Thesis (M.B.A.)-Business Studies Unit, Durban Institute of Technology, 2006 viii, 105 leaves / The South African automotive leather export sewing industry was established in about 1991, when domestic firms were exposed to international markets. The industry’s success was largely attributed to the relatively cheap labour, infrastructure, leather and tax incentives given by the South African government. Interest in investment shown by multinational companies has resulted in significant growth in the industry today. However, at one time, the socio-political status in South Africa meant that the environment in which the industry developed was artificial. Economic, political and cultural conditions were not conducive to export manufacturing due to international sanctions. Consequently, the leather export industry was provided with an opportunity to integrate into the international arena primarily through the Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP). The MIDP initiative allows South African automotive companies to offset import duties against exports. This duty offset programme aims to encourage firms to focus on high volume production runs and import less popular models that are expensive to produce locally. However, with the inclusion of the Eastern European countries into the European Union, it is expected that the market will become highly competitive. It has already been predicted by Ballard (2002) in a study on the South African leather business that the automotive leather sewing export industry is an “easy-come-easy-go” industry, with its success not linked to any intrinsic advantages South Africa possesses, but due to rebates from the Motor Industry Development Programme. Although South Africa has a number of advantages such as relatively cheap labour, material in leather hides, and a good infrastructure, the automotive sewing industry has yet to establish its efficiency when exposed to open market competition. Therefore, to create a perception of stability for international investors, the industry must seek contact with outside partners for market access, technology and process know-how through collaboration and benchmarking. This study therefore aims to develop a discourse related specifically to the sustainability of the leather export sewing industry as it approaches deregulation.

This dissertation examines the role that public infrastructure development at the Port of Durban has had on the KwaZulu-Natal's auto sector. In essence this paper unpacks the debate surrounding public spending directed at promoting specific industry outcomes. To this end, the auto industry is examined in terms of its export-orientated growth since the inception of the car terminus. The auto industry provides an excellent case study, as there is considerable public and private sector concern in this sphere. This paper analyses the role of local and national government as well as nongovernmental role players in planning expenditure for the car terminal. The limited amount of formal literature in this field has informed the structure of this paper, making it important that some measure of efficiency benchmarking be included in this study. This has been done so of the role of the car terminal in the logistic value chains of the KZN auto industry could be examined. This in turn aided in the understanding of the role of the terminal as a conduit for inputs used in local production as well as the impact it has (or hasn't) had on export-orientated growth within the industry. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

In order to establish its status within the increasingly competitive global market South Africa needs to become a more active participant. In economic terms the current conjunction has often been characterised as a period of revitilised capital accumulation based on globalisation which in turn has helped bring about new forms ofproduction, distribution and consumption. Globalisation involves the integration of the economies of nation states through market mechanisms accompanied by increased transitional flexibility of capital, labour and new forms of technology. This insight of globalisation requires that we respond with greater competition and increased flexibility as we shift towards neo and post Fordist forms of work organisation rather than stick to outmoded practices of the past. One possible response to the requirement for greater labour flexibility lies in MultiSkilling, a system of skills flexibility recognised globally but still fairly new in South Africa. The current South Africa skills base is inadequate to meet global challenges and though change is becoming more so evident, existing education and training structures are doing little to ensure the higher degrees of skill flexibility required. This study focuses on Multi-Skilling and contextualise Multi-Skilling within the Automotive Manufacturing environment specifically where it has recently been implemented. This study shows that for Multi-Skilling to succeed, education, training and development of the workforce needs to be prioritised to uplift large numbers of employees who had been previously disadvantaged and limited to low levels of skill. Multi-Skilling will be shown to be of value and benefit to employer and employee alike as it offers opportunities for growth to particular sectors of employees, namely operatives who had previously been limited to routine and repetitive single focus tasks for years on end. lbis study shows that when the approach to Multi-Skilling involves the intention to encourage career development, improved grades and rates of pay for lower level employees, namely operatives through recognition of acquired skills, it has potential to assist the motor manufacturing industry achieve the world class manufacturing status provided that flexibility, quality and productivity of manning is accepted by the workforce as well. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

The South African Motor industry is evolving through challenging times, placing tremendous pressure on Toyota SA Motors (TSAM) to remain efficient. The organisation has identified human capital as one of its most valuable resources contributing to the achievement of this goal. It is therefore imperative that the organisation retain staff members through focusing on the influences of job satisfaction, an impoliant aspect affecting staffretention at TSAM. The objective of the study was to examine the factors influencing job satisfaction at TSAM with the aim of detennining if new age job benefits influence job satisfaction, the impact of new age benefits on the business, if job satisfaction would result in staff retention and to provide recommendations to TSAM on how to stimulate job satisfaction levels in order to increase staff retention. This was to be achieved through the brcakdown and analysis of the relevant components of job satisfaction, along with theory comparison and the aid of quantitative research. The objective was achieved by sampling 235 employees of TSAM. A response rate of 66% was achieved using an online questionnaire to collect data. The data analysis process was completed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Overall, new age benefits were found to have a positive influence on job satisfaction with the highest preferences being flexitime, flexible workspace, a free canteen and a gym facility. The other new age benefits proved to be less popular amongst respondents. A large percentage of respondents believed that TSAM should revise the benefits offered and that the company has the capacity to do so. It was found that the majority of respondents would accept a job offer elsewhere if benefits were good and remuneration was less then expected. Employees believed that new age benefits would have a positive impact on the business as job satisfaction results in staff retention within Toyota SA Motors and that staff turnover is a criteria to judge the company by. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

The focus of this study revolved around the impact of the Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP) on the automotive component manufacturers in the greater Durban area. The research objectives were to determine whether the introduction of MIDP has contributed to an increase in throughput for the automotive component manufacturers, to determine whether the introduction of MIDP has led to increased employment levels within the automotive component manufacturing industry and lastly to determine whether MIDP has resulted in increased investment in the automotive component manufacturing industry in KwaZulu-Natal. This study analysed the data received from 30 respondents, who as a pre-requisite, were employed within the component manufacturing industry in KwaZulu-Natal. The population sample was attained through the use of the author’s supplier database at Smiths Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd, a tier 1 automotive component manufacturer to the original equipment manufacturers in South Africa. A self-completion questionnaire, which was quantitative in nature, was distributed to the participants and a two week data collection period was allotted. The collected data was analysed using SPSS statistical software, the results of which revealed that MIDP was of significant importance to automotive component manufacturers in KwaZulu-Natal. It further revealed that there was a direct relationship between employment, investment and throughput with the introduction of MIDP. The same findings were evident for similar programmes in India and China.It is recommended that a similar study be conducted in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape, which are the other automotive component manufacturing hubs in South Africa. Furthermore, MIDP will be replaced by the APDP during 2013, and it is recommended. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2004. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 318 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 304-318).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 300-315).

Thesis (M.A.)--Indiana University, 2010. / Title from screen (viewed on July 18, 2010). Department of Communication Studies, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): John Parrish-Sprowl, Kristina Horn Sheeler, Ronald Sandwina. Includes vitae. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-138).

Tecnologia de montagem de superfície (SMT) é um método para construção de circuitos eletrônicos, nos quais os componentes são montados diretamente sobre a superfície da placa de circuito impresso. Tais dispositivos eletrônicos são chamados de dispositivos de montagens de superfície ou SMDs. Paralelamente, as vantagens oferecidas pelo componente eletrônico LED SMD têm causado uma grande aplicação desse dispositivo em substituição ao LED convencional. O presente trabalho apresenta um sistema inteligente baseado em sistemas de inferência fuzzy para estimar valores de intensidade luminosa de equipamentos automotivos a partir de dados de projeto. Embora o trabalho esteja direcionado para a aplicação de LEDs SMD em lanternas traseiras, o trabalho aqui desenvolvido pode ser generalizado e usado em outras aplicações industriais, tais como semáforos de trânsito, painéis eletrônicos de mensagens ou qualquer outra aplicação onde use LEDs SMD em conjunto. Resultados de protótipos são apresentados para validar a técnica proposta. Por meio desses resultados, pode-se observar que a aplicação de sistemas inteligentes é uma abordagem atrativa para este tipo de problema. / Surface mount technology (SMT) is a method for making electronic circuits in which the components are mounted directly onto the surface of printed circuit boards. Such electronic devices are called surface-mount devices or SMDs. The advantages offered by the electronic component SMD LED (Light Emitting Diode) have caused a wide application of this device in replacement of conventional LEDs. This work shows an intelligent system using fuzzy interference systems to estimate values of luminous intensity in automotive equipments from design data. Although this work is aimed to the application of SMD LEDs in rear lights, methods hereby developed and described can also be used in other applications, such as traffic lights, electronic panels of messages or any other application where SMD LEDs are used in groups. Results of prototypes are presented to validate the proposed technique. From these results, it can be observed that the application of intelligent systems is an attractive approach to this type of problem.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-12Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:37:18Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 furtado_ae_me_guara.pdf: 4157561 bytes, checksum: c59e496f189cae1f505585658dfe2da7 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Objetivando um maior compromisso com o meio ambiente, as montadoras ao redor do mundo passaram a investir em veículos menos poluentes e para tanto, um dos caminhos adotados foi a redução do peso para diminuir o consumo de combustível. Um dos meio para atingir esse objetivo foi a utilização dos materiais menos densos, com plástico e o alumínio. Essa política fez cair significativamente a proporção de utilização do aço nos projetos automotivos nos últimos vinte anos. Desta forma, a fim de manter seu volume de vendas no mercado automobilístico, grandes siderúrgicas ao redor do mundo se uniram com o intuito de provar a viabilidade da construção de carros utilizando o aço e ainda assim obter um produto final mais leve e barato. Esse estudo iniciou-se em 1994 e ficou conhecido por Consórcio ULSAB (Ultra Light Steel Auto Body). Esse trabalho tem como objetivos apresentar os projetos da família ULSAB, bem como realizar a análise de um componente da suspensão traseira de um veíclo do segmento popular produzido atualmente em grande escala no Brasil (e em outros países) baseado nesta filosofia. Desta forma, através de diferentes rotas de tratamento térmico, foram obtidas diferentes estruturas (temperada, temperada e revenida, normalizada e bifásicas) para o componente em questão. Foi realizada a análise microestrutual e mecânica dos corpos de prova para a definição de uma proposta de tratamento termicos alternativos para oo componente estudado. Dentre as estruturas obtidas pode-se concluir que os aços bifásicos foram os que apresentaram melhores resultados, ou seja resitência mecânica muito próxima ao nível de resistência atual da superfície temperado do componente,e alongamento ( por analogia, tenacidade) próximo aos níveis atuais atingidos no núcleo do componente. / The adoption of friendly environmental politics OEMs all over the world to invest in low emissions vehicles. A way to achieve this goal is mass reduction in order to improve fuel consumption. This mass recution can be achieved using lighter materials as plastics and aluminum. This politics caused and important reduction in the proportional use of steel in car projects in last twenty years. So, in order to maintain their market share in automotive new projects, thirty -five steel-makers from the five continents have a made a partnership which objective was to prove the viability to build lighter and cheaper steel intensive vehicles. Project team started working in 1994 andwas named ULSAB (Ultra-Light Steel Auto Body). This dissertation has a guidelinesthe presentation of ULSAB family programs and also analyzing a rear suspension part of a small size car produced in large scale in Brazil (and other countries too) base on this philosophy. Thus, using different thermal treatment, different structures(quenching and tempering and dual-phase steels) have been achieved for the component. Mechanical and micro-structural analyses of these different materials permitted to ptopose alternative treatments for the component. The best results among the achieved structures were reached by dual phase steels: mechanical strength very near from the quenched surface and elongation values almost the same as the non treated center of the component.