Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Marketing has long been seen as a qualitative discipline following a rather soft approach. This, in many circumstances, resulted in a loss of marketing's credibility against other more quantitative managerial disciplines. Out of this plight, numerous marketing practitioners and experts during the past two decades have developed ways to prove that marketing can indeed be quantifiable. Born were the theories of marketing metrics as tools to make marketing measurable and, thus, to justify its existence. As can be assumed, in most organisations, the existence of the marketing discipline is not threatened; yet, an increased importance is placed on the fact that marketing expenditure is located wisely and efficiently in order to make a contribution to bottom line. This is particularly significant for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) which typically have only small marketing budgets and dispose of limited marketing expertise. The purpose of this study is to examine whether such a medium sized enterprise, the Tepass + Seiz KG, a German group of car dealerships, shows a marketing behaviour typical for that of an SME and does not use a sophisticated system of marketing metrics to measure the efficiency of its marketing activities. Primarily, a literature review was performed to illustrate the role of marketing metrics within large corporations and smaller enterprises and to shed light to the typical marketing behaviour of SMEs. The subsequent examination of the Tepass + Seiz KG and its marketing performance measurement system was built onto the findings of that review. The study was conducted, following a single case study strategy with the use of in-depth interviews to collect the data. The analysis illustrated that the Tepass + Seiz KG, even though conducting numerous different marketing activities, shows a marketing behaviour typical for a medium sized enterprise and that it does not measure its marketing activities efficiently. Consequently, recommendations on how to improve its measurement systems were made and various marketing metrics were introduced and suggested for implementation. The development of a stringent marketing strategy in addition to the metrics recommended was found to be a necessary further step towards a sophisticated marketing management within this enterprise. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Bemarking word lank reeds beskou as 'n kwalitatiewe dissipline met 'n taamlike sagte aanslag. Dit het onder vele omstandighede gelei tot 'n verlies aan geloofwaardigheid vir bemarking vergeleke met ander meer kwantitatiewe bestuursdissiplines. As gevolg hiervan het baie bemarkingspraktisyns en bemarkingskundiges oor die afgelope twee dekades maniere ontwikkel om te bewys dat bemarking inderdaad kwantifiseerbaar kan wees. Daaruit is die teorieë van bemarkingsmaatstawwe gebore as 'n instrument om bemarking meetbaar te maak en om sodoende die bestaan daarvan te regverdig. Daar kan aanvaar word dat die bestaan van die bemarkingsdissipline in die meeste organisasies nie bedreig word nie; nogtans word al meer klem gelê op die feit dat bemarkingsuitgawes slim en doeltreffend aangewend moet word om 'n bydrae tot winsgewendheid te lewer. Dit is veral belangrik vir klein en mediumgrootte ondernemings (KMO's), wat gewoonlik oor slegs klein bemarkingsbegrotings en beperkte bemarkingskundigheid beskik. Die doel van hierdie navorsingstudie was om te ondersoek of so 'n mediumgrootte onderneming, die Tepass + Seiz KG, 'n Duitse groep van motorhandelaars, bemarkingsgedrag tipies van 'n KMO toon en nie gebruik maak van 'n gesofistikeerde stelsel van bemarkingsmaatstawwe om die doeltreffendheid van sy bemarkingsaktiwiteite te meet nie. Daar is primêr 'n literatuuroorsig uitgevoer om die rol van bemarkingsmaatstawwe binne groot korporasies en kleiner ondernemings te illustreer en om lig te werp op die tipiese bemarkingsgedrag van KMO's. Die daaropvolgende ondersoek van die Tepass + Seiz KG en die metingstelsel vir sy bemarkingsprestasie is gebou op die bevindings van die literatuuroorsig. Die studie is uitgevoer volgens die strategie van 'n enkele gevallestudie met die gebruik van in-diepte onderhoude om die data in te samel. Die ontleding het aangetoon dat die Tepass + Seiz KG, hoewel daar baie verskillende bemarkingsaktiwiteite uitgevoer word, die tipiese bemarkingsgedrag van 'n mediumgrootte onderneming uitvoer en nie sy bemarkingsaktiwiteite doeltreffend meet nie. Gevolglik is aanbevelings gedoen oor hoe metingstelsels verbeter kan word en verskeie tipes bemarkingsmaatstawwe is voorgestel vir implementering. Daar is bevind dat die ontwikkeling van 'n streng bemarkingstrategie bykomend tot die aanbevole maatstaf 'n noodsaaklike verdere stap is vir gesofistikeerde bemarkingsbestuur binne hierdie onderneming.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The subject of globalisation has been widely publicised and studied over the last few years, specifically in the automotive industry where mergers, acquisitions and take-overs have set the trend for companies to become more involved in global operations. Even though this is such a widely studied subject internationally, there are significant differences between the international processes and the processes that the South African automotive industry will follow to become part of the global village. This is the result of the development of the automotive industry in South Africa during the isolation years. During the isolation period the international automotive industry underwent significant global changes owing to aggressive merger, acquisition and takeover activities. These activities were specifically aimed at positioning international manufacturers in new global markets, where they would become involved in the manufacturing of products in these new markets and then reselling them in their traditional markets, as well as opening these new markets for their traditional products. The isolation period also resulted in the South African market developing a strong and reliable supplier base to sustain the automotive manufacturers that elected to continue their operations in this country. An extensive literature study on globalisation is followed by a discussion of industry forces that will have a significant impact on the processes, procedures and strategies that a company will have to develop when it considers becoming global. The main focus of the literature study is the globalisation process and successful strategies to follow in order to become global. The rest of the study focuses on the internal and external influences and the internal struggles relating to a South African manufacturer that became part of its larger international namesake. The literature study acts as a guideline for the rest of the study. Some of the processes described and investigated in the literature study were not necessarily followed by the car manufacturer during its entrance into the global village, but did influence the strategies that the manufacturer established in order to be successful during this process. The study concluded on the ever-changing environment of the global village and the effects it has on the participants that are part of this environment. It gave specific attention to the success factors in the international automotive industry. In the recommendations a brief description is given of the future trends that a company would have to consider in order to remain in the global village. The focus is on e-commerce, management, strategy, supplier development and products. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die onderwerp van globalisering het in die verlede wye aandag getrek, spesifiek in die motorbedryf waar samesmeltings, uitkopings en oornames die tendens stel. Alhoewel dit 'n baie breë studie is, is daar noemenswaardige verskille tussen 'n maatskappy wat van nuuts af wil globaliseer en dié van 'n Suid-Afrikaanse motor vervaardiger wat 'n internationale moedermaatskappy het. Dit is hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die jare waartydens Suid-Afrika in isolasie verkeer het. Tydens die isolasie jare het die internasionale bedryf globaal verskeie veranderinge ondergaan as gevolg van agressiewe samesmeltings en oorname aktiwiteite. Hierdie aktiwiteite was spesifiek daarop gemik om die maatskappye beter globaal to posisioneer sodat beter produk verspreiding en produksie kan plaasvind. Die Suid-Afrikaanse mark het gedurende die tydperk meer daarop gekonsentreer om 'n beter verskaffer basis te ontwikkel om die plaaslike mark te bevredig. 'n Uitgebreide literatuurstudie, fokus op suksesvolle globaliserings beginsels wat ondersoek moet word voordat 'n maatskappy dit kan oorweeg om deel van die globale netwerk te word. Die literatuurstudie word gevolg deur 'n studie oor industrie spesifieke eksterne- en interne invloede, wat 'n impak sal hê op die ontwikkeling van globale prosesse vir 'n Suid-Afrikaanse motorvervaardiger. Die literatuurstudie word as 'n riglyn gebruik vir die res van die studie. AI die prosesse in die literatuurstudie word nie noodwendig deur die gekose vervaardiger gebruik nie, maar kan 'n invloed uitoefen op die besluite wat deur die vervaardiger gemaak word. Die gevolgtrekking skenk aandag aan die suksesfaktore wat die toekoms van die Suid-Afrilaanse vervaardiger in die globale samelewing sal bepaal. Die aanbevelings konsentreer op die aanhoudende veranderinge, tegnologies en nie-tegnologies, wat in die globale samelewing plaasvind. Daar word kortliks beskryf hoe die vervaardiger die veranderinge tot sy voordeel kan gebruik. Die velde van verandering waarop gekonsentreer word is "ecommerce", bestuur, strategie, verskaffer ontwikkeling en produk ontwikkeling.

published_or_final_version / Geography and Geology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

This diploma thesis deals with block exemptions in the automobile industry. It analyses their position within EU competition law. The aim of the thesis is to answer the question whether the sector-specific block exemptions regulating the automobile industry comply with general aims of EU competition law and to analyse their relationship with EU competition law as lex generalis and lex specialis. In order to achieve these goals, the thesis is divided into 5 chapters. The first chapter deals with block exemptions in general. It describes the reason why block exemptions have been invented and their subsequent development. In the first chapter there is also an explanation of their structure and method of legal regulation. This chapter then describes development of the general block exemption for vertical agreements and of the block exemption in the automobile industry. Description of their development is based on the decision in BMW case because rules set in this decision were the basis of the first block exemption in automobile industry. Second chapter deals with the newest block exemption in automobile industry - regulation No. 461/2010. With the newest block exemption the era of sector specific rules for the sale of new vehicles has ended. Regulation No. 461/2010 creates specific rules only for the...

M.Com. (Economics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Comm. / Change is inevitable in today’s world. Multinational companies are constantly being forced to adapt in order to survive. When companies are not able to adjust to the changing environment they run the risk of becoming obsolete. When General Motors (GM) returned to South Africa and bought back Delta Motors Corporation (DMC) in 2004, dealers were faced with new procedures, policies and management styles. This study aimed to establish how GM dealers viewed change, by exploring their views on the Delta Motors takeover in 2004. Five dealerships participated in the study and 15 employees were interviewed. The results were analysed through content analysis. Recommendations are made with regard to addressing the change process and the difficulties that accompany it. The study reinforces the importance of communication, planning and employee development in a change process. By encouraging involvement, people own the change process and do not feel that change is being forced upon them. Although change is critical, research shows that it is a complex process that needs to be planned thoroughly. This research includes lessons learned from the change process that GM went through when it took over from DMC.

A Researoh report submitted to the Faculty of Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management. / A product of the dynamic changes undergone by industry over the past number of years has been the diversification of the workforce. This is placing a formidable challenge before management, not only to maintain, but under the new conditions of globalisation, to improve Levels of productivity. The purpose of this exploratory study was to establish what actions management of the motor industry could take to manage this diverse workforce in order to ensure maximum productivity and motivation. The findings highlighted personal attributes of managers manager integrity, communication, equality and as being of overriding importance. In particular, upgrading of employee skills were the main requirements. In order to address those behavioural aspects, it is recognised that a fundamental change in corporate culture is required. In conclusion, and in line with the literature reviewed, to become effective in diversity management, an organisation must be prepared to undergo a long-term transition. / Andrew Chakane 2018

Este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar o impacto da indústria automobilística nas cidades em que se instala, avaliando desde os impactos na estrutura urbana às implicações para a economia local e para os diferentes atores sociais. Para isto adota como exemplos as cidades de São Bernardo do Campo e São Caetano do Sul, cidades inseridas na região do Grande ABC na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo contribuindo para uma análise a partir do modelo de produção fordista e as cidades de Indaiatuba e Sumaré, localizadas na Região Metropolitana de Campinas, analisadas pela ótica da produção flexível modelo toyotista. A indústria automobilística gera um mito de difícil tradução pela sua imponência física e econômica. É disputada por diversos municípios do Brasil talvez por significar um aditivo forte para a economia local. Sendo assim, os municípios procuram, nas suas mais diversas formas, oferecer a estas indústrias benefícios e incentivos, como doação de terrenos, infraestrutura básica e viária, alem da isenção de diversos impostos. O que se procura responder é se a implantação da indústria automobilística em uma cidade, alem de um aumento significativo no desenvolvimento da economia local, traduz-se também em melhor qualidade de vida para seus moradores. / This work have as objective to analize the impact of the Automobile Industry in cities where they have been installed, evaluating since the impacts in urban structure to the implications for local economy as well as for the local social actors. For this take as examples the cities of São Bernardo do Campo and São Caetano do Sul, located in the Grande ABC region, in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo considered witch Ford Model of production and cities of Indaiatuba e Sumaré, located in Metropolitan Region of Campinas, working witch Toyota Model of production. The automobile industry create a myth of difficult translation for their physical and economical magnificence. They are disputed by several cities of Brazil because they mean a strong additive for the local economy. In this way the cities always try in different ways, to offer to these industries benefits and incentives as the donation of the land, public services, roads structure and tax reduces. What we try to answer is, if the implantation of the automobile industry in a city, besides a significant increase in the development of local economy also means a better quality of life for its habitants.

Com a globalização, a competitividade no mercado automotivo tem aumentado cada dia mais, e os produtos automotivos (veículos e componentes) estão sendo freqüentemente desenvolvidos em um determinado país todavia para construção, uso e aplicação em outros países. As condições de aplicação como altitude, condições climáticas, topografia, percepção dos clientes e outras variáveis podem ser diferentes de um mercado para outro e influenciar na confiabilidade dos produtos. Se as condições de aplicação não são consideradas na fase de desenvolvimento do veículo, pode ser que o produto não venha atender a função à qual ele foi projetado durante a sua vida útil, e pode-se também experimentar um nível de falhas excessivo e/ou modos de falhas específicos de determinados mercados, bem como arruinar a imagem da marca. Portanto é necessário predizer a confiabilidade dos produtos que são exportados e a partir dos dados de confiabilidade usá-los em projetos futuros, fazendo com que sejam projetados veículos para atendimento ao mercado global, ou então no mínimo atender aos requisitos ou demanda de qualidade de cada país importador. Portanto o objetivo deste trabalho é desenvolver um modelo para descrever o comportamento de um produto exportado e predizer a sua confiabilidade no campo. O modelo considera a utilização dos dados de falhas de campo no período de garantia, considerando também a existência de veículos que não apresentaram falhas ao final deste período. De posse da estimativa de confiabilidade para o veículo e seus respectivos subsistemas em cada país, propõe-se um modelo para análise de detecção de diferenças entre confiabilidades e a partir do qual se possa concluir as razões pelas quais há diferenças e usar estes dados para uso em projetos futuros. / Since the globalization, the automotive competition is growing every other day, and automotive products (vehicles and components) are often developed in one country though its made, used and applied in other markets. The operating conditions such as height, climate, topography, customer perception and other variables are often different from one market to another and could influence on the products reliability. If the market operating conditions are not considered in the vehicle development phase, the product may not fully perform its intended function over useful life period, and also may experience an excessive level of field complaints and/or failure modes specific to those markets and also damage the image of the brand. Therefore it is necessary to predict the export products reliability and based on the reliability data to use as lessons learned for future projects in order to fulfill the global market requirements or at least fulfill the requirements of quality from each country that imports the vehicles. Therefore the main objective of this study is to develop a model to describe the export product behavior and predict its reliability in the field. The model considers the use of warranty claims and also uses the data regarding the vehicles which did not have any claim under the warranty period. Based on the estimative of reliability for the exported vehicle and also their subsystems, its proposed a model to analyze and detect differences between reliability and so to use such data on future projects.