profilera sig som hållbara och utgått från att försöka balansera miljömässiga, sociala och ekonomiska hållbarhetsaspekter. Detta är lättare sagt än gjort, och i jakten på högre vinster har de sociala och miljömässiga aspekterna inte alltid blivit lika prioriterade. Detta har bland annat resulterat i att företag utkontrakterar till internationella leverantörer som bland annat har bristande arbetsförhållanden och produktframställning. De miljömässiga konsekvenserna uppstår både på plats där själva aktiviteterna sker och i samband med transportsträckorna. Trots detta har företag av olika anledningar kvar sina internationella leverantörer där företagens förhållningsätt kring de hållbarhetsrelaterade aspekterna skiljer sig åt. Till exempel har en del företag varit omotiverade att hantera problem som inte har en tydlig ekonomisk effekt. Ökade påtryckningar från konsumenter och utökade regleringar har pressat företagens hållbarhetsarbete, både för att bibehålla konkurrenskraft och marknadsposition. Därav finns det företag idag som kan behöva ändra sina värderingar. Detta innebär i sin tur att företagen även kan behöva se över sina befintliga utkontrakteringsstrategier och valet av deras nuvarande internationella leverantörer. Vår studie syftar till att förstå och analysera hur olika företag hanterar och förhåller sig till sociala och miljömässiga hållbarhetsrisker i sina globala värdekedjor i samband med utkontraktering till internationella leverantörer. Vi har genomfört sex semistrukturerade intervjuer för att samla empiriska data som jämförts med teorier om utkontraktering, återhämtningsstrategier, riskidentifiering, hanteringen och externa påtryckningar. Studien omfattar olika branscher och företagsstorlekar för att belysa företagens förhållningsätt och hantering av risker, vilket i sin tur kan skapa igenkänning och inspirera alternativa tillvägagångssätt. Vårt mål är därmed att bidra med förståelse för området och potentiella strategier som kan minimera sociala och miljömässiga hållbarhetsrisker. Detta kan även bidra till företagens framtida arbete och stärka sin position på marknaden. De fem slutsatserna landar i vikten av ett holistiskt synsätt på hållbarhet, vikten av nära samarbete med internationella leverantörer för att hantera kulturella och geografiska distanser. Vidare belyser studiens att risker kan integreras i befintliga riskhanteringssmodeller där kontrollerande och undvikande responsstrategier anses mest relevanta, samt potentiella möjligheter med ett alternativt fokus på ekologisk dominans. Slutligen lyfts behovet om stöd från externa aktörer och strategiska åtaganden inom företagen. Därmed ger studiens resultat både praktiska och teoretiska bidrag och visar att företag som utkontrakterat till internationella leverantörer verkar stå inför komplexa utmaningar relaterade till sociala-och miljömässiga hållbarhetsrisker i sina globala värdekedjor.

The study identified various value configurations, namely the value chain, value shop and value networks, that could be applicable in understanding the value adding activities within a law firm. The aim of the study was to determine whether information systems could be utilised throughout the identified activities comprising the various value configurations. In the event that information systems were used throughout these activities it was sought to determine to what extent information systems were being used in the law firm and whether, from the user’s perspective, the systems facilitated better efficiency in the workplace, increased productivity and had a positive effect on the profitability of the law firm.

<p>Tanzania is one of the world’s poorest countries. But it has a lot to offer and in recent years both tourists and companies have realised this. This thesis focuses on the companies and takes a closer look at the growth performance and the inflow of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) to Tanzania. By presenting a case on the cement industry in Tanzania the thesis also provide some insight in the mechanisms of FDI on a more practical level. The findings conclude that the FDI and growth have both increased extensively since the 1990’s, but I refrain from comments on the causality of this relationship. The economic reforms that the country underwent in the 1990’s are thought to have played a key role in the development of the country. From the case presented we draw the conclusion that a FDI can affect the value chain as well as the whole country in numerous ways.</p>

The study identified various value configurations, namely the value chain, value shop and value networks, that could be applicable in understanding the value adding activities within a law firm. The aim of the study was to determine whether information systems could be utilised throughout the identified activities comprising the various value configurations. In the event that information systems were used throughout these activities it was sought to determine to what extent information systems were being used in the law firm and whether, from the user’s perspective, the systems facilitated better efficiency in the workplace, increased productivity and had a positive effect on the profitability of the law firm.