Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 1980. / Submitted to the Dept. of Economics. Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The changing political landscape, which culminated in the all-inclusive election of 1994, enfranchised the previously excluded majority voters and ushered into SA a government with a different agenda. This was an important landmark in the development of the SA business environment. Having pledged itself to improve the social and economic standards of the poor majority, the ANC-COSATU-SACP led government is committed to the elimination of barriers to enter any industry and stimulate the economy in order to improve employment opportunities. Until 1996 cement producers in SA co-operated under an official cartel that facilitated price-fixing and joint marketing and distribution. This study shows that during that period the industry recorded a healthy performance until 1996 when the cartel was dissolved. The industry performance suddenly plummeted in1996 and since then has remained on a downward trend. Analysis of the industry confirms that the industry has the characteristics of a monopoly. Three producers, namely PPC, Alpha and Lafarge, dominate the industry. The "big three" control almost 100 percent of the cement market with a cross ownership of assets which straddle the whole cement industry' in SA. Besides the assets along the cement value chain, the industry effectively has sole control of alternative cement materials businesses, namely ash and slag, and owns significant interests in aggregates and ready-mix concrete businesses too. The dissolution of the cartel in 1996 effectively disallowed price fixing, joint capacity planning and any other collusion as defined by the Competition Act of 1998. Subsequently, players are expected to fiercely compete in an industry that is an oligopoly. According to classical economics, co-operation is the effective conduct to survive in an oligopoly. Hence the contradiction between national expectations and structure of the industry creates a dilemma for asset owners. The principal barrier to entry into the SA cement industry emanates from the high capital investment requirements. This study shows that it is mainly the clinker manufacturing component of the value chain that requires very high investments. A group of small entrepreneurs, engaged in blending cement with ash or slag and selling the product in competition with equivalent products from traditional producers, has successfully entered the lower end of the industry. This is testimony to the fact that sections of the value chain have no barriers to entry. It is believed that as producers of clinker face high sunk costs they have reason to encourage more clinker content in their cement products. They may, therefore, stifle further development of alternative materials. The national imperative - to breakdown concentration of industries to allow for easy entry - seems to be in conflict with the profit motive that businesses to survive. This study therefore recommends an alternative strategy that could accommodate both views. An amenable strategy is for the industry to be redefined into three distinct subsectors with minimal cross-ownership of assets. The three sub-sectors are: 1. Clinker manufacturing: Clinker is a commodity that requires high investment costs. The sector should therefore be offered legal dispensation to operate as a monopoly but with enough regulation to ensure efficiency. It is recommended that players in this sector are allowed to co-operate for efficiency reasons and prices are strictly controlled by a regulator. The regulator must also ensure that the manufacturer is prohibited from owning interests in any other cement sub-sector, to eliminate industry control by a few. w Thus this sector must be rid of interests in aggregate, alternative materials and readymix businesses. 2. Cement manufacturing: A sub-sector for the manufacture of cement, clearly distinct from clinker production should be created. Processes for this sub-sector will commence with milling of clinker into cement and extend to marketing and distribution to end users. 3. Alternative cement materials: In view of economic stimulation, the development of alternative materials to compete with clinker should be encouraged. This sub-sector should be charged with research and development of these materials, and be allowed to blend them for marketing and distribution to end users. There are many implications that emanate from the myriad of stakeholders. Besides local owners of cement assets in SA, international asset owners and entrepreneurs in SA form part of the stakeholders. Thus shrewd planners will be required to champion this idea. It is therefore recommended that a team of academics and business practitioners be commissioned to investigate this and take it further. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die veranderende politieke omgewing, wat uiteengeloop het op die 1994 verkiesing, het die meerderheid kiesers tesame met die nuwe regering in 'n nuwe bedeling ingelei. Dit was 'n belangrike baken in die ontwikkeling van die Suid Afrikaanse besigheidsomgewing. Die nuutgevonde ANC-COSATU-SACP regering het homself toegewy aan sy beloftes om die sosiale en ekonomiese standaarde van die arm meerderheid van die bevolking aan te spreek, en daarmee saam om toegang tot industrie te vergemaklik, die ekonomie te stimuleer en werksgeleenthede te bevorder. Tot 1996 het sement vervaardigers in SA onder 'n offisiele kartel geopereer. Die kartel het gesorg vir fasilitering van prysbepaling, en gesamentlike bemarking en distribusie. Hierdie studie dui aan dat die sement industrie floreer het tot 1996, waarna die kartel ontbind is. Sederdien het die industrie in duie gestort, en is steeds in 'n afwaartse tendens. 'n Analise van die sement industrie toon die karaktereienskappe van 'n monopolie. Drie vervaardigers, nl. PPC, Alpha en Lafarge, domineer die industrie. Die "groot drie" beheer byna 100 persent van die sement industrie, en het verdeelde besitting van alle bates. Daarbenewens beheer hulle ook gedeeltelik of ten volle alle alternatiewe sement materiale besighede en ander verwante belange. Die ontbinding van die kartel in 1996 het effektiewelik prysbepaling verbied, asook gesamentlike kapasiteitsbeplanning en enige ander sameswering soos bepaal deur die Wet op Kompetisie van 1998. Dit word dus van alle spelers in die industrie verwag om gelykmatig te kompeteer in 'n oligopoliese industrie. Dit het egter 'n dilemma veroorsaak rondom die eienaarskap van voorheen gedeelde bates. Kapitale investering is die primêre verhindering tot toegang tot die sement industrie. Hierdie studie toon dat dit hoofsaaklik die klinkersteen vervaardigings komponent is wat groot investering vereis. 'n Groep entrepreneurs het 'n produk ontwikkel deur sement met as te vermeng, en sodoende 'n laer kwaliteit steen te vervaardig waarmee hulle suksesvol in 'n sekere marksegment meeding. Dit is getuienis van die feit dat sekere dele van die waardeketting relatief maklik binnegedring kan word. Die huidige vervaardigers van klinker produkte is onwillig om alternatiewe podukte te vervaardig, aangesien hulle die hoë koste van hul toerusting en die dienooreenkomstige kapitale investing moet regverdig. Die regeringsvisie om groot industrie af te breek om sodoende toegang tot industrie te vergemaklik, blyk in teenstelling te wees met die winsgerigtheid van besigheid. Hierdie studie stel 'n alternatiewe strategie voor wat beide visies kan akkomodeer. Dit stel 'n strategie voor wat die industrie sal herdefinieer in drie sub-sektore met minimale deling van bates. Hierdie sub-sektore is: 1. Klinker vervaardiging: Klinker is 'n kommoditeit wat groot kapitale investering vereis. Hierdie sektor moet dus toegelaat word om binne perke as 'n monopolie te opereer, met genoegsame regulering om effektiwiteit te verseker. Dit word voorgestel dat spelers in hierdie sektor toegelaat moet word om te koopereer om optimale vlakke van produksiekoste te handhaaf, en dat pryse streng gekontroleer word deur 'n regulerende liggaam. Hierdie sektor moet ook verbied word om enige ander besigheids en finansiele belange te hou by enige ander sement industrie sektor. 2. Sement vervaardiging: 'n Subsektor vir die vervaardiging van sement, duidelik onderskei van klinker vervaardiging, moet geskep word. Prosesse vir hierdie subsektor sal begin met die maal van klinker en bemarking en distribusie insluit. 3. Alternatiewe sement materiale: Die ontwikkeling van alternatiewe produkte om te kompeteer met klinker moet aangemoedig word. Hierdie subsektor moet hul toewy aan navorsing en ontwikkeling, sowel as vervaardiging, bemarking en distribusie. Daar is baie implikasies wat voortspruit vanuit die magdom belanghebbenes. Bo en behalwe die plaaslike eienaars van sement bates in SA, vorm internasionale bateeienaars en entrepreneurs ook deel van die belanghebbenes. Dit word dus voorgestel dat 'n span bestaande uit akademici en besigheid aangestel word om hierdie voorstelle verder te ondersoek.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2004. / Typescript. EMBARGOED-this thesis is subject to a six month embargo (20/03/06 to 20/09/06) and may only be viewed and copied with the permission of the author. For further information please Contact the Archivist. Includes bibliographical references: p. 335-370.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Berkeley, 1990. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 264-271).

M.Com. (Business Management) / A key performance indicator of a cement manufacturer is that of its operating equipment efficiencies or OEE. The world-best standard for OEE of cement manufacturers is 85%, and this figure can only be achieved through very good maintenance practices and programmes combined with exceptional maintenance inventory levels and good maintenance inventory strategies. Maintenance inventory can be described as spares that support the manufacturing process, but that is not included in the final product. Like all types of inventory, maintenance inventory has a cost associated with carrying the inventory that can be calculated through applying the various carrying cost components associated with inventory. In a cement manufacturer this carrying cost figure can be excessively high as a result of the slow movement of major spare components that have to be held in inventory due to its critical importance to the manufacturing process. It is also evident that inventory levels in AfriSam are high. This may be due to the fact that management believe the best possible method to minimise the risk of production loss during a breakdown, is to increase maintenance inventory levels with no comparison to the costs associated with carrying the inventory. The chosen research problem is: “AfriSam (Pty) Ltd carries maintenance inventory worth millions of rands with slow movement of high value maintenance inventory sometimes in excess of 3 years. The cost of managing the inventory together with the carrying cost of the inventory has become a key focus point in the business and there is a need to find methods to optimise the inventory.”

M.Ing. (Engineering Management) / Globally, Logistics and Supply Chains play important roles; and they contribute immensely to the economy of a nation. The purpose of this research is to investigate and how logistics and supply chains management were implemented in a cement factory in Nigeria. Through the investigation, it was confirmed that Cement Company based their logistical system only on a road-link transport system to deliver their product to their customers or end-users, whereas in today’s technology, there are many ways in which logistics can be implemented. Therefore, this research was conducted, in order to do investigate while other logistical systems have not been actively used. The resultant findings are going to be used to address the problem. According to the investigation, it was found that 73.3% of the questionnaire respondents still prefer to use the road-link logistical system. There is a railway infrastructure in place from one point to another. However, the rail system logistics cannot be implemented because the railway infrastructure is obsolete. A new infrastructure will have to be put in place; and this is going to be costly. Apart from addressing the issue, this research also identify some possible hazards that could arise from using a road logistical system alone, such as the wastage of products, when accidents take place. There needs to be an elimination or reduction in the traffic congestion along the highway. It is also necessary to reduce the environmental pollution. Furthermore, apart from the point mentioned above, other logistical systems could be cheaper, safer and easier to maintain, compared with the Road only. Strong collaboration with logistical and supply-chain professional expertise would be required, in order to have a modern logistical system for better results. Collaboration in the working environment plays a role, but involving expertise would make a strong contribution and be more effective.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

This research study looked at the cultural value preferences in Western management practice for African manager and non-manager employees exemplified by Nigerian cement industries. The study specifically focused on management practice of leadership, motivation, recruitment and promotion around which their cultural values, the meaning of their work-world and their coping strategies are structured. From management and culture theory perspectives, managerial practices are affected both by Western factors, such as education, money, challenging tasks, and by traditional factors, such as family, ethnicity, social connections etc. The theoretical bases for this study drew largely from three streams of literature. The first theoretical base for the study relates to traditional African environment of management, especially the cultural perspectives. The second drew largely from the theoretical discourse on culture, management and organisation perspectives. The mainstream schools of management discourse on management theories and models as proposed by Western management theorists represent the third stream. As a methodology, the study used a quantitative questionnaire survey and qualitative open-ended interviews to collect data on the manager and non-manager employees in the organisations. The quantitative questionnaires and open-ended interviews centered national dimensions of cultures and on these Western and traditional factors of: leadership styles, motivation, dedication, satisfaction, ethnicity, family and social connections. The survey confirms that the dimension of national cultures of Nigeria as measured by the work-values and desires of the employees population are somehow different from those obtained by Hofstede’s study for the West African Region. Nigeria is still more collectivistic, although at least Nigeria has become relatively more individualist since Hofstede’s study. Over the years between Hofstede’ IBM study and the present study, there has been no change in the difference in Power Distance. Power Distance is much higher in Nigeria, like elsewhere in Africa, and this is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future. The large Power Distance in Nigeria means that the ideal manager is benevolent paternalistic. On recruitment and promotion, one major point made is that the traditional factors are generally felt by the respondents as influencing employees’ recruitment and promotion more than the modern (intrinsic) factors. The employees however, generally felt that the modern (intrinsic) factors should or ought to have greater influence. Building on the premises that every society is unique and its trajectory is shaped by its unique historical events, cultural norms and values, it can be argued that since the history of Western management concept in Africa is short, Africa then has a unique opportunity to develop its own unique management values based on its unique traditions. However, the increasing globalisation of market economies suggests that management values in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general can hardly be realised without proactively contributing to the Western management concepts in its unique ways. As the intensity of interaction between Western management practices and African traditional values increases, we can anticipate the increase in the importance of a new form of management concepts and practices in various African countries. Based on others and this study, the study proposes a “management heterogeneity” concept that reflects this new and unique perspective. Management heterogeneity perspective endorses the view that the practice of leadership, motivation, recruitment and promotion are developed differently in different cultural societies and organisations. But it adopts a pragmatic position on the mounting social and economic challenges now facing African organisations and argues further that management techniques, skills and behaviours practiced in different cultures and organisations can be brought together in a positive synergistic blend to address the needs of a given society and organisation and improve its ability to deliver effective and relevant values to its actors. It is the ability to judiciously select and combine the Western and traditional values and practices into new practices that fit the managerial requirements of a given group of organisational members that provides management its competitive edge in a culturally dynamic management environment.