South Africa’s transition to democracy in 1994 has heralded a re-entry into the global economy. This has meant that for the first time in more than 40 years of isolation because of “apartheid” policies, South African companies are facing global competition. The South African automotive industry has undergone major changes over the past few years. All the assemblers are now either wholly or partially owned by overseas parent companies. Under globalisation, foreign ownership of locally owned suppliers has also been escalating. The Behr strategy and values were examined to determine whether they are consistent with companies operating in the international environment. The literature study was conducted by using textbooks, periodicals and the internet. The empirical study was conducted by means of a questionnaire addressed to the Behr executives. The results of this empirical study were then directly correlated to the theoretical aspects. Distinctive competences, market growth and product development strategies were identified and comparisons made with theory.

M. Com / The 200 years of South African banking history has been a turbulent mix of crisis and triumph. Banks have had to respond to changes in their environment ranging from wars and the discovery of gold and diamonds, to regulatory changes, disinvestment and township bond boycotts. With the phasing out of sanctions, international opportunities started to emerge and South African banks were quick to respond. International and local competition has increased and it has become necessary for banks to put more emphasis on obtaining a competitive advantage. Optimists like to speak of South Africa as the "powerhouse of Africa" and the natural investment home for foreign investors wanting a foothold in the African market. It has therefore become necessary to do a "SWOT" analysis (Strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats) to be able to formulate a competitive strategy. • This dissertation comprises of an environmental analysis which includes a study of the macro-environment, international environment and the analysis of Porter's five basic forces. This environmental analysis leads to the establishing of local and international competitive strategies. South Africa has a competitive edge on other countries of its size and development levels in the sense that it has a very adaptable economy. The fact that South Africa is seen as the "gateway to Africa" should be exploited by South African banks. The changing and uncertain environment in South Africa must be seen as an opportunity for international departments of commercial banks to enrich themselves and their employees. This dissertation has shown that local banks do not have an advantage over international banks. From this follows a recommendation that local banks should develop and maintain a competitive advantage and focus on African business.

Thesis (M. Tech.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2006 / Since the earliest days, people have travelled. Not only was it time consuming, limited and only for the rich, but it was not necessarily a pleasure. Since those early days, travel and tourism has developed to such an extent that it has become one of the major industries in the world, providing the tourist with amongst others technologically advanced air transportation, luxury resorts and a variety of experiences and attractions at many different destinations. The major developments in air transportation have opened up many opportunities, but it has also placed most destinations within easy reach of the tourist, as most destinations have become more accessible. This automatically led to increased competitiveness between different destinations, both locally and internationally. Competitiveness of the destination may be based on a variety of contributing factors such as its scenic beauty, the variety of attractions offered, natural resources, the accessibility, the host population, availability and quality of infrastructure, diseases, flight availability and frequency, seasons and many other factors. However, a destination will never become the most popular or most visited one if the tourist cannot afford to visit it. Price undoubtedly plays a very important role in the decision-making process of the tourist when choosing a destination. The prices at any destination are influenced by a variety of internal and external factors which, in the end, has a direct influence of the actual travel cost of the tourist. This study focuses on South Africa’s price competitiveness as an international destination. The major travel components or products that an international tourist will spend money on during his/her visit to South Africa are international flights, accommodation, attractions and food and beverages. The prices of these components were compared to similar products of Thailand and Australia, which have previously been identified by SA Tourism as South Africa’s major competitors. The focus of the research is therefore on the expenditure patterns, price perceptions and the tourists’ perception of whether or not they perceived South Africa’s tourism products to be affordable, to offer value for money or not. Perceptions of departing international tourists who have already used these products were tested. Once established, an international travel price index and a hotel price index were formulated for South Africa, which may be used to monitor international tourist expenses. These indices may also be used as indicator of the affordability and price competitiveness of South Africa as a tourist destination. There is not one individual in South Africa that cannot, either by means of direct or indirect revenue, benefit from South Africa being a tourist destination of choice. The opportunities and possibilities created by foreign revenue spent are legio. Hence it comes as no surprise that tourism in South Africa has become the priority of many different role players such as government, commerce, product owners and private industries. As it is difficult for a destination to control the external environment, the destination’s focus should therefore rather be on the factors that it can control or influence to a certain extent. By ensuring that South Africa’s tourism products are competitively priced and offer value for money, one of the major factors that may hamper the growth of South Africa as a destination has been addressed. In economic challenging conditions, the tourist has become more value for money driven than before when choosing a destination. The focus of the research is therefore to establish if South Africa’s tourism product prices are regarded to provide value for money or not to international tourists. The research was divided into two parts: literature and empirical research. The population of this study was foreign tourists to South Africa that have completed their journey and who were questioned in the departure halls of Johannesburg’s Oliver Thambo and Cape Town International airports. An overview of the research results give a general indication that South African tourism products are more expensive than was anticipated by foreign tourists. Seventy five percent of respondents indicated that they paid more for accommodation, air transportation and attractions than they expected to pay. Of the different accommodation types used, the five star luxury hotel accommodations were found to be too expensive whilst other graded accommodation were perceived as being priced fairly, even cheaply. The paid attractions that the respondents visited were, with the exception of the Kruger National Park, all fairly priced. Cape Town was indicated as a city that was perceived to be more expensive that other cities visited by international tourists.

Thesis (MScAgric)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African deciduous fruit industry is influenced by a number of factors including increased globalisation of markets, trade liberalisation, advances in information technology and consumer preferences. These factors have a continuous effect on the competitiveness of the industry and force deciduous fruit producers and processors to position themselves as capable competitors in the global free-market environment. This study measures the competitiveness of the South African deciduous fruit supply chains relative to those of Chile in an attempt to address the following research question: What is the relative global competitive advantage of the South African deciduous fruit supply chains relative to those of Chile? To adequately address this research question, data from the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO, 2005) is used to examine the competitiveness of the supply chains. Three internationally recognised indexes are also used to calculate the comparative and competitive advantages of the deciduous fruit supply chains, namely, the Net Export index (NXi), Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA#) index and the Relative Revealed Comparative Trade Advantage (RTA) index. The results clearly show that South Africa’s deciduous fruit supply chains have a marginally relative competitive advantage, with most of the deciduous fruit products having RCA# and RTA index values situated around 0 to 10. The analysis shows that the South African deciduous fruit industry is struggling, with a marginal global comparative and competitive advantage in terms of its value added products. Chile, on the other hand, has a relatively better revealed comparative advantage as well as a higher relative global competitive advantage in most of the deciduous fruit supply chains. South Africa has a relatively better global comparative advantage and competitive advantage over Chile only in apple juice and dried apricots. Despite South Africa’s marginal competitiveness, most of the deciduous fruit supply chains are experiencing an upward competitiveness, which is not the case for Chile. The results also reveal that the competitiveness of most of the deciduous fruit supply chains in South Africa, except for the apple and apricot chains, decreases from primary to processed products which implies that value-adding opportunities are still limited or untapped. On the basis of these findings, this study makes an attempt to identify and discuss some of the factors that affect the competitiveness of the industry by using a framework of competitive advantage analysis proposed by Porter (1990, 1998). The most important factors that impact on the competitiveness of the South African deciduous fruit industry are availability of skilled labour; cost and quality of unskilled labour; availability and quality of capital; cost of technology; local market growth; threat of substitutes; land reform policy; labour legislation; current exchange rate (current strength of the rand); BEE policy; lack of timely and accurate information and the inaccuracy of some of the data of the Perishable Products Export Council Board (PPECB); continued agricultural subsidies received by growers in countries competing with South Africa in global markets; and the high incidence of HIV/AIDS and crime. In order for the industry to enhance its competitiveness, a number of strategies to be adopted by all participants in the supply chain are suggested at the end of this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid Afrikaanse sagtevrugte bedryf word beïnvloed deur verskeie faktore insluitende groter wordende internasionale market, handels liberalisering, vooruitgang in inligtings tegnologie en verbruikers voorkeure. Hierdie faktore het ‘n voordurende effek op die mededingendheid van die bedryf en dwing die sagtevrugte produsente en produseerders om hulself te posisioneer as bekwame mededingers in die internasionale mark omgewing. Hierdie study meet die mededingendheid van die Suid Afrikaanse sagtevrugte voorsieningsketting relatief tot die van Chili in ‘n poging om die volgende navorsingsvraag te beantwoord: Wat is die relatiewe internasionale mededingende voordeel van die Suid Afrikaanse sagtevrugte voorsieningsketting relatief tot die van Chili. Om die navorsingsvraag na behore te beantwoord word inligting van die Voedsel en Landou Organisasie (Food and Agricultural Organization, FAO) van die Verenigde Nasies van 2005 gebruik om die mededingendheid van die voorsieningskettings te verduidelik. Drie internasionaal erkende indekse word gebruik om die vergelykende en mededingende voordele van die sagtevrugte bedryf voorsieningskettings te vergelyk naamlik die Netto Uitvoer indeks (NU), Openbare Vergelykende Voordeel (OVV) indeks en die Relatiewe Openbare Vergelykende Handels Voordeel (ROVHV) indeks. Die resultate wys duidelik dat Soud Afrika se sagtevrugte voorsieningsketting ‘n relatief marginale kompeteerdende voordeel het, met meestse van die sagtevrugte produkte met OVV en ROVHV indeks waardes van tussen 0 en 10 het. Die ontleedings toon aan dat die Suid Afrikaanse sagtevrugte bedryf dit moeilik vind met om internasionall mededingend te wees met slegs ‘n maginale internasionale vergelykende en mededingende voordeel in terme van waarde toegevoegde produkte. Anders as Suid Afrika het Chili ‘n relatief beter openbare vergelykende voordeel as ook ‘n beter relatiewe internasionale vergelykende voordeel in meeste van die sagtevrugte voordieningskettings as Suid Afrika. Suid Afrika het slegs relatiewe beter internasionale en mededingende voordele in appelsap en gedroogde appelkose as Chili. Ongeag Suid Afrika se marginale mededingendheid ondervind meeste van die voordieningskettings opwaartse mededinging wat die die geval is met Chili nie. Die resultate het ook gewys dat die mededingendheid van meeste van die sagtevrugte voorsieningskettings in Suid Afrika afneem van primere na vervaardigde produkte, behalwe vir die appel en appelkoos waardekettings, wat impliseer dat waardetoevoeging moontlikhede steeds baie beperk is of nog nooit ontgin is nie. Op basis van die bevindinge is ‘n poging aangewend om sommige van die faktore wat die mededingendheid van die bedryf affekteer te identifiseer en te bespreek deur gebruik te maak van die raamwerk van mededingende voordeel ontleedings soos voorgestel deur Porter (1990, 1998). Die mees belangrike faktore wat ‘n inpak het op die mededingendheid van die van die bedryf is die beskikbaarheid van opgeleide arbeid; die koste en kwaliteit van onopgeleide aerbeid; beskikbaarheid en kwaliteit van kapitaal; koste van tegnologie; groei in plaaslike mark; gevaar van substitute; grondhervormings beleid; arbeids wetsgewing; huidige wisselkoers (huidige sterkte van die Rand); swart bemagtigings beleid; tekort aan tydige en akkurate inligting en die onakkuraatheid van sommige data van die Bederfbare Produkte Uitvoer Raad; landbou subsidies aan produsente in lande waarmee Suid Afrika internasionaal meeding en die hoë voorvalle van HIV/AIDS en misdaad. Om mededingendheid binne die berdyf te verbeter word verskeie strategie voorgestel wat rolspelers in die bedryf kan implementer.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study addresses two important research questions which are in essence motivated by the trade policy reform that took effect in the 1990s to reverse decades of inward industrialisation strategies towards outward industrialisation strategies to promote economic growth and development. This raised the expectation that a movement away from low-demand growth products towards commodities with stronger demand growth and buoyant price trends would be encouraged. The first central question that this study addresses is the extent to which South African agricultural exports are moving up the value chain relative to the agricultural exports of the other members of the Cairns Group. The second research question that the study addresses is to determine whether South Africa's movement up the value chain (value adding activities) in agricultural exports is more competitive than the other members of the Cairns Group. To adequately address the first research question data from the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) and World Trade Organisation (WTO) databases were used to examine their trade perspectives. The second research question was addressed by applying Relative Comparative Advantage (RTA) using data from the FAOSTAT 2002 to determine each country's competitive status in selected agro- food chains. The results show that South Africa managed to surpass all other members of the Cairns Group, except Chile, Philippines and Bolivia, whose export structures are highly dominated by high-value products relative to South Africa in terms of the movement up the value chain in agricultural exports. This is the case despite the fact that countries such as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Indonesia, New Zealand, Thailand and Uruguay have managed to increase their percentage export value of high-value agricultural products and that South Africa has experienced a decrease in the percentage export value of high-value products. The results also clearly show that the food chains in Costa Rica, Paraguay, Thailand and South Africa are generally marginally competitive, whilst the food chains in Canada, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia and Uruguay are only just marginally competitive as many of their RTA values are situated around zero. The food chains in Guatemala, Malaysia, New Zealand and Philippines are internationally uncompetitive. And the food chains in Argentina,Australia and Brazil are internationally competitive. The analysis also reveals that competitiveness decreases in all these countries when moving from primary to processed products in the agro-food chains which implies that value-adding opportunities are constrained. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie spreek twee belangrike navorsingvraagstukke aan wat in wese gemotiveer is deur die handelsbeleidshervormingsproses wat in die 1990s 'n aanvang geneem het. Dekades van intern-gerigte industrialisasiestrategieë is na ekstern-gerigte industrialisasiestrategieë omgeskakel om sodoende groei en ontwikkeling aan te moedig. Hierdie proses het die verwagting geskep dat 'n beweging weg van produkte met lae groei in vraag, na goedere met 'n sterker groei in vraag en veerkragtige prystendense sal aanmoedig. Die eerste sentrale probleem waarop in hierdie studie gefokus word is die mate waartoe Suid- Afrikaanse landbou-uitvoere in die waarde-ketting op beweeg het relatief tot die landbouuitvoere van die ander lede van die Cairns Groep. Die tweede vraag wat die narvorsig aanspreek is an vas te stelof Suid Afrika se waardeletting oktiwiteite in landbou uitvore meer kompeterend is as die van onder lede van die Cairns Groep. Om die eerste navorsingsprobleem voldoende aan te spreek, is data van die Voedsel en Landbou Organisasie, Handel en Industriële Beleidstrategieë en die Wêreldhandelsorganisasie gebruik. Hierdie organisasies se databasisse is gebruik om handelsperspektiewe te bepaal. Die tweede navorsingsprobleem is aangespreek deur die toepassing van die Relatiewe Vergelykende Voordeel (RVV) op die data bekom van die FAOSTAT 2002. Hierdeur is elke land se mededingende status in sekere geselekteerde agri-voedselkettings bepaal. Die resultate wys dat Suid Afrika daarin geslaag het om die ander lede van die Cairns Groep verby te steek, met die uitsondering van Chilli, die Filippyne en Bolivië, waar uitvoerstrukture gedomineer word deur hoë waarde produkte relatief tot Suid Afrika. Hierdie tendens is ten spyte daarvan dat lande soos Argentinië, Australië, Brasilië, Colombië, Costa Rica, Indonesië, New Zealand, Thailand en Uruguay daarin geslaag het om hul persentasie uitvoerwaarde van hoë waarde landbouprodukte op te stoot, en dat Suid Afrika, daarenteen, ervaar het dat die uitvoere van hierdie produkte afgeneem het. Die resultate toon duidelik dat die voedselkettings in Costa Rica, Paraguay, Thailand en Suid-Afrika oor die algemeen marginaal kompeterend is, terwyl die voedselkettings in Kanada, Chile, Colombië, Indonesië en Uruguay tot 'n mindere mate marginaal kompeterend is aangesien hul RVV-waardes rondom nul lê. Die voedselkettings in Guatemala, Maleisië, Nieu-Seeland en die Filippyne is internasionaal nie-kompeterend, met die voedselkettings in Argentinië, Australië en Brasilië wel internasionaal kompeterend. Die analise wys ook dat die mededingendheid afneem in al hierdie lande wanneer hulle van primêre na geprosesseerde produkte beweeg in agri-voedselkettings, dit impliseer dat waarde toevoeging geleenthede tot produkte beperk is.

Thesis (MComm)—Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to undertake an inquiry on the competitive performance of the South African stone fruit industry since the early 1960s, with an emphasis on the more recent years since the mid-1990s, when the industry was deregulated. A comprehensive approach was applied in reaching conclusion in this study by employing a five-step analytical framework, built on well-established approaches by Balassa (revealed comparative advantage, RCA), Vollrath (relative trade advantage, RTA) and the Porter Diamond Model, adapted to accommodate innovative statistical methods to reflect differences in opinions and views more accurately. Competitiveness in this study is defined to give effect to the global trade orientation of the industry as the sustained ability of the South African stone fruit industry to attract investment by trading its produce competitively within the global marketplace, whilst continuously striving to earn returns greater that the opportunity cost of scarce resources engaged. Five phases were identified in the competitive performance of the South African stone fruit industry since 1961, showing the fluctuating nature of the performance of this industry:  Phase I (1961-1982): Increasingly regulated competitiveness  Phase II (1983-1990): Politically constrained competitiveness  Phase III (1991-1999): Economic deregulation and internal rivalry  Phase IV (1999-2007): Towards international competitiveness  Phase V (2007 – present): Increasingly sustained competitiveness The RTA calculations, including both exports and imports, showed that the industry is highly competitive, both internationally – in the Southern Hemisphere where this industry is only out-performed by Chile and locally – compared to other South African (SA) horticultural crops, with plums consistently claiming the top position when individual stone fruit types in the SA deciduous fruit category are analysed. Through the Stone Fruit Executive Survey (SFES), views and opinions of prominent industry role-players were critically employed to interrogate the topic under discussion. A total of 84 factors affecting the competitiveness of the industry were identified, and these were rated on a five-point Likert scale (where 5 were most enhancing and 1 was most constraining). This study expanded the analytical framework used in recent agri-competitiveness studies to verify and cross-check the results and findings through statistical procedures, such as cluster analyses, principle component analyses and Cronbach’s alpha. This broadened the scope of analysis by accommodating the variance in opinion statements from the respondents. As different cluster groupings based on functional value chain positions were analysed, it became clear that there were significant differences between the respondents involved in the primary production and packing/processing of stone fruit and the respondents involved in activities lower down the value chain, such as in pack houses/processors and exporters/marketers. Further down the value chain the respondents expressed more optimistic views and positive statements on competitiveness than those exposed to primary production risks and uncertainties. This confirms the importance to expand competitive analysis to different points in the value chain The rated factors were grouped into Porter’s six determinants and the general scored ratings yielded the two most enhancing determinants, being business strategy, structure and rivalry (3.55 out of 5) and related and supporting industries (3.14 out of 5). Production factor conditions (2.81 out of 5) and demand/market factors (2.76 out of 5) were identified as being less enhancing determinants. Chance factors (2.66 out of 5) and government support and policy (2.35 out of 5) were identified as the two most constraining determinants. The current approach is that the framework of Esterhuizen (2006) is applied to agriculture-related competitiveness studies. This study, however, investigated the extension of the conventional model by adapting the Porter diamond model within the frameworks of the Institute for Management Development’s World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) and the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report (GCR), which generally focus on the macro-economic situation. It was confirmed that the stone fruit industry is integrated into and forms part of the ‘broader economic picture’. The results and findings of this study were discussed in a number of focus sessions with industry role players. A strategic planning framework was drafted, which consisted out of eleven industry level strategic proposals. Some of the most important strategic improvements to enhance competitive performance argued for in this study are improved industry-based lobby discussions, i.e. to build and strengthen the necessary communication between industry role players and government agencies through an improved strategic intelligence database, by focusing on aspects such as trade agreements, international market development and policy development. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelwit van hierdie studie was om ’n ondersoek van die mededingende prestasie van die Suid-Afrikaanse steenvrugbedryf sedert die vroeë 1960’s te onderneem, met die klem op die meer onlangse tydperk sedert die middel-1990’s, toe die bedryf gedereguleer is. ’n Omvattende benadering is ingespan deur gebruik te maak van ’n vyfstap- analitiese raamwerk wat geskoei is op die goed gevestigde benaderings van Balassa (onthulde vergelykende voordeel – revealed comparative advantage - RCA), Vollrath (relatiewe handelsvoordeel – relative trade advantage - RTA) en die Porter-diamantmodel, wat aangepas is om innoverende statistiese metodes te akkommodeer om verskille in gesigspunte beter te weergee. Mededingendheid in hierdie studie word gedefinieer om effek te gee aan die globale handelsoriëntasie van die bedryf as die volhoubare vermoë van die Suid-Afrikaanse steenvrugbedryf om belegging te lok deur sy produkte mededingend in die globale mark te verhandel, terwyl daar voortdurend gestreef word om opbrengste te verdien wat groter is as die geleentheidskoste van die skaars hulpbronne gebruik. Vyf fases in die mededingendheid van die Suid-Afrikaanse steenvrugbedryf is sedert 1961 geïdentifiseer en toon die wisselende aard van die prestasie in hierdie bedryf:  Fase I (1961-1982): Toenemend gereguleerde mededingendheid  Fase II (1983-1990): Polities beperkte mededingendheid  Fase III (1991-1999): Ekonomiese deregulering en interne mededinging  Fase IV (1999-2007): Op weg na internasionale mededingendheid  Fase V (2007 – vandag): Toenemend volhoubare mededingendheid Die RTA-berekenings, wat uitvoere en invoere insluit, het aangetoon dat die bedryf hoogs mededingend is, beide internasionaal – waar die industrie slegs die Chili oortref word en plaaslik – in vergelyking met ander Suid-Afrikaanse (SA) hortologiese gewasse, met pruime wat voorop staan wanneer individuele steenvrugsoorte in die SA sagtevrugtebedryf geanaliseer is. Deur die Steenvrug Uitvoerende Opname (Stone Fruit Executive Survey (SFES)) is die sienings en opinies van vooraanstaande rolspelers krities gebruik om die onderwerp te ondervra. ’n Totaal van 84 faktore wat die mededingendheid van die bedryf beïnvloed, is geïdentifiseer, en hierdie is op ’n vyfpunt-Likertskaal geëvalueer (met 5 as die mees versterkend en 1 as die mees stremmend). Hierdie studie het die analitiese raamwerk wat in onlangse agri-mededingendheidstudies gebruik is, uitgebrei om die resultate deur middel van statistiese prosedures te verifieer en te kruiskontroleer, naamlik deur bondelanalises, hoofkomponent-ontledings (principle component analyses) en Cronbach se alfa. Dít het die strekking van die analise verbreed deur die verskillende opinies van die respondente te akkommodeer. Soos verskillende bondels op grond van funksionele posisies in die waardeketting geanaliseer is, het dit duidelik geword dat daar noemenswaardige verskille was tussen die respondente in die primêre produksie en verpakking/verwerking van steenvrugte en die respondente betrokke in aktiwiteite laer af in die waardeketting, soos in pakhuise/verwerkers en uitvoerders/bemarkers. Verder af in die waardeketting het die respondente meer optimistiese opinies en positiewe stellings oor mededingendheid uitgespreek as dié wat aan primêre produksierisiko’s en onsekerhede blootgestel was. Dit bevestig die belangrikheid daarvan om mededingende analise na verskillende punte in die waardeketting uit te brei. Die gemete faktore is in Porter se ses determinante verdeel en die algemeen aangetekende skattings het die twee mees versterkende determinante opgelewer, naamlik sakestrategie, struktuur en mededinging (3.55 uit 5) en verwante en ondersteunende bedrywe (3.14 uit 5). Produksiefaktortoestande (2.81 uit 5) en vraag/markfaktore (2.76 uit 5) is geïdentifiseer as minder versterkende determinante. Toevallige faktore (2.66 uit 5) en regeringsondersteuning en -beleid (2.35 uit 5) is geïdentifiseer as die twee mees stremmende determinante. Die huidige benadering is dat Esterhuizen (2006) se raamwerk op landbou-verwante mededingendheidstudies toegepas word. Hierdie studie het egter die uitbreiding van die konvensionele model ondersoek deur die Porter-diamantmodel binne die raamwerke van die Institute for Management Development se World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) en die World Economic Forum se Global Competitiveness Report (GCR) aan te pas. Hierdie dokumente fokus oor die algemeen op die makro-ekonomiese situasie. Daar is bevestig dat die steenvrugbedryf in die ‘breër ekonomiese situasie’ geïntegreer is en daarvan deel is. Die resultate en bevindings van hierdie studie is in ’n aantal fokussessies met bedryfsrolspelers bespreek. ʼn Strategiese beplanningsraamwerk was opgestel wat bestaan uit elf industrie-vlak strategiese voorstelle. Van die belangrikste strategiese verbeterings om mededingende prestasie te verhoog, waarvoor daar in hierdie studie geargumenteer is, is verbeterde “drukgroepgesprekke”, m.a.w. om die nodige kommunikasie tussen bedryfsrolspelers en die regering te bou en te verstrek deur ’n verbeterde strategiese intelligensie- databasis wat o.a. fokus op aspekte soos handelsooreenkomste, internasionale markontwikkeling en beleidsontwikkeling.

M.Comm. / The aim of this study was to determine the level of capital and labour productivity in the South African manufacturing industry and their impact on the industry's level of competitiveness on the international markets. It was established at the outset that there is an important link between productivity and competitiveness. Before a quantitative analysis of South African manufacturing and that of some of this country's major international competitors could be done, it was first necessary to examine the theoretical foundations behind the concepts of productivity and competitiveness. It was found that international competitiveness can be judged in terms of the ability of industries to generate wealth more rapidly than their international competitors. It was established that the main driving force for achieving these goals is growth in the productivity of input factors. This, in turn, is determined by growth in human capital, research and development, government policies and economies of scale. Various macroeconomic measurements of productivity and competitiveness were examined. At the domestic level these included growth in domestic investment as a necessary requirement for increasing the capital stock and capital-labour ratio, as well as measurements of the level of domestic education. In order to make international comparisons unit labour costs; terms of trade; the real effective exchange rates and growth in exports were examined. The level of efficiency of the utilisation of input factors, capital and labour, was found to be critical to productivity performance. In the context of the Cobb-Douglas production function marginal productivity and the marginal rate of technical substitution were examined. That the ultimate aim of a production process is the optimal combination of input factors was highlighted and the efficiency criterion as a technique was discussed. The optimal utilization of the budget outlay was established as a test of whether or not economic waste occurs, and the methodology for establishing whether economies of scale exist was examined. The quantitative analysis of South Africa's international level of competitiveness at the macroeconomic level showed that South Africa's expenditure on research and development compares poorly with those of its competitors. Domestic savings as a percentage of GDP in South Africa is consistently below 20%, compared with 30 - 40% for Korea. In terms of growth in investment, South Africa did not fare too badly since the beginning of the 1990's compared to the industrialised countries. However, South Africa's investment level below 20% of GDP was far below that of Korea which was nearly 40% of GNP. It was found that South Africa's expenditure on education at about 20% of government expenditure was high in comparison to its competitors. However, the education level was shown to be inadequate, indicating that monies are not spent efficiently.

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

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-10-26T13:05:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Monica Yumi Shida Oizumi.pdf: 1670224 bytes, checksum: 48981fff104b765115e699d017c7ccc3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-26T13:05:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Monica Yumi Shida Oizumi.pdf: 1670224 bytes, checksum: 48981fff104b765115e699d017c7ccc3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-10-10 / The phenomenon of globalization has made competition issues related to economic infractions and mergers affect more than one State at the same time. In order to prevent or repress conduct that would harm their domestic markets or has the potential to do so, States have started to apply their national legislation extraterritorially. It occurs that the countries adopt different interpretations and understandings that justify the extraterritorial jurisdiction, so that the national laws, most of the times are not well received by the opposing country, leading to jurisdiction conflicts. Thus, instruments are created to prohibit the application of a foreign law in national territory, in order to render ineffective the extraterritorial jurisdiction. In face of this scenario, in the interest of dealing with possible alternatives to mitigate conflict of jurisdiction, the forms of cooperation between the States are analyzed, either bilateral, regional and multilateral, as well as their classification as binding or not, in order to conclude that the most effective option would be a binding multilateral system on international competition law / O fenômeno da globalização fez com que as questões concorrenciais relativas às infrações econômicas e atos de concentração afetassem mais de um Estado ao mesmo tempo. Nesse sentido, a fim de prevenir ou reprimir condutas que prejudiquem o seu mercado interno ou tenham potencial para tanto, os Estados passaram a aplicar suas legislações nacionais extraterritorialmente. Ocorre que os países adotam diferentes interpretações e entendimentos que justificam a jurisdição extraterritorial, de forma que as leis nacionais, na maioria das vezes não são bem recepcionadas pelo país adversário, gerando então conflitos de jurisdição. Dessa forma, são criados instrumentos que vedam a aplicação de outro Estado no território nacional, de forma a tornar ineficaz a jurisdição extraterritorial. Diante desse cenário, no interesse de tratar sobre as possíveis alternativas para mitigação do conflito de jurisdição, são analisadas as formas de cooperação entre os Estados, bilaterais, regionais e multilaterais, assim como a classificação das mesmas em vinculativas ou não, para no final concluir que a opção mais efetiva seria um sistema multilateral vinculativo sobre o direito da concorrência em âmbito internacional

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