Theses (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The concept of international competitiveness has become increasingly important due to globalisation and increased integration between nations and has been referred to as a "new type of warfare" in modern economies. With the advent of globalisation, countries have become more integrated not only through trade but also in financial markets. Consequently, the question of attaining sustainable development through international competitiveness has become very significant. As globalisation proceeds, it would appear that a combination of factors are raising the demand for skilled labour and lowering the demand for unskilled and semi-skilled labour. In South Africa, at least over the short term, the predictions are for declining demand for unskilled and semi-skilled labour and rising demand for skilled and professional occupations. South African manufacturing firms are generally characterised by low spending on innovation. Today there is a shift in the pattern of world trade away from commodity production and raw material intensive simple manufactured goods and towards increasingly knowledge-intensive goods and services. As the more traditional bases of securing a competitive advantage decline for South African manufacturing firms, the ability to compete will increasingly turn on their capacities to master information technology. Technological infrastructure is becoming a key asset for the future competitiveness of a nation. Technology also impacts on education. Therefore, the priority of a competitive nation is to develop the people who will operate the new technological infrastructure and strive to be on the leading edge of future developments. This is one of the reasons why South Africa has to improve on its technology in order to be attractive to foreign investment. It is clear ,that South Africa's current education and training system is not adequate to address the future challenges of the country. An integrated, restructured education and training system that is geared to supplying the necessary manpower to ensure high productivity and international competitiveness is needed if South Africa is to become globally competitive. Therefore the importance of education and training to upgrade people to enable them to earn more cannot be overemphasised. Much more emphasis must be put on technical training in South Africa. After some difficult years of isolation, South Africa has increased its rating on international competitiveness by three positions from 42nd in 2001 to 39th in 2002. It is hoped that South Africa's economic growth rate improves as a result of its pursuit of privatisation; reform of the state sector; and liberalisation of trade and tariffs. The social inequalities inherited from the past, high unemployment and a relatively high inflation rate may constrain the government's economic policy. The development priorities of developing countries such as South Africa include achieving sustained income growth for their economies by raising investment rates, strengthening technological capacities and skills and improving the competitiveness of their exports in world markets, distributing the benefits of growth equitably by creating more and better employment opportunities and protecting and conserving the physical environment for future generations. The new and more competitive context of liberalising and globalising the world economy in which economic activity take place imposes considerable pressures on developing countries to upgrade their resources and capabilities if they are to achieve these objectives. This study seeks to investigate the extent to which international competitiveness contributes to the economic development of South Africa, by studying the theory of comparative advantage and its implications to the modern theory of trade. The study explores and identifies key factors of international competitiveness and globalisation and the success of the application of international competitiveness into practice. The study concludes with possible areas of further research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die konsep van internasionale mededingendheid word toenemend belangrik weens globalisering en groter integrasie tussen nasies en daar word in hedendaagse ekonomieë daarna verwys as 'n "nuwe soort oorlog". Met die koms van globalisering het lande nie net deur handel nie maar ook in finansiële markte meer geïntegreerd geraak. Die kwessie van die bewerkstelliging van volgehoue ontwikkeling deur internasionale mededingendheid het gevolglik baie belangrik geword. Namate globalisering voortgaan wil dit voorkom asof 'n kombinasie van faktore die vraag na geskoolde arbeid verhoog en die vraag na ongeskoolde en halfgeskoolde arbeid laat daal. In Suid-Afrika word 'n kleiner vraag na ongeskoolde en halfgeskoolde arbeid en 'n groter vraag na geskoolde en professionele beroepe oor ten minste die kort termyn voorspel. Suid-Afrikaanse vervaardigingsmaatskappye word oor die algemeen deur lae besteding aan innovasie gekenmerk. Daar is tans 'n verskuiwing in die patroon van wêreldhandel weg van kommoditeitsproduksie en grondstof-intensiewe eenvoudige vervaardigde goedere na toenemend kennis-intensiewe goedere en dienste. Namate die meer tradisionele grondslae waarop Suid-Afrikaanse vervaardigingsmaatskappye 'n mededingende voordeel verkry het, verdwyn, sal die vermoë om mee te ding toenemend afhang van hul vermoë om inligtingstegnologie te bemeester. Tegnologiese infrastruktuur word 'n baie belangrike bate vir die toekomstige mededingendheid van 'n land. Tegnologie het ook 'n impak op onderwys. Die prioriteit van 'n mededingende land is dus die ontwikkeling van die mense wat die nuwe tegnologiese infrastruktuur sal bestuur en wat daarna strewe om aan die spits van toekomstige ontwikkelings te wees. Dit is een van die redes waarom Suid-Afrika sy tegnologie moet verbeter ten einde aantreklik te wees vir buiteland,sebelegging. Dit is duidelik dat Suid-Afrika se huidige onderwys- en opleidingstelsel nie voldoende is om die toekomstige uitdagings vir die land die hoof te bied nie. 'n Geïntegreerde herstruktureerde onderwys- en opleidingstelsel wat daarop gemik is om die nodiqe mannekrag te voorsien om hoë produktiwiteit en internasionale mededingendheid te verseker, word vereis indien Suid-Afrika mededingend wil wees in die internasionale arena. Die belangrikheid van onderwys en opleiding om mense op te gradeer ten einde hulle in staat te stel om meer te verdien, kan nie oorbeklemtoon word nie. Groter klem moet op tegniese opleiding in Suid-Afrika gelê word. Na moeilike jare van isolasie het Suid-Afrika sy gradering ten opsigte van internasionale mededingendheid met drie posisies verbeter vanaf 42ste in 2001 tot 39ste in 2002. Suid-Afrika se ekonomiese groeikoers sal hopelik verbeter as gevolg van sy strewe na privatisering, hervorming van die staatsektor, en liberalisering van handel en tariewe. Die maatskaplike ongelykhede van die verlede, hoë werkloosheid en 'n betreklik hoë inflasiekoers kan moontlik die regering se ekonomiese beleid aan bande lê. Die ontwikkelingsprioriteite van ontwikkelende lande soos Suid-Afrika sluit die volgende in: volgehou inkomstegroei vir hul ekonomieë deur beleggingskoersverhogings, verbetering van tegnologiese kapasiteite en vaardighede, die verbetering van die mededingendheid van hul uitvoere in wêreldmarkte, die billiker verdeling van die voordele van groei deur meer en beter werkgeleenthede te skep, en die beskerming en bewaring van die fisiese omgewing vir toekomstige geslagte. Die nuwe en meer mededingende konteks van die liberalisering en globalisering van die wêreldekonomie waarin ekonomiese aktiwiteit plaasvind, plaas- groot druk op ontwikkelende lande om hul hulpbronne en kapasiteite te opgradeer indien hulle hierdie doelwitte wil bereik. Hierdie studie poog om die mate waarin internasionale mededingendheid tot die ekonomiese ontwikkeling van Suid-Afrika bydra, te ondersoek deur die teorie van mededingende voordeel en die implikasies daarvan vir die moderne handelsteorie te bestudeer. Die studie ondersoek en identifiseer die hooffaktore van internasionale mededingendheid en globalisering en die sukses van die toepassing van internasionale mededingendheid in die praktyk. Die studie word afgesluit met voorstelle vir moontlike verdere navorsing.

by Cheung Wai-yin Ronald, Chong Wing-kong. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Bibliography: leaf 95. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.ii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.v / CHAPTER / INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter I. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.5 / Chapter II. --- COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND SERVICES ENVIRONMENT --- p.7 / Hong Kong --- p.11 / Infrastructure --- p.11 / IT Manpower --- p.12 / Technical Capacity --- p.16 / Research and Development --- p.18 / Market Information --- p.19 / Supporting Hardware Industry --- p.22 / Role of Government --- p.25 / People's Republic of China --- p.28 / Infrastructure --- p.28 / IT Manpower --- p.30 / Technical Capacity --- p.32 / Research and Development --- p.34 / Market Information --- p.34 / Supporting Hardware Industry --- p.39 / Role of Government --- p.39 / Singapore --- p.44 / Infrastructure --- p.44 / IT Manpower --- p.45 / Technical Capacity --- p.48 / Research and Development --- p.50 / Market Information --- p.50 / Supporting Hardware Industry --- p.54 / Role of Government --- p.56 / Taiwan --- p.59 / Infrastructure --- p.59 / IT Manpower --- p.60 / Technical Capacity --- p.63 / Research and Development --- p.64 / Market Information --- p.65 / Supporting Hardware Industry --- p.68 / Role of Government --- p.71 / Chapter III. --- COMPARISON OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES AND WEAKNESSES --- p.74 / Comparison of Infrastructure --- p.74 / Comparison of IT Manpower --- p.75 / Comparison of Technical Capacity --- p.85 / Comparison of Market Information --- p.85 / Comparison of Supporting Hardware Industry --- p.86 / Comparison of Role of Government --- p.86 / Chapter IV. --- CONCLUSIONS --- p.90 / Collaborative Model --- p.90 / Role of the Four Chinese Communities --- p.92 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.95

University of Macau / Faculty of Law

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1987.

Around the world, companies are rapidly moving towards outsourcing to enhance their competitive position in the market through reduction in product development cycle times (costs), demands for better quality, improvement in supply chain management and higher expectations from more discriminating and demanding customers (Lyons and Krachenberg, 1990). An outsourcing mechanism consists of two parties, buyer and supplier. Hence, the success of the buyer and supplier relationship is the main factor to achieve successful outsourcing operations. This research studies the buyer and supplier relationship in each relationship type in the Saudi Arabian market; market exchange, captive buyer, strategic partnership and captive supplier. The main objective of this research was to study in depth buyer and supplier relationships (outsourcing) by discovering which problems exist in each type of relationship, how they can be controlled and what are their effects. It examines and tests certain factors associated with the relationships, such as incentives for their creation, relationship problems, cause of problems, problem control mechanisms and finally the effects of these problems on the buyer, the relationship and the market. The methodology used in this study was as follows: an interpretative research philosophy, an inductive research approach and an exploratory research strategy. Semi-structured interviews were found to be the most appropriate method of data collection because they enabled the researcher to gather valid and reliable data. The research model involved all the components affecting the buyer and supplier relationship. These components were categorized and classified in a meaningful way, describing the flow of the relationship from the research perspective in terms of testing the effect of each component in the relationship between buyer and supplier in general and its effect on the category to which it belongs. The data was collected from purchasing employees on the buyers’ side and sales employees on the suppliers’ side. The total number of participating buyer and supplier firms was 57, distributed across manufacturing and service industries. The first data collection phase involved all the buyer data and the second following up, reviewing and completing the data that the researcher thought had been missed during the first phase of interviews, and which needed to be explained more fully by the interviewees. This phase also involved collecting all the supplier data. 40 interviews were conducted to collect buyer data within three months. The 40 interviews involved 88 recorded hours, and each buyer discussed 4 relationships (not necessarily 4 different types of relationship), resulting in a total of 64 market exchange, 30 captive buyer, 22 strategic relationship and 44 captive supplier relationships, accounting for the total of 160 different types of relationships across the 40 different buyers. Supplier data was collected by conducting 17 interviews within 27 days. The 17 interviews involved 34 recorded hours. While the researcher was analyzing the data collected, a special case in market exchange relationship was found. In this case, buyers preferred to deal with suppliers under a captive buyer relationship though the relationship characteristics were market exchange relationship because of their interests. The researcher also found that Saudi firms are the same as other firms in the rest of the world. They are trying to maximize their competitiveness in the market by improving product or service quality and speed of delivery, reducing product or service costs and enhancing decision making efficiency. Additionally, it was found that relationship incentives, arising from buyer wishes or compulsory reasons, create any one of the buyer and supplier relationship types, which were other than what has been mentioned in the outsourcing reasons in the literature. In addition, the researcher also found that relationship incentives might cause problems, so the buyer should be more careful with them. Additionally, there are also other causes that might create agency problems than those mentioned in previous studies. At the same time, it was observed that there are new control mechanisms, not previously discussed in the literature. The study found that the outsourcing relationship is affected negatively, and there are other effects than those mentioned in the literature by Tezuka (1997). In addition, the researcher found that because of the ‘agency’ system in Saudi Arabia its economy is affected negatively. Finally, the original research conceptual model was found applicable to all types of relationship.

Las indicaciones de origen geográfico están reguladas por un cúmulo de disposiciones normativas de diversa procedencia (internacional, regional y estatal), y por tanto, no es de extrañar que hayan despertado el interés de diferentes sectores del ordenamiento jurídico. El presente análisis, lejos de realizar un examen normativo completo, es decir, comprensivo de la total normativa internacional y regional relacionada con las indicaciones de origen geográfico, ostenta unos límites más modestos, toda vez que pretende examinar únicamente los preceptos dedicados a la tutela de las indicaciones de origen geográfico desde la perspectiva del Derecho sobre la Competencia Desleal en los acuerdos internacionales que las contemplan, esto es, analizarlas simultáneamente bajo la perspectiva del modelo tradicional de la propiedad intelectual que comprende el Convenio de la Unión de París, y bajo la perspectiva del modelo actual comprendido en el Acuerdo sobre los ADPIC y en los Convenios Bilaterales de nueva generación. / Indications of geographical origin are regulated by a host of regulatory requirements from various sources (international, regional and state), and therefore, no wonder they have attracted interest from various sectors of the legal system. This analysis, far from comprehensive regulatory examination, that is, understanding of the total international and regional regulations related to indications of geographical origin, holds more modest limits, all while attempting to consider only the precepts dedicated to the protection of indications of geographical origin from the perspective of the Unfair Competition law in international agreements that provide for them, that is, simultaneously analyzed from the perspective of the traditional model of intellectual property which includes the Paris Union Convention, and under the current model perspective included in the TRIPS Agreement and the Bilateral Agreements of new generation.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references.

Firms are central to the functioning of the economy. Ever since Smith (1838) and Coase (1937), economists have gone a long way trying to understand why firms exist, how they are organized, and how they interact through the market.This thesis contributes to the study of how regulation and market incentives can affect firm decisions and their organization. / Doctorat en Sciences économiques et de gestion / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The implementation of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act of 1996 resulted in the deregulation of the South African fruit industry in October 1997. This led to independent decision-making regarding the marketing of export products by a host of deciduous fruit producers and exporters. No longer were the producers controlled by a monopoly. The deregulation challenged the inflexible single-channel fruit pooling marketing structure of the past and exposed domestic producers and exporters to the competitive global fruit market. By implication this translated into a need to become globally competitive in the interest of growing market share. The focus of this new marketing system is to give the producer the opportunity to export high quality fruit and earn an associated premium for his products, and to strengthen his brand and reputation through these efforts. The deregulation also provided the opportunity for independent fruit growers to influence the optimisation of the value chain, in the interest of lower costs and improved customer service. The market has since changed from supply (stock "push") to demand driven (stock "pull"). It is now imperative that the various producers and exporters provide an efficient supply chain in order to satisfy the end user demands. A consequence of this would be the increase in deciduous fruit quality as a determinant of decidU<;ms fruit demand. Market research was conducted to determine the impact that deregulation has had on South Africa's deciduous fruit industry and to establish the degree to which Portnet should transform to accommodate this changing and deregulated environment. In summary, deregulation has created many opportunities for South African fruit producers and exporters in the domestic and international markets. The only impediment is whether the new logistical structures will be able to reduce costs and improve profit margins, particularly now that economies of scale have been dissipated. Customer service may improve, but at what cost? / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die implementering van die Bemarkingswet van Landbouprodukte in 1996 het gelei tot die deregulering van die Suid-Afrikaanse vrugtebedryf in Oktober 1997. Die gevolg hiervan was die onafhanklike besluitneming ten opsigte van die bemarking van uitvoerprodukte deur 'n groep sagtevrugteprodusente en -uitvoerders. Die produsente is nie langer deur 'n monopolie beheer nie. Die deregulering het die onbuigbare een-kanaal vrugtebemarkingstruktuur van die verlede opsy geskuif en binnelandse produsente en uitvoerders die geleentheid gebied om deel te word van die kompeterende intemasionale vrugtemark. Dit het by implikasie aanleiding gegee tot 'n behoefte om intemasionaal mededingend te wees in die belang van 'n groeiende markaandeel. Die fokus van hierdie nuwe bemarkingstelsel is om die produsent die geleentheid te gee om hoe kwaliteit vrugte uit te voer en die meegaande hoe premie vir sy produkte te verdien, asook om sy handelsmerk en reputasie sodoende te vestig. Die deregulasie het ook die onafhanklike vrugteprodusente die geleentheid gegee om seggenskap in die optimisering van die waardeketting te kry wat tot laer koste en verbeterde klientediens gelei het. Sedertdien het die mark verander vanaf 'n aanbodmark na 'n vraaggedrewe mark. Dit is nou uiters belangrik dat die verskillende produsente en uitvoerders 'n effektiewe voorsieningsnetwerk skep om in die eindverbruikers se behoeftes te voorsien. Die gevolg sou 'n toename in die gehalte van sagtevrugte wees, wat weer belangrike determinant van die sagtevrugte vraag is. Marknavorsing is gedoen om die impak van die deregulasie op die Suid-Afrikaanse sagtevrugtebedryfvas te stel. Wat ook vasgestel moes word, was die mate waartoe Portnet moet transformeer om in die veranderde en gedereguleerde omgewing te funksioneer. Om op te som, deregulering het verskeie geleenthede vir Suid-Afrika se vrugteprodusente en uitvoerders in die binnelandse en intemasionale markte geskep. Die enigste vraag is of die nuwe logistieke strukture wel koste sal verminder en winsmarges sal verhoog, veral noudat skaalvoordele nie meer van toepassing is nie. Klientediens sal verbeter, maar teen watter koste?