The global nature of current supply chains – in combination with disruptive events like the Covid-19 pandemic – has highlighted the need for increased supply chain resilience (SCRes). Contemporary research has primarily focused on proactive SCRes strategies and, to some degree, neglected the reactive strategies for building SCRes. As pro- and reactive measures are needed for building SCRes, the study explores how businesses employ reactive SCRes recovery strategies to handle extreme supply chain disruption (SCD).  One sector of the economy experiencing SCD as an effect of the Coronavirus is the automobile industry, which is generally used to measure international health. With the exploratory nature of the purpose and the influential role of the automobile industry, the study employed a qualitative methodology where the strategies utilized by automobile industry actors are used as the case to discover and contribute with empirical evidence for reactive SCRes strategies. The empirical data was derived through semi-structured interviews with supply chain executives from the automobile industry.  The findings indicate that companies within the automobile industry employ three main reactive SCRes strategies: communication, crisis teams, and workforce measures, to handle the adverse outcomes of the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, the results suggest that crucial organizational capabilities are flexibility and velocity to handle turmoil within supply chains. Furthermore, based on a holistic perspective, the study indicates that the four formative capabilities of SCRes: flexibility, velocity, visibility, and collaboration, along with pro- and reactive SCRes strategies, are interconnected. As such, all capabilities appear to be pervading in the three reactive SCRes strategies. The study, therefore, implies that all capabilities of SCRes and both pro- and reactive strategies are necessary for the development of more resilient supply chains.

Os acidentes e o adoecimento no trabalho têm sido objeto de grande atenção por parte de instituições públicas vinculadas à seguridade social, de pesquisadores nas universidades e de entidades de classe como os sindicatos. Sobretudo, em se tratando de setores de alta capacidade tecnológica, instalados em países de economia dependente, situações em que, geralmente, a extração de mais-valor atinge patamares extraordinários, como é o caso, por exemplo, da indústria automotiva. Seus métodos de organização do trabalho associados ao complexo padrão tecnológico estimulam o crescimento da economia e o desenvolvimento de outros setores, mas, será que o legado positivo da indústria automotiva se estende também na saúde dos trabalhadores brasileiros? O objetivo deste estudo é elaborar um panorama dos empregos, da produção e dos benefícios previdenciários concedidos por adoecimentos e acidentes de trabalho no período temporal 2005-2013, especificamente nas montadoras de automóveis, comerciais leves, caminhões, ônibus, máquinas agrícolas e rodoviárias instaladas no Brasil. A implicações práticas advindas do estudo da saúde do trabalhador na engrenagem automotiva, contribuirão, de forma inédita, para a visualização do processo saúde-doença dessa classe trabalhadora. A pesquisa exploratória permitirá a aproximação da realidade e possibilitará a identificação de padrões ou hipóteses de expressão das manifestações da questão social. / Accidents and illness at work have been an issue of great importance to public institutions associated to social security, university researchers and professional associations as trade unions. Especially, when it comes to high-capability technological areas installed in economically-dependent countries where in situations like that, the extraction of value generally reaches extraordinary levels, such as, for instance, the automotive industry. Its methods of work organization associated with the complex technologic pattern stimulate the growth of economy and the development of others sectors, but will be the positive legacy of the automotive industry also extends health of Brazilian workers? The goal of this study is to develop a broader view of illnesses and work accidents in the Brazilian automotive industry, throughout the 2005-2013 time frame, having as guiding the information provided by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers – ANFAVEA and the National Institute of Social Security – INSS. The practical implications resulting from The worker’s health in the automotive industry cog, will contribute in a unique way, to visualize the health-disease process of this working class. Exploratory research will allow a closer reality and will enable the identification of patterns or hypotheses that comes from the expression of the manifestations of the social question.

Os acidentes e o adoecimento no trabalho têm sido objeto de grande atenção por parte de instituições públicas vinculadas à seguridade social, de pesquisadores nas universidades e de entidades de classe como os sindicatos. Sobretudo, em se tratando de setores de alta capacidade tecnológica, instalados em países de economia dependente, situações em que, geralmente, a extração de mais-valor atinge patamares extraordinários, como é o caso, por exemplo, da indústria automotiva. Seus métodos de organização do trabalho associados ao complexo padrão tecnológico estimulam o crescimento da economia e o desenvolvimento de outros setores, mas, será que o legado positivo da indústria automotiva se estende também na saúde dos trabalhadores brasileiros? O objetivo deste estudo é elaborar um panorama dos empregos, da produção e dos benefícios previdenciários concedidos por adoecimentos e acidentes de trabalho no período temporal 2005-2013, especificamente nas montadoras de automóveis, comerciais leves, caminhões, ônibus, máquinas agrícolas e rodoviárias instaladas no Brasil. A implicações práticas advindas do estudo da saúde do trabalhador na engrenagem automotiva, contribuirão, de forma inédita, para a visualização do processo saúde-doença dessa classe trabalhadora. A pesquisa exploratória permitirá a aproximação da realidade e possibilitará a identificação de padrões ou hipóteses de expressão das manifestações da questão social. / Accidents and illness at work have been an issue of great importance to public institutions associated to social security, university researchers and professional associations as trade unions. Especially, when it comes to high-capability technological areas installed in economically-dependent countries where in situations like that, the extraction of value generally reaches extraordinary levels, such as, for instance, the automotive industry. Its methods of work organization associated with the complex technologic pattern stimulate the growth of economy and the development of others sectors, but will be the positive legacy of the automotive industry also extends health of Brazilian workers? The goal of this study is to develop a broader view of illnesses and work accidents in the Brazilian automotive industry, throughout the 2005-2013 time frame, having as guiding the information provided by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers – ANFAVEA and the National Institute of Social Security – INSS. The practical implications resulting from The worker’s health in the automotive industry cog, will contribute in a unique way, to visualize the health-disease process of this working class. Exploratory research will allow a closer reality and will enable the identification of patterns or hypotheses that comes from the expression of the manifestations of the social question.

Thesis (D. Tech.(Marketing)) - Central University of Technology, Free state, 2012 / A reliable sales plan and forecast is the basis for good cash flow management and capacity planning. If the sales figures are below plan, the sales manager will increase the sales efforts in order to compensate these deviations. Usually, it can be expected that these efforts should be at least partly successful in the consumer markets. This situation is expected to be different in the industrial markets, as usually the generation of sales turnover can only be achieved by either new customers or new products sold to existing customers. It is therefore expected not to be possible to immediately compensate a loss of sales turnover within the planning period by increased sales efforts. This research project investigated whether industrial markets react differently from consumer markets by investigating the sales planning and forecasting process in the Machinery & Equipment Industry, the Automotive Supplier Tier 1 and the Automotive Supplier Tier 2 Industry. It investigated several time aspects of the sales process, displayed as customer-supplier interaction. The results of the research project showed that in fact sales processes in the investigated industry sectors have such a long duration, that it is not possible for sales managers to immediately compensate low sales figures by increased sales efforts. The sales turnover raise will come in a later period and thus simply too late for the current one. This results in the fact that the reliability of the sales forecast (for the established sales plan) is reduced, if industry characteristics and special time aspects of the sales process are not taken into consideration. These time aspects can be described best by the Market Response Time (MRT). The MRT is defined as the time lag between the start of an increase of sales efforts by the supplier (first contact) and the market response in terms of increased purchase. This is at the time when the customer starts to financially respond, with the result of a sales turnover increase at the supplier’s side. If the MRT is long, sales planning and forecasting has increased importance, because sales efforts need to be planned well in advance. For this reason response times are major elements in planning and forecasting, although it was previously not very well recognised in literature and practice. Based on a qualitative empirical study with the case study methodology, 41 case studies were undertaken within the three industry sectors. The investigated companies showed that these three industry sectors have different MRTs, such as 68 weeks in the Machinery & Equipment Industry, 138 weeks in the Automotive Supplier Tier 1, and 62 weeks in the Automotive Supplier Tier 2 Industry. These different MRTs influence the companies planning and forecasting processes in different ways. This research project qualitatively showed that if time aspects were taken into consideration in sales planning and forecasting, forecast accuracy could improve. It was furthermore indicated that an adequate sales planning approach could improve forecast accuracy as well. In a second step, it was indicated that these companies, which are aware of the time aspects, have shown a better sales performance in terms of sales force productivity, growth of productivity and market position. Concluding it can be stated that the respect of time aspects, such as MRT, may increase sales performance. The study's results have some limitations, which are the research context and the research methodology. As the project only investigated the industrial context, namely the Machinery & Equipment and the Automotive Tier 1 Supplier and Tier 2 Supplier Industry, its results can only be applicable to this context. The research methodology of this project is a qualitative one, which means that the sample size is small but deep and statistical generalisations cannot be made. Based on this, further research implications of this project are that its results may further be statistically generalised by quantitative studies. Especially the sales planning and forecasting processes in the detected clusters per industry sector should be investigated on a broad sample. Thirdly, the indicated relation between market knowledge and accuracy should be further investigated. This is because it can be estimated that the forecast accuracy is the highest if the company’s information horizon is equal to the product life cycle time of the products produced. Last of all, as there are only a few research projects done in the industrial context regarding market response models and time aspects, therefore these topics should be further investigated.

Research report presented to the Graduate School of Business Leadership, University of South Africa / The main purpose of this research is to investigate the interactive effect of executive leadership national cultures, the organisational culture and Angolan culture at Toyota de Angola.

Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the Master Degree in Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2010. / China was the world’s third-largest producer of cars in 2006, and also the third-largest producer of “motor vehicles”. Great Wall Motor Company Limited (GWM) is the largest privately-owned automotive manufacturer in China. It was among the Top 500 Enterprises of China in 2004 and one of the best brands in the national automobile range. One of the more prominent industries in South Africa is the automobile industry. A high level of customer service is of paramount importance due to the competitive nature of this industry. Poor service at GWM service centres has created a negative perception amongst customers. GWM service centres do not appear to provide a satisfactory level of service for customers. The purpose of the study is to investigate customer perceptions of service quality at GWM service centres in the greater Durban area. In this research, the literature survey defined the service quality “gap” at GWM service centres, identified the role of effective communication in the service delivery system, measured the variables affecting current service delivery using the SERVQUAL instrument, and prioritized the importance of the factors influencing service delivery at GWM service centres. The analysis of the results revealed important findings. The results demonstrated that, in each of the five SERVQUAL dimensions, there was a negative quality gap. Improvements are needed across all five dimensions. Specific recommendations have been made to improve the levels of customer service quality at GWM service centres.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African automotive industry has enjoyed unsurpassed growth over the past 15 years and the majority of its successes are attributable to the efforts of the Motor Industry Development Plan (MIDP). Unfortunately, the MIDP cannot be a permanent solution for accelerating growth and the longevity of industry role players such as vehicles and component manufacturers is of great concern. The Chinese automotive industry on the other hand is booming and millions of vehicles are churned out annually. Internal market forces, overproduction and government initiatives compel Chinese manufacturers to cross the Chinese borders in search of alternative and mostly less developed markets for their motor vehicles. These vehicles can now be found in most African countries south of the Sahara, including various brands on the South African roads. South Africa's roads accommodate almost a hundred models against which the Chinese vehicles need to compete. What is attractive about the Chinese vehicles is their price, but unfortunately the vehicle quality is not up to standard yet. Chinese vehicles have however improved so much over the past few years that it is expected they will soon be able to compete with well-established local brands such as Toyota, Volkswagen, Honda, etc. Although the price tag of these vehicles is increasing the mobility of the average South African consumer, the effect it might have on the existing automotive market is uncertain as the Chinese vehicle has already proven to gain market share in a declining economy. So where the average consumer will benefit from the Chinese vehicle, the industry workforce might not be so lucky. It is thus crucial for the industry to establish ways to create international dependence on South Africa's automotive industry. The opportunities are endless and various management approaches can be taken to leverage the industry's shortfalls. A serious shortfall is the global shortage of innovators and as South Africa is known as one of the most innovative countries in the world, it could easily gear itself in supplying innovating concepts and leading-edge technology to the global industry. To be able to do so successfully requires a concerted effort of all role players in the local industry. The local industry needs to expand its reach into the world to guarantee its longevity. Possible ways of doing so are to increase the level of value-adding activities and so too the exportation of value-adding components and fully built-up vehicles. By proving itself as a value-adding strategic partner, the industry can attract additional global manufacturers to invest in manufacturing facilities in South Africa, which does not exclude Chinese manufacturers. Last but not least, the South African government needs to develop a manageable instrument with a single objective, which is to grow and sustain an internationally competitive automotive industry in order to attract and keep global investors within the industry and the country. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse motorindustrie het ongekende groei ervaar oor die afgelope 15 jaar en die suksesse daarvan word grotendeels toegeskryf aan die Motor Industrie Ontwikkelings Plan (MIDP). Ongelukkig kan die MIDP nie die permanente oplossing wees om die groei van die industrie aan te hou stimuleer en versnel nie. Die toekomstige lewensvatbaarheid van huidige spelers in die industrie wek egter groot kommer. Die Chinese motorindustrie aan die ander kant bars uit sy nate en miljoene motors word jaarliks vervaardig. So is dit ook dat interne markkragte, oorproduksie en regeringsinisiatiewe Chinese motorvervaardigers dwing om oor hul grense heen te gaan op soek na ander, minder ontwikkelde markte vir hul motors. Hierdie motors kan nou in meeste Afrika lande suid van die Sahara gevind word en sluit in talle modelle op Suid-Afrikaanse paaie. Die Suid-Afrikaanse paaie akkommodeer tans amper 'n honderd motormodelle teen wie die Chinese motors sal moet kompeteer. Wat egter aantreklik is van hierdie motors is hul prys, maar ongelukkig is die kwaliteit nog nie op standaard nie. Chinese motors het egter oor die jare so verbeter dat dit verwag kan word dat hul binnekort met meer bekende make soos Toyota, Volkswagen en Honda sal kan kompeteer. Alhoewel die besonderse prys van die motors die mobiliteit van die gemiddelde Suid Afrikaanse verbruiker verhoog, is die effek daarvan op die huidige motormark onseker omdat Chinese motors alreeds bewys het dat hut markaandeel kan wen in 'n dalende ekonomie. So waar die gemiddelde verbruiker mag bevoordeel word deur die Chinese voertuig, kan die werkersmag in die huidige motorindustrie nie so gelukkig daaraantoe wees nie. Dit is dus van kardinale belang dat die industrie maniere vestig om internasionale afhanklikheid van Suid-Afrika se motorindustrie te kweek. Die geleenthede is legio en talle invalshoeke kan geneem word om die industrie se tekortkominge te bestuur en uit te balanseer. 'n Belangrike tekortkoming is die globale tekort aan innoveerders en omdat Suid-Afrika gesien word as een van die mees innoverende lande ter wereld, kan die industrie maklik voorberei word om innoverende konsepte en baanbrekerstegnologie aan die globale industrie te verskaf. Om so iets suksesvol te doen het egter die gesamentlike insette nodig van alle rolspelers in die Suid-Afrikaanse motorindustrie. So ook het die industrie dit nodig om sy wereldwye impak te vergroot om sodoende sy lewensvatbaarheid te vergroot. Moontlike maniere om dit te vermag is om die aantal waardetoevoegende aktiwiteite te vergroot asook die uitvoere van waardetoevoegende komponente en klaarvervaardigde voertuie. As die industrie hom self kan bewys as 'n strategiese vennoot wat waarde toevoeg, kan die industrie addisionele internasionale vervaardigers aantrek om te investeer in vervaardigingsfasiliteite in Suid-Afrika, wat natuurlik nie Chinese vervaardigers uitsluit nie. Ten laaste is dit nodig vir die Suid-Afrikaanse regering om 'n bestuursinstrument te ontwikkel met een doel voor oe en dit is om die industrie se internasionale kompeterendheid te bevorder en te behou sodat globale investeerders in die industrie en Suid-Afrika in geheel kan investeer.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: At the beginning of 1999, DaimlcrChrysler SA prepated itself for becoming part of the family ofintcmational plants within DaimlerChrysler AG. To do this, DaimlcrChryslcr SA had to produce vehicles for the international markets and not just for the local markets. This meant that they were required to change many processes and systems. Many processes were aligned with processes used within DaimlerCbrysler AG, while certain standatd systems like PLUS. which is the shop floor control system, were implemented. A brand new SAP system was also implemented. During the implementation of these processes and systems, a documentation methodology was developed to ensure that the processes and systems implemented in South Africa, could be reused elsewhere in the world. At the same time, a project implementation methodology was also developed to ensure that this project and futw:c projects w· document processes and systems in this manner, while ensuring strict quality control. This study looked at the above methodologies developed at DaimlerChrysler SA with the aim of knowledge reuse and the subsequent reduction of cost and project implementation time. It was found that the process modelling methodology used at DaimlerChrysler SA was comprehensive. Compared to other process modelling methodologies available in the literature, the methodology used by Daimlc.tChrysler SA covered most aspects i.e. detailed organisation structures (e.g. line and staff relationships) and informacion structures (e.g. data file structures). Within the DaimlcrChryslcr documentation methodology a strong emphasis is placed on maintaining the link between the process and system documentation. This link is important during the system development cycle, as well as for the pmpose of reuse of software. International plants wanting to use the process and system documentation from DaimlerChrysler SA as a basis for their implementations could easily follow the documentation. The documentation flows from a high level process and system concept, to detail process descriptions, to system specification docwnents, and t \stly program names and customizing settings required for the use of the system functionality. It was found that the project implementation methodology used at DalmletChrysler SA was following conventional project management guidelines, whist ensuring the maintenance of process and system docwnentation as required by the reuse approach. DaimletChrysler's reuse approach of process and system knowledge is built on the foundation of using innovation teams in local organizations together with a team coordinating centralised rollout. The approach also focuscd on the development of certain modular components that can be 100% rcused. It was found that interfaces between the DaimletChrysler core systems were ideally suited for this modular approach. The International Production Template approach led to significant cost savings. So fat, each implementation showed an improvement in total project implementation cost and time compated to the previous implementation. Each implementation was also used as an opportunity to further itnprove the template by adding functionality and widening the scope. This study showed conclusive evidence that system and process knowledge can effectively be reused, resulting in significant cost and time savings. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Aan die begin van 1999, het DaimlerChrysler SA homself gereed gemaak om deel te vorm van die familie van intemasionale aanlegte binne DaimlerChrysler AG. Om dit te vermag moes DaimlerChrysler SA voertuie vir die intemasionale markte produseer:, en nie net vir die plaaslike markte soos in die verlede nie. Hiervoor moes hulle menige prosesse en stelsels verander. Verskeie prosesse is in Iyn gebring met prosesse soos gebruik binne DaimlerChrysler AG, tenvyl sommige standaard stelsels soos PLUS, wat 'n produksie beheer stelsel is, geimplementeer is. 'n Splintemuwe SAP stelsel is ook geimplementeer. Gedurende die implementering van hierdie prosesse en stelsels, is 'n dokumentasie metodiek ontwikkel om te verseker dat prosesse en stelsels wat in Suid Afrika geimplementeer word, in ander wereld dele hergebruik kan word. Terselfdertyd is 'n projek implementerings metodiek ontwikkel om te verseker dat bogenoemde en toekomstige projekte, prosesse en stelsels op hierdie wyse sal dokumenteer terwyl streng kwaliteitsbeheer toegepas word. Hierdie studie het gefokus op bogenoemde metodieke soos deur DaimlerChrysler SA ontwikkel, met die doel om kennis en kundigheid te hergebruik, en sodoende koste en tyd te bespaar. Die studie het bevind dat die proses modellering metodiek soos deur DaimlerChrysler SA gebruik, omvattend was. Vergelykende met ander proses modellering metodieke soos in die Iiteratuur gevind, dek die metodiek soos deur DaimlerChrysler SA gebruik die meeste aspekte o.a. die fynste besonderhede van organisatoriese strukture en inligting strukture (data). Die DaimlerCbryslcr dokumentasie metodiek fokus sterk daarop om 'n verbintenis te bewerkstellig tussen proses en stelsel dokumentasie. Hierdie verbintenis is belangrik tydens die stelsel se onwikkelings kringloop, asook vir die doel van die hergebruik van die sagteware. Sodoende kan internasionale aanlegte wat die proses en stelsel dokumentasie wil gebruik as basis vir hul implementasies, maklik die vloei volg. Die dokumentasie vloei vanaf 'n hoë vlak proses en stelsel konsep na gedetailleerde proses beskrywings na stelsel spesifikasie dokumente en laastens rekenaar program name en konfigurasie verstellings wat benodig word vir die beoogde stelsel funksionaliteit. Daar is gevind dat die projek implementerings metodiek soos deur DaimlcrChrysler SA toegepas konvensionele projek bestuur beginsels volg, terwyl die metodiek verseker dat die proses en stelsel dokumentasie soos vereis deur die hergebruik benadering, op datum gehou word. DaimlerChrysler se benadering van die hergebruik van prosesse en stelsels is gegrond op die die gebruik van innovasie spanne in plaaslike organisasies, saam met 'n span wat die uitrol daarvan koordineer vanuit 'n sentrale oogpunt. Die benadering fokus ook op die ontwikkeling van sekere modulere komponente wat 100% hergebruik kan word. Daar is gevind dat die koppelvlakke tussen die leidende DaimlerChrysler stelsels uiters geskik is vir hierdie modulere benadering. Die Intemasionale Produksie Patroon as benadering het tot aansienlike koste besparings gelei. Tot op datum het elke implemenrasie 'n besparing getoon ten opsigte van die totale projek implementeringskoste in vergelyking met die vorige projek. Elke implementering is ook gcbruik as 'n geleentheid om die patroon verder te verbeter deur addisioncle funksionaliteit by te voeg en die omvang te vergroot. Hierdie studie het onweerlegbare bewyse gelewer dat stelsel en proses kennis op 'n effektiewe wyse hergebruik kan word, en wat sodoende kan lei tot beduidende koste en tyd besparings.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / What factors influence the economic sustainability of local suppliers in emerging markets in the automotive value chain? The answer to this question is not only influenced by the direct and indirect customers of the automotive component suppliers, but it is also influenced by factors on the macro-, meso- and micro-levels of the supplier‟s environment. In order to investigate the research objective, the South African automotive industry is chosen as a case study in the global automotive value chain. The literature review indicates that variables that influence the economic sustainability of suppliers can be found on the global and regional levels of the automotive industry, as well as on the industry and corporate value chain levels. As the theory does not offer a holistic approach for a problem solution, the identified factors are assembled in a conceptual model that measures the economic sustainability of automotive component suppliers with respect to financial dimensions. The conceptual model is structured according to the macro-, meso- and micro-level influences, and also recognises the impact of governance structures on the government, market, industry and corporate levels. The suggested conceptual model is subsequently tested for totality and alignment with industry features using qualitative methods and is furthermore validated by using quantitative modelling data from primary research in the supplier component industry. The analysis of the quantitative data shows that the majority of factors influencing the economic sustainability of local component suppliers can be found on the micro- and meso-levels (corporate value chain and industry value chain), whereas the qualitative data implies that economic sustainability is mainly influenced by factors on the macro- and meso-levels (industrial policy and labour market). This finding shows that there is a discrepancy between the measurable influences and the automotive component suppliers‟ perception of the research problem. Nevertheless, it can be stated that the conceptual model, as supported by the stakeholder group, can be used for further research. Alongside the development of the conceptual model, the industry data is used for a discussion about the status of the South African automotive component supplier industry in order to point out strengths and issues as well as to identify factors that should change or improve to enable a viable future for suppliers.

Research report presented to the Graduate School of Business Leadership, University of South Africa / The main purpose of this research is to investigate the interactive effect of executive leadership national cultures, the organisational culture and Angolan culture at Toyota de Angola.