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Competitive advantage is crucial for a business to be sustainable, yet many small- and medium-sized enterprises are not engaging in supplier development in order to achieve a competitive advantage. This empirical study was conducted on a sample of 64 small- and medium-sized enterprises in the manufacturing industry in Kempton Park, Gauteng. The factors that influence engagement in supplier development were analysed to assess whether supplier development can lead to competitive advantage and other benefits. The findings indicate that supplier development can create and improve competitive advantage, as well as lead to other benefits. Four factors were found to have a relationship with supplier development, and therefore could influence the decision to take part in supplier development. Small- and medium-sized enterprises can use tools such as supplier development in order to be competitive and have an advantage over their competitors. The awareness of operational performance measures, competitive advantage, judgment of the absence or existence of trust, and a buyer’s relative power can all influence participation in supplier development.

LL.M. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The South African automotive industry has been identified as an important influence on the economy of South Africa. In particular, it plays a role in job creation in a country with high unemployment rates. However, being linked to a global industry, its competitive position and future relevance have come into question on numerous occasions. After a period of isolation and protection, the local industry had to enter global competition. The competitive playing field had suddenly widened from companies competing locally amongst each other for local market share, to competing globally for international sales. In addition it was found that competition was not only limited to opposing brands but also existed within the subsidiaries of the same brand. The reason for this was the existence of overcapacity in the manufacturing facilities internationally. Coupled with this, most of the dominant vehicle manufacturers were creating more capacity in developing markets to support demand as well as to benefit from cheaper resources. There are of course many influencing factors on the competitive position of such an important industry. The value chain has been identified as a tool to analyse and compare the activities within rival businesses or industry role players. Two primary activities within the value chain are inbound logistics and outbound logistics. The objective of the research was to investigate the influence of inbound and outbound logistics on the competitiveness of the South African automotive industry. A literature review created the conceptual framework for the research. It was necessary to discuss the automotive industry in a global sense to understand the history and trends of the development within the industry. It was also necessary to understand the South African automotive industry within this context to identify its place and relevance in global terms. It was found that, although important to the local economy, the local industry was not a dominant force to be reckoned with and was in fact being over taken by many of its competitors. Part of this investigation was spent on the development of the local industry in a protected environment and what it meant for the growth of local content and exports. This was also important as the component manufacturers based in South Africa need critical mass to create an efficient platform to be globally competitive. It was found that historic development programmes did not do much to improve this aspect but there is optimism about the latest programme which promotes an increase in production volumes. The state of logistics in South Africa was critically analysed to understand the influence it has on the automotive industry. It was found that although the logistics infrastructure within South Africa is the best in Africa, it is behind the standards of its competitors. This is influencing the automotive industry as a result of inadequate rail infrastructure. The reason for this was that most of the freight which was being transported by road would be more efficiently transported by rail. The cost of logistics was also found to be high in South Africa and skills were also a concern to improve the current situation. A research questionnaire was created from the findings of the literature review. The questionnaire formed the primary research tool for this study. The sample was identified as respondents from vehicle assemblers and component manufacturers who would have sufficient knowledge of this topic. It was found that inbound and outbound logistics costs formed a relatively large component of total costs. The high levels of imported parts being used as well as export levels added to the logistics costs. This also caused uneconomical inventory levels as stock needed to be kept for longer periods before being replenished. The respondents were also aware of the fact that rail would improve the situation if the infrastructure was sufficient. The respondents seemed to be of the opinion that the skills of the employees responsible for logistics were not a major influencing factor and that logistics service providers were in addition, not creating an overwhelming cost improvement. The incentive programmes were also not seen to be doing much to address the influence of logistics on the automotive industry.

The South African economy and especially its retail environment are continuously experiencing the impact of globalisation. The continuous expansions of large public retail businesses that consist of numerous chain stores are evident in both the local and international arena. South Africa has witnessed large amounts of foreign direct investment (FDI) invested into its retail sector. The above mentioned facts hold a serious challenge for small and medium retail businesses in South Africa (SMEs). In order for SME retail businesses to stay competitive against these global retail businesses, it needs to be able to withstand the competition in the environment it operates. This is not always an easy challenge given the limited access to resources that the majority of SME businesses have access to. This study presents how South African SME retail businesses can remain competent and profitable in spite of serious competition from large retail businesses of both local and international origin. In order to suggest recommendations for South African SME retail businesses to be more competent in relation to large retail businesses, the researcher identified some areas of improvement, which is perceived to be the most important for enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs. These variables include uniqueness, entrepreneurial leadership, cost effectiveness, technology and quality management. These variables were researched to understand how they affect SME retail businesses and where tested using quantitative analysis to ascertain if managers and owners of SME retail businesses believed that these variables would help them to improve the level of competitiveness in relation to large retail businesses. The results indicated that SME owners and managers felt that uniqueness, entrepreneurial leadership, cost effectiveness, technology and quality management all contributes to the competitiveness of their business. Empirical evidence shows that owners and managers of SME retail business felt that all of the above factors will result in their SME retail business being more competitive as compared to large retail businesses. The former will lead to better chances of success which again are most likely to lead to increased probability.

Study project (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The exponential growth of the Internet in the 1990's has seen the advent of buying and selling products and services over the Internet. While buying and selling over the Internet has grown dramatically, so has been the failure of ventures that were started to sell goods or services over the Internet. To make sense of the confusion, the challenge is to assess the strategic thinking behind business on the Internet, and to examine how a successful implementation of e-business could be related to the classic strategic analysis tools of Michael Porter. To make the study more relevant to the South African situation, the main objective of the study is to arrive at a practicai set of guidelines that managers of South African companies can use to assess the strategic impact of e-business on their company. To realise the main objective, and to arrive at a sound theoretical background to the research problem, a literature study presents the worldwide view of researchers regarding the strategic impacts of e-business. The findings are as follows: • E-business leads to more intense competition. As more transactions take place electronically, transaction costs as well as profits are expected to decrease. As a result of decreased margins, higher levels of market competition can ultimately lead to cost cutting strategies and the need for increased production efficiency. • E-business allows companies to save communication cost and to improve the efficiency of the value chain. This impacts the relationship with suppliers and customers, and cost savings are found especially in procurement, distribution and seiling. • Improved linkages in the value chain can result in cooperative, long-term relations, ana ultimately strategic relationships, integrated processes and outsourcing. The role of intermediaries is redefined as a result, towards the areas of matching, facilitation and regulatory functions. An empirical field investigation is conducted, where the competitive forces and value chain modeis are quantified as a set of ordinai levei attributes. Based on the literature study, the impact of e-business is then defined as a set of expected changes to the attributes of the two models. A survey questionnaire is designed, where respondents indicate the impact of e-business on their company as a set of increases and decreases to the constituents of the five forces and value chain models. Finally, responses to the survey are compared with predicted values to determine the impact of e-business on South African companies. Empirical research reveals that industry attractiveness is not materially affected by ebusiness: Surprisingly, the threat of new entrants is decreased, and the bargaining power of buyers can be also be reduced in certain conditions, but other competitive forces yieid no positive result. The rules of competition are therefore not impacted to the extent that there are new sources of competitive advantage, although the overall result is more favourable than expected. Systematic increases to the value add and outsourcing of value chain activities, on the other hand, show that e-business can enhance the eXisting competitive advantage of a business by improving process efficiency and reducing communication costs. The results of the empirical research are used to provide some practical conclusions and recommendations. In brief, e-business should be seen as a channel that enhances an existing offering, and not as a new source of competitive advantage. From an operational perspective, e-business can make processes more efficient, and reduce communication, information gathering as well as transaction costs. Rapid feedback and real-time information can increase the rate of innovation and differentiate services, especially through partner networks. Keywords: E-business, Internet, strategy, information, technology, competition, competitive forces, value chain. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die eksponensiële groeitempo van die Internet in die 1990's het die koop en verkoop van produkte én dienste op die Internet meegebring. Terwyl handelop die Internet dramaties toegeneem het, het die hoeveelheid mislukte besighede ooreenkomstig gestyg. Ten einde sin te maak van dié verwarrende prentjie, is die uitdaging om die strategiese denke onderliggend aan besigheid op die Internet the bepaal, en dan af te lei hoe die implementering van 'n suksesvolle e-besigheid verband hou met die klassieke strategiese analise-modelle van Michael Porter. Om die studie meer van toepassing op Suid Afrika te maak, sal die hoofdoel wees om praktiese riglyne te vind wat Suid-Afrikaanse bestuurders in staat sal stelom die strategiese impak van ebesigheid op hulle onderskeie maatskappye te bepaal. Ten einde die hoofdoel te verwesenlik, en om 'n grondige teorietiese raamwerk vir die navorsingsprobleem te bewerkstellig, word die werk van navorsers regoor die wêreld in 'n literatuurstudie aangebied om 'n algemene indruk te kry van waar ebesigheid die aard van kompetisie sal beïnvloed. Die bevindinge is soos volg: • E-besigheid lei to verhoogde kompetisie. Soos meer transaksies elektronies plaasvind, word verwag dat transaksiekoste sowel as winste sal afneem. Laer winsgrense kan lei tot hoër vlakke van mededinging, wat uiteindelik strategieë van kostebesnyding en verhoogde effektiwiteit tot gevolg kan hê. • E-besigheid stel maatskappye in staat om op kommunikasiekoste te bespaar, en om die effektiwiteit van die waardeketting te verhoog. Dit lei tot nuwe verhoudings met verskaffers en kliënte, en uiteindelik tot kostebesparings veral in aankope, verspreiding en verkope. • Verbeterde koppelings in die waardeketting kan samewerking en langermyn besigheidsverhoudings tot gevolg hê, en gevolglik tot strategiese verhoudings, geïntegreerde prosesse, sowel as ontbondeling van sekere besigheidsaktiwiteite lei. Die rol van tussengangers word as gevolg hiervan herdefinieer, en beweeg stelselmatig daarna om bloot kopers en verkopers te verbind, sowel as om fasilitering en regulatoriese funksies te vervul. 'n Empiriese veldondersoek word uitgevoer, waar die kompeterende kragte en waardekettingmodelle gekwantifiseer word as 'n stelordinale elemente. Gebaseer op die literatuurstudie, word die impak van e-besigheid dan gedefinieer as 'n stel verwagte veranderinge in die elemente wat die twee modelle verteenwoordig. 'n gestruktureerde vraelys word daaruit ontwerp, waar respondente die impak van ebesigheid op hulle maatskappye aandui as 'n stel verhogings en verlagings van die elemente van die kompeterende kragte en waardekettingmodelle. Die uiteinde is 'n statistiese vergelyking van die antwoorde op die vraelys met die verstekwaardes aangedui deur die werke in die literatuurstudie, wat dan gebruik word om die impak van e-besigheid op Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye te bepaal. Empiriese navorsing dui aan dat die aantreklikheid van 'n industrie nie veel beïnvloed word deur e-besigheid nie. Verbasend genoeg word die bedreiging van nuwe kompeteerders verlaag, en in sekere gevalle kan die onderhandelingskrag van kopers ook verlaag word, maar die oorblywende kragte lewer nie 'n positiewe resultaat nie. Die reëls van kompetisie word dus nie tot die mate beïnvloed dat daar geheel en al nuwe vorme van kompeterende voordeelonstaan nie, hoewel die algehele uitkoms meer positief is as wat in die literatuurstudie aangedui is. Sistematiese verhogings in beide die waardetoevoeging en ontbondeling van waardeketting-aktiwiteite, aan die ander kant, dui aan dat e-besigheid die bestaande kompeterende voordeel van 'n maatskappy kan verhoog deur die effektiwiteit van prosesse te verhoog en kommunikasiekoste te verlaag. Die voorafgaande empiriese resultate word gebruik om sekere praktiese gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings te maak. Kortliks behoort e-besigheid gesien te word as 'n nuwe kanaal wat 'n bestaande produk kan verstewig, en nie as 'n totaal nuwe bron van kompeterende voordeel nie. Operasioneel kan e-besigheid prosesse meer effektief maak, en ook kommunikasie, inligtinginsamelings- en transaksiekoste verlaag. Vinnige terugvoer, sowel as oombliklike toegang tot inligting, kan die innoveringstempo verhoog en dienste differensieer, veral deur 'n netwerk van vennote. Sleutelterme: E-besigheid, Internet, strategie, inligting, tegnologie, kompetisie, kompeterende kragte, waardeketting.

Dissertation (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: At the beginning of the 1990s, the South African textile industry faced many challenges, including the dismantling of protective barriers, requiring firms to adapt to increased foreign competition in the local and global markets. Many opted for investment in new technology. This study set out to analyse the behaviour of South African textile firms in the process of introducing new technology in pursuit of competitiveness. The analysis was conducted following the evolutionary approach in economics (discussedin Chapter 2). This approach incorporates time, pays attention to the deliberate actions of firms to shape their environment, as well as persistent diversity amongst firms. This study asked two broad questions. First, what were the major trends in textiles regarding technology, demand-side factors, the trade regime, etc.? (Chapter3). Chapter 3 sets the scene for the rest of the study in that it illustrates how the competitive environment of textile firms has changed and argues that the aggregate picture is often not a true reflection of the dynamics of the industry, thus paving the way for micro-level analysis of firms and institutions. Secondly, what were the subsequent responsesby textile firms and institutions to these changes?This question is investigated for the global textile industry (Chapter 3), the South African, Italian and Mauritian textile industries (Chapters 4 and 5), and for specific firms in the South African textile industry (Chapters 6 and 7). Institutions play an important role in shaping the development of industries, just as firms in an industry may influence institutions. The role of institutions in the South African textile industry is considered in Chapter 5, which serves as background to Chapter 6, where we enquire about the significance of these institutions from the firms' perspective. The central focus of Chapter 6, however, is on the processof acquisition and implementation of new technology in South African textile firms. The implications of this process for other strategies, organisational processes, competencies, and routines are also analysed. Basedon the outcome of the firm-level analysis, three categories of firms are distinguished, namely leading firms, moderate adapters, and laggards. Using the characteristics of the firms in each category, we select three firms to pursue further in case studies. Chapter 7 presents the results of these case studies. Although the main focus of our study is on the implementation of new technology, we want to illustrate in this chapter how the successof this process critically depends on factors such as an appropriate organisational structure, the competencies of management and labour, as well as the institutions in the industry. We further highlight the important role that individuals, such as entrepreneurs, play in shaping the paths of firms, their relationships with institutions, suppliers, and customers, and even the structure of the industry. We conclude that investing in new technology is a necessary but not sufficient strategy for successful rejuvenation of firms in a mature industry. Complementary changes, such as in organisational structure, use of human resources, and supply-chain relations, are of crucial importance, too (Chapter 8). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Aan die begin van die 1990s het die Suid-Afrikaanse tekstielbedryf menige uitdagings (soos die aftakeling van beskermingsmaatreëls) in die gesig gestaar, wat hulle gedwing het om meer doeltreffend in die plaaslike en globale markte te word. Hierdie studie ontleed die gedrag van ondernemings in die tekstielbedryf in die proses van verkryging en implementering van nuwe tegnologie ten einde mededingingendheid te bevorder. Die studie volg die evolusionêre benadering, wat tyd inbou en aandag skenk aan doelbewuste aksies deur maatskappye om hulle omgewing te beïnvloed, asook volgehoue diversiteit tussen maatskappye (Hoofstuk 2). Die studie het twee breë vrae gestel. Eerstens, is daar gekyk na die belangrikste tendense t.O.V. tegnologiese veranderinge, vraagkantfaktore, handelsregulasies, ensovoorts, in die tekstielbedryf (Hoofstuk 3). Hoofstuk 3 skets die struktuur vir die res van die studie deur die veranderinge in die omgewing waarbinne tekstielmaatskappye meeding uit te lig, maar ook deur aan te toon dat die globale prentjie nie altyd 'n ware refleksie van die dinamiek van 'n nywerheid is nie, omdat soveel diversiteit daardeur verbloem kan word. Hierdie argument is dus ten gunste van verdere mikrovlak analise van ondernemings en instellings. Tweedens word gevra watter reaksies op hierdie veranderinge daar van ondernemings en instellings se kant af was. Hierdie vraag word ondersoek vir die globale tekstielbedryf (Hoofstuk 3), die Suid-Afrikaanse en Italiaanse tekstielbedrywe, asook die bedryf in Mauritius (Hoofstuk 4 en 5). Verder word die vraag vir spesifieke Suid-Afrikaanse ondernemings in Hoofstukke 6 en 7 bestudeer. Instellings speel 'n belangrike rol in die ontwikkeling van nywerhede, net soos ondernemings in nywerhede ook instellings kan beïnvloed. Die rol van instellings in die Suid-Afrikaanse tekstielbedryf word in Hoofstuk 5 behandel, deels as agtergrond vir Hoofstuk 6 waar die belangrikheid van instellings uit die ondernemings se oogpunt van naderby beskou word. Die hooffokus van Hoofstuk 6 is egter die verkryging en implementering van nuwe tegnologie in Suid-Afrikaanse tekstielmaatskappye. Die implikasies wat hierdie proses vir ander strategieë, organisatoriese prosesse, vaardighede en roetines van die ondernemings inhou, word ook bestudeer. Voortvloeiend uit die ondernemingsvlakanalise, word drie kategorieë van ondernemings onderskei, naamlik leiers, middelmatige aanpassers en sloerders. Op grond van die kenmerke van die ondernemings in elkeen van die kategorieë is drie maatskappye vir verdere ontleding in gevallestudies gekies (Hoofstuk 7). Alhoewel die hooffokus van die studie die implementering van nuwe tegnologie is, illustreer ons ook in Hoofstuk 7 dat die proses sterk beïnvloed word deur faktore soos die organisatoriese struktuur, die vaardighede van die bestuur en werkers, sowel as die instellings in die industrie. Ons beklemtoon verder die belangrike rol wat individue, soos entrepreneurs, speel t.O.V. die ontwikkelingstrajek van ondernemings, sowel as die verwantskappe wat ondernemings met verskaffers, instellings en klante opbou. Aksies deur individue beïnvloed in die finale instansie ook die struktuur van die industrie. Ons gevolgtrekking is dat investering in nuwe tegnologie 'n noodsaaklike maar nie voldoende strategie vir die suksesvolle vernuwing van ondernemings in 'n volwasse nywerheid is nie. Komplementêre veranderinge, byvoorbeeld in die organisatoriese struktuur, die benutting van arbeid, en verhoudings in die verskaffingsnetwerk, is ook van kernbelang.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering. 19 September 2016. / High manufacturing competitiveness in South Africa has the potential to contribute towards mitigating the poor economic performance and high unemployment rate prevailing in the country. However, manufacturing competitiveness is lacking, majorly due to labour productivity issues that are idiosyncratic to South Africa. One of the dilemmas is how to increase manufacturing productivity without major capitalisation, as doing so usually leads to redundancy and retrenchment of employees. A possible solution is to implement manufacturing performance improvement programmes without major capital investment (or capital-labour substitution). Although various programmes exist and are successful elsewhere in the world, these have been found to fail in South African firms due to implementation challenges. This study assesses the results from implementing a manufacturing performance improvement programme called Integrated Work Systems (IWS) in a South African factory of a multinational company (ABC). IWS has already proven successful in the multinational’s factories in other parts of the world. The study aims to determine the critical success-factors and develop a framework for the successful implementation of such a programme in South Africa. Implementation of IWS in ABC SA’s factory was found to be successful in delivering breakthrough results in efficiency and throughput. Critical success-factors established through surveying relevant employees and management in ABC SA were related to the timing and planning of the programme, standardisation of work, regular reviewing and use of leading KPIs, having specific implementation resources and the nature of leadership involvement. The critical success-factors found in ABC SA’s implementation were used as a basis for presenting a framework to guide practitioners in implementing manufacturing improvement programmes that aim to deliver higher levels of sustainable performance and improved shop-floor culture. / MT2017

Organisations in South Africa are facing many local and global pressures for reconfiguration through various interventions that encourage global integration and competitiveness, and simultaneously aim to promote social redress and empowerment of the previously disadvantaged in the region. Organisations are required to achieve global competitiveness and economic success, as well as simultaneously allow for redistribution. The aim of the research reported on here, was to explore the influences of local and global trends on the structures and practices of organisations. Questions were asked about the imperatives behind these dynamics specifically those of global competitiveness and local redress, as well as the feasibility of realising these apparently contradictory demands. This was done through a case study of the Monte Vista Hollywood and Sugar Mill Casinos in KwaZulu-Natal, and a comparison with U.S. Indian Reservation casinos. The research findings showed that the responses to the global pressures of competitiveness and local pressures of social redress used by the two casinos, were at times contradictory, questioning whether the industry would have the envisaged positive impacts of economic growth and social redistribution. However, clear answers to these were not forthcoming due to the lack of reliable information, suggesting further research into the topic. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

The South African Automotive industry has been one that has enjoyed the subsidies schemes like the Motor Industry Development Program (MIDP), and in the near future the Automotive Production Development Program (APDP). There are however different schools of thought when it comes to subsidies for an industry. One is that there should be no incentives when others are for the schemes, which one is best for the growing economy of a young democratic and highly unemployed nation? Looking at the next planned incentive scheme to be introduced to replace the MIDP, the APDP is it better than the MIDP? How are these schemes going to benefit the country in the future and will they exist for as long as we have the Auto industry in South Africa? The objective is to prompt those in political power and positions capable of influencing infrastructure changes to think long term when making decisions today that will affect future generations. Future generations should be able to benefit from future technologies of the day and not be hindered by the lack of improved and capable infrastructure.