This research takes place in a South African multinational automotive industry, which needs to be on the forefront for being globally competitive and sustainable to remain viable in the country. A strategic initiative was embarked upon to identify talent within their staff population, through the psychometric assessment of learning potential. The objective was to identify high potential employees and provide them with the requisite training and development to meet the demands of the rapidly advancing technology. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the usefulness of the Ability, Process of Information and Learning Battery (APIL) as a psychometric assessment tool for identifying talent, within a heterogeneous workforce. This research adopts a cross-cultural approach as it is comparative in nature and addresses the adequacy of a psychometric instrument in a multicultural context. The Employment Equity Act has transformed the landscape of the use of psychological measurement in South Africa, in that it stipulates that no psychological test that is biased against any cultural group can be used. A sample of 841 heterogeneous staff employees was assessed with three major research objectives: (a) to ensure that the instrument could stand scientific scrutiny thereby complying with the Employment Equity Act; (b) to recommend ways the organisation can identify and understand employees’ talent more holistically; and (c) to manage talent more effectively. The heterogeneous sample was divided into six homogeneous subsets for statistical analysis. This research attempted to answer the first objective through the examination of internal consistency, bias and equivalence of the APIL. Results showed good internal consistency, very good construct equivalence and low item bias, demonstrating the APIL can be applied fairly in a multicultural industrial setting. The second objective was determined by investigating whether significant difference in mean learning potential scores occur among the identified subsets in the sample. Statistical analyses provide clear trend lines indicating that sociopolitical and socioeconomic factors of advantagement and disadvantagement, age and education influence learning potential. However it is also evident that there are individuals across all subsets that demonstrate strong cognitive potential. This supports the rationale on which the APIL was developed, in that it distinguishes people with high learning potential despite the fact that there may be gaps or limitations in skill repertoire due to past disadvantagement. Recommendations to address the third objective is provided by aligning learning potential with the performance management system to provide a holistic overview of the talent composition. This will assist in the identifying of strategic training and development interventions needed at the individual, functional and organisational level, which is key for the South African automotive industry to remain competitive and viable.

The quality control of geometrical coherences and relations in modern automobile production is done by different stationary and flexible measurement systems and strategies. Furthermore, there currently exists possibilities of inline measurements and offline measurements. This project presents the basic research concerning the possibility of a flexible wireless measurement system in modern automobile production, that is able to combine the advantages of both strategies. An investigation of existing measurement techniques was done in order to find a sensor technology, which enables the wireless measurement process. The research project introduces the current location systems and positioning systems. These techniques are compared by a value benefit analysis to expose a suited technology as basis for the measurement system. As result of the value benefit anlysis, the ultrasonic technique was selected for further investigations. The ultrasonic test setup is used to analyze the accuracy of modern sensors and to verify the possibility of a project related integration. The tests are done in different conditions, in order to compare the laboratory application and the industrial application. During the test measurements different physical influencing variables and disturbances occurred. From this research project, it can be concluded that the laboratory application of the system is possible. However, the industrial application is subject to restrictions.

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

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 123-129).

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2012. / Objectives: To determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of low back pain (LBP) in an automotive production company, evaluating the relationship between selected risk factors, type of occupational activity and the prevalence of LBP. Methods : This was a descriptive study at a large automotive production company entailing 200 physical production employees and 200 sedentary employees. Using a cross sectional study design, a retrospective analysis investigated the LBP prevalence, by means of a questionnaire. Individuals reported on demographics, injury location, injury aetiology, injury nature, extent of treatment rendered and time lost from work. Additionally, data was obtained regarding smoking, occupational stress and fitness.Results: A significant difference was found between sedentary and manual employees with regards to age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, education and medical aid. Similarly a significant difference between the groups was found for the point prevalence of LBP, current LBP description (sharp, shooting, dull aching, stabbing and catching pain descriptions), past LBP description (catching pain description), sidedness/ location of pain as well as associated features of the current LBP (viz. pins and needles, pain to the knees, numbness, bed rest, absence from work, pain at work and pain on weekends) and associated features of past LBP (viz. pins and needles, pain to the knees, numbness, bed rest, absence from work, pain at work and pain on weekends). There were no noted psychosocial factor that impacted on a difference between the groups, but there was a significant difference between the manual and sedentary employees with regards to absenteeism. Conclusion: A significant rate of LBP was reported amongst both the sedentary (59.6%) and the manual (89%) employees, implying that the costs to the company are relatively high. It is, therefore, suggested that the company looks at a variety of strategies to reduce the burden of LBP in their employees. / National Research Fund

The phenomenon of organizational growth has traditionally been assumed to be indeterminate largely due to chance or accidents found in organizational worlds. This research takes up the causal processes underlying the growth (and decline) of virtually all world-class manufacturers in the international automobile industry from 1946 to 1989. Two models are developed as alternative explanations for the long-term trends observed in growth rates and their differences across firms. The models are estimated with a nonlinear method and tested through various empirical implications. The model that seems most consistent with the data shows unambiguously that they were not generated by a random or chance process but by underlying processes of collective learning, innovation, and outnovation in technologies and organizational routines. Firms that had generated different rates in these processes differed as hypothesized in their long-term growth performance. The dynamics of collective learning processes, as measured by the parameters of the model, largely explain the dynamics of organizational growth in the world automobile industry, hence, the dynamics of interorganizational competition. The results from tests of ecological hypotheses suggest that organizational ecology might benefit from the application of matrices of collective learning rates generated from interorganizational learning curves, particularly where ecology seeks to explain patterns of competition by organizational size. As shown, this research strategy is general and gauges directly interactions among organizations over long periods. It is also flexible in dealing with various levels of analysis in longitudinal and cross-sectional dimensions. As also shown, the collective learning theory, its model, and the ecology of interorganizational learning curves derived from them can help in evaluating empirically the competitive potential of firms by indicators of innovation and outnovation relative to other firms, patterns of competition (gauged by relative learning rates) among firms, and any changes of those patterns over time. Thus, the research strategy used here provides potentially useful causal analyses as well as meaningful measures on which different organizations can be compared, with each other and with themselves. These measures may also provide important benchmarks and diagnostics for strategic management.

M.Com. / The objective of this study was to compose an effective exchange rate index for the motor- and related industries in Soutb Africa to be used for the forecasting of new motorcar prices. The situation in South Africa, where a lot of components used in the production of motorcars are imported, exposes the industry to exchange rate risk. The government introduced measures like Phase VI of the local content program and a 100 percent Ad Valorem import duty on new motorcars to protect local manufacturers. Although these measures limits exchange rate exposure, the motor industry is still affected by exchange rate changes. An effective exchange rate index was compiled by allocating weights to a currency index according to it's contnbution to imports by the local motor industry. The private consumer of motorcars can use the index to determine when he must purchase a new vehicle to avoid price increases. Corporate consumers of motor vehicles can use the index to help with the management of their vehicle fleet. The index can also be used by motorcar manufacturers and importers of components to manage their exchange rate risk. Individual motorcar manufacturers can test the effectiveness of their strategies to manage exchange rate risk by comparing it to the index as the effective exchange rate index was compiled for the industry as a whole. The exposure of a manufacturer with an effective strategy will be less than that of the index. A manufacturer will have to look at alternative strategies to managing exchange rate risk if his exposure to exchange rate risk is greater than that of the index. Regression analysis was used with the exchange rate index as the independent variable to forecast prices of new motorcars. A high degree of correlation was found when the forecasted prices were compared with the actual prices of new motorcars. The conclusion was reached that the effective exchange rate index could be of great value to the private- and corporate consumer of new motor vehicles as well as manufacturers of motorcars and importers of components.

M.B.A. / The motor industry in South Africa, (SA), is experiencing a period of turmoil that will result in its complete restructure. The globalisation of the industry and the involvement of government with the Motor Industry Development Programme, (MIDP), is forcing the development of strategies that are formulated to equip the local manufacturers to become globally competitive. The MIDP has had a major influence on the development of the industry since 1994, as it has allowed the entrance of new competitors into SA due to the gradual reduction in import tariffs. It also proposes to stimulate the export potential within the industry of vehicles and components by offering a rebate structure with which the manufacturers can offset import duty. It will also force a consolidation of the industry in that amongst others there is more co-operation between vehicle and component manufacturers. A financial consideration of the MIDP is to reduce the industry's use of forex. The historical background of the industry in South Africa shows a rather proud and colourful past, with most of the major players in the international motor industry having been represented locally at one stage or another. With the disinvestment campaign that preceded the new government, found a core of manufacturers remaining and competing in a fairly 'flat' market. However that has all changed, and although there is no immediate substantial market growth in sight, the influx of new competitors continues, making the market complicated and competitive. Audi itself has only been represented on the SA market from 1968, however as no focused marketing strategy was developed for it, it never really was in the same league as BMW and Mercedes Benz. In 1994 this all changed as VWSA decided to introduce Audi onto the market competing in all premium market segments. What followed was a focused marketing strategy, which required a separate dealer network and Audi specific staff. The process of selecting dealers was based on market potential and also on the established infrastructure. The new dealer network then started to undergo the process of conforming to the external corporate identity, CI, requirements, and this should be completed by mid 2001.

M.A. (Economics) / The objective of this study is to highlight the problematic aspects regarding labour productivity in the South African motor vehicle industry. The perfomance of the South African motor vehicle industry in the national economy has not been as what was expected from the industry, purely because of the pressure of rising costs link to a lack of productivity. A study of labour productivity and any comparisons regarding labour productivity is very difficult and stays a problematic issue. The reason for this is two-fold in that firstly relevant and applicable data was not available until recently and secondly the data that is available is very diverse in the sense that it is applicable to the different levels of economic activity. The fact remains that the productivity levels of both labour and capital stays important indicators of the competetiveness of any nation. In this sense the South African motor industry could be a potential source of competitive advantage and economic growth for South Africa. The method used to study labour productivity in the South African motor vehicle industry was to look at the theory surrounding labour productivity, the South African labour market and the general trend of labour productivity in South Africa and the trend of labour productivity in the South African motor vehicle industry compared to international industry trends. The traditional micro economic theory consider labour as just another production factor and competition in the labour market is determined on the principles of demand and supply. The criticism against the traditional micro economic theory is based on the applicability of the theory on the modern business world. The macro economic theory surrounding labour productivity showed the importance of this variable as determinant of international competetive advantage. The theory further showed that there is a strong link between labour productivity and inflation. The most important characteristics of the South African labour market include a labourforce of thirteen million workers{which includes the informal sector and unemployed) against a total population of forty million, a population growth rate of 2,7% that is higher than the average economic growth rate and high levels of unemployment, illiteracy, inequalities and discrimination. Labour productivity in South Africa has been characterised by a drastic increase in the amount of strikes and work stoppages since the mid eighties. The international comparison of South Africa with its most important trade partners regarding labour productivity, was not positive for South Africa. On most of the variables like unit labour cost, real output in manufacturing, output per worker in manufacturing and gross domestic product per capita, South Africa did not compare favourable with its leading trading partners.

M.Com. (Economics and Business Science) / For years the South African economy emphasised the importance of the agricultural industry in the country. Only relatively recently it seems to have begun to acknowledge the importance of the industrial and manufacturing sectors. A part of the manufacturing sector is made up of the motor and related industries. It is the aim of this dissertation to investigate the importance of this sector by building a input-output model for this and other related industries. "The gap between elegant, but non-operational, theory and inadequately structured empirical research has always been serious in economics. Leontief's conception of input-output analysis proposed to eliminate this gap." This dissertation is firstly explores input-output analysis and the theory behind it, as developed by the Polish economist Wassily Leontief; then researches the current situation in the South African Motor Industry using facts depicted in graphs and the elaboration of these graphs. Thirdly there is a short overview of the importance of Phase VI of the local content programme, and the problems related to this programme. Finally the model itself will be built and then analysed. This dissertation does, however, only serve as an indication and does not provide final answers.