Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Information Technology in the Faculty of Informatics and Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology / In both developed and developing countries, small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) play a role in the economic growth of the country. The number of SMMEs and the contribution they make to national economies have been growing rapidly in recent years. The concept of trade globalisation has accelerated during this period from a national perspective to reaching international dimensions. This period is therefore a clear indicator for entrepreneurs to be more aware of new opportunities. In today’s information age it is important not only to obtain information, but also to use information effectively to create value. Information technology (IT) increases the importance of information. SMMEs need to consider IT as an important factor to achieve success in globalisation, competitiveness and innovation. Although some SMMEs use IT efficiently to improve their business and value adding processes to create a competitive advantage, SMMEs in Turkey do not effectively leverage their IT to create this advantage. This leads to low productivity among SMMEs and a subsequent low contribution to the Turkish economy. The aim of this research is to explore the challenges of adopting IT within Turkish SMMEs and the ways in which Turkish SMMEs can use IT to gain a competitive advantage. The research focuses on the importance of IT in the insurance sector in order to propose a set of guidelines to small insurance service providers on how to utilise IT to create a competitive advantage in their enterprises. The research objectives are to investigate the challenges of IT adoption and determine what role IT plays in creating a competitive advantage in Turkish SMMEs. This research consists of two basic components: firstly a qualitative methodology is used which includes employing a literature analysis, and secondly an empirical study is conducted which consists of primary research and interviews to collect data through an interview questionnaire. Qualitative data is collected from 25 SMME owners and managers in Southern Turkey through semi-structured interviews. Data is analysed using descriptive qualitative analysis. The research indicates a low usage level of IT software products by SMMEs because IT is not seen as an important tool to create a competitive advantage. Although IT enables the integration of business processes when used effectively, most SMMEs do not tap into the capabilities IT has to offer. The most common barrier for SMMEs wanting to use IT in their businesses is the high cost of IT adoption. Although there are free IT software products available for SMMEs and funding is provided by the government and other institutions, SMMEs seems not to be aware of this. The research suggests that the effective use of IT has a positive impact on SMMEs. IT provides enhanced product development and service quality to cultivate an improved level of productivity in SMMEs, and this enables SMMEs to secure a competitive advantage. As a result of using IT, SMMEs provide increased employment, grow their production, and make a significant contribution to the national economy. The outcome of the research is a set of guidelines to assist SMMEs in focusing on IT adoption and the effective use of IT to gain a competitive advantage. The research provides an improved understanding of how SMMEs adopt IT in order to gain this advantage. The challenges facing SMMEs wishing to adopt IT include a lack of information and resources to explore opportunities for IT adoption, managerial ignorance of IT, and a lack of qualified staff.

A análise de custos tradicional apenas estuda os impactos financeiros das alternativas de decisão. Mas dentro de um ambiente de concorrência ágil, globalizada e cada vez mais acirrada, a obtenção de vantagens competitivas sustentáveis torna-se fundamental e portanto, os elementos estratégicos devem ser agregados aos dados de custos. Os conceitos de dinamismo, vantagens competitivas, competências essenciais, acabam possibilitando novas concepções de arranjos organizacionais tais como as redes de cooperação de empresas denominadas Empresas Virtuais (EV), e se constituem em enfoques dos mais importantes. Também o conceito de estratégia, principalmente aplicado a gestão de custos/lucros é uma realidade trazida pelo novo contexto global. A aplicação da Gestão Estratégica de Custos (Strategic Cost Managemant - SCM) e de suas ferramentas está associada a todas as atividades das empresas, especialmente àquelas relacionadas com a gestão de custos e lucros. É objetivo deste trabalho estudar e discutir os critérios de funcionamento de um modelo de Gestão Estratégica de Custos e as possibilidades de sua aplicação em Empresas Virtuais. A meta é a obtenção de conclusões e conhecimento a cerca da administração de custos de uma maneira estratégica para o setor de Empresas Virtuais. / The tradicional cost analysis only studies the financial consequences of alternative decisions. But in a environment of agile, globalizated and even more stronger competion, the obtention of sustenable competitive advantages becomes fundamental, thus the strategic elements must be aggregated with cost information. With the arrival of globalization, comes a new way to see the firm's environment and to operate inside it. The concepts of dinamism, competitive advantage, core competences, make possible new structures, for example, the cooperation networks called virtual organizations, and they are answers to the new managemant challenges. The organizations with tecnology basis, just their agility, have a profile to actuate in virtual organizations. The concept of strategie, specially the one related with costs, is coming by the globalization too. The aplication of Strategic Cost Managemant (SCM) and their instruments is associated with all of the organization's activities, specially, the one related with cost managemant. It's convenient study and discuss the operation rules of a strategic cost managemant model and the possibilities of aplication in virtual organizations.

Este trabalho analisa o posicionamento estratégico de duas grandes redes pertencentes ao ramo varejista de bens duráveis: Lojas Colombo e Magazine Luiza, no intuito de identificar através de informações coletadas em entrevistas, reportagens das principais revistas e jornais, como estas empresas buscam obter vantagens competitivas num cenário altamente concorrido como o atual. A análise usa como referencial teórico as idéias de posicionamento estratégico de M. Porter e a exploração de vantagens de custos e benefícios para obtenção de vantagens competitivas e melhor posicionamento no mercado. O referencial escolhido mostrou-se bastante útil para entender as escolhas de estratégia das empresas estudadas. As análises realizadas com base em informações obtidas levaram ao entendimento que as Lojas Colombo têm como foco de atuação a competição por benefícios, optando pela diferenciação. Já o Magazine Luiza tem um posicionamento estratégico voltado para a competição por custos, considerando os mesmos critérios de avaliação para as duas empresas. / This paper examines strategic positioning applied to two well-established rival Brazilian companies that belong to retail trade market of durable goods. We collected information from newspapers and magazines in order to identify how those companies obtain competitive advantages in such a dynamic today’s market scenario. Our analysis is based on M. Porter's ideas of strategic positioning and competitive advantages in cost and benefits, focusing on how to achieve a better position in the local market. Porter's theory turned out to be the best choice for understanding these company approaches. As a result we found out different initiatives between the two studied chains. The first one, called Lojas Colombo, focuses on competitive benefits while the second, called Magazine Luiza, establishes competitive costs. We considered the same assessment criteria for both companies.

L’objet de cette thèse est de déterminer la présence d’avantages concurrentiels dans les marchés des communications électroniques d’Amérique du Sud. Les principaux opérateurs présents dans la région, dont Telefónica et América Móvil, sont entrés dans des conditions favorables au moment de la privatisation de l’industrie au cours des années 1990. A partir du début des années 2010, des changements dans la régulation tendent à rendre les marchés plus concurrentiels. L’évolution des performances dans ce contexte offre l’opportunité d’observer quels sont les opérateurs qui possèdent un avantage concurrentiel, et ceux dont la position découle de conditions d’entrée favorables. Cette thèse est articulée en cinq chapitres. Les deux premiers présentent le contexte institutionnel et l’évolution des marchés des télécommunications dans les trois pays cités. Dans le troisième chapitre, nous établissons que la concurrence dans les trois pays se fait par les infrastructures et s’accompagne d’une différenciation qualitative entre les opérateurs. Afin de déterminer si cette différenciation conduit à des avantages concurrentiels, nous analysons la présence de liens dans l’évolution des marges opérationnelles, et dans la volatilité des retours des actions des opérateurs (quatrième et cinquième chapitres). Nos résultats indiquent qu’il existe des liens à court terme dans l’évolution des marges opérationnelles entre opérateurs présents dans un même pays, ce qui indique une différenciation insuffisante pour s’affranchir des pressions concurrentielles. De plus la volatilité des retours des actions des opérateurs nationaux est nettement supérieure à celle des opérateurs multinationaux. / The purpose of this thesis is to determine the presence of competitive advantages in Latin American Telecommunications markets. Most of major operators present in the region, including Telefónica and América Móvil, entered the market in favorable conditions when the industry was privatized in the early 1990s. In the past ten years markets have become more competitive due to changes inregulation. The analysis of the evolution of operators’ performances in this context allows to distinguish between those having actual competitive advantages and those having a strong market position thanks to their entry strategy. This thesis consists of five chapters. In chapters one and two we analyze the institutional context and the evolution of the telecommunications markets of each country. In chapter three, we determine that competition is characterized by facility-based entry in the three countries, which leads to disparities in terms of quality of service between operators. To determine if these disparities lead to competitive advantages, we test the presence of short and long-term relationships in the evolution of operators’ operating margins, and on stock market returns volatility. Our results indicate the presence of short term relationships in the evolution of operating margins, which suggests that differentiation is not strong enough to escape from competitive pressure. However, stock return volatility is higher among local operators than among multinational operators.

The hotel industry in Stockholm is characterized by intense competition, and within the next couple of years the construction of a number new hotels is planed. As the number of hotels in Stockholm increase, the competition will increase and the importance of having well functioning strategies will become vital. The purpose of this essay is to examine how two hotels within the hotel industry in Stockholm experience and handle the competition. The two hotels that are included in the study are Clarion Hotel Stockholm and Scandic Continental. The essay derives from models and theories that are related to marketing and competition. Our study shows that the perception of competition varies, in addition to the fact that choice of competitive strategies varies dependent on the hotel’s concept. The hotel industry in Stockholm is divided into different areas, depending on which area hotels choose to serve the competitive environment will differ. A hotel with a specific niche will limit its competitors to a narrow number that operate within the same niche. The results of our study show evidence that the competition in the hotel industry in Stockholm is divided, and that this divisional competition will continue to increase as the industry develops. The building of new hotels in the next couple of years will aid the progress of a possible collaboration between the hotels in Stockholm in the future, and thus attract larger meetings and events. / Hotellbranschen i Stockholm kommun präglas av intensiva konkurrensförhållanden, och inom de nästkommande två åren planeras tio nya hotellbyggen i Stockholm kommun. I takt med att nyetableringarna ökar intensifieras konkurrensen mellan aktörerna och det blir allt viktigare att för aktörerna att hitta passande strategier för att hantera den rådande konkurrensen. Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka hur två aktörer inom hotellbranschen i Stockholm kommun uppfattar och hanterar konkurrensen. De aktörer som ingår i undersökningen är Clarion Hotel Stockholm samt Scandic Continental. De teorier och modeller som uppsatsen har utgått ifrån är relaterade till marknadsföring och konkurrens. Vår studie visar att uppfattningen om konkurrens, samt valet av strategier, skiljer sig åt beroende på vilken inriktning hotellen väljer. Hotellbranschen i Stockholm kommun är indelad i olika inriktningar och beroende på vilken inriktning man som aktör väljer att betjäna möts man av skilda konkurrensförhållanden. Ett hotell som väljer en specifik inriktning begränsar sina konkurrenter till ett få antal som är verksamma inom samma område. Resultaten visar tydliga tecken på en splittrad konkurrens inom Stockholm kommun samt att denna splittring troligtvis kommer att fortsätta öka i takt med utvecklingen av branschen. De nyetableringar som kommer att ske de nästkommande åren kommer att underlätta för ett möjligt samarbete mellan hotellen i Stockholm kommun för att locka till sig olika möten, kongresser och evenemang.

Background: Nowadays, logistics service providers face several challenges which create an urge to rethink their strategy to improve their position within the market,decrease their costs and their environmental impact. At the same time theintroduction of autonomous driving potentially has an impact on logistics.Self-driving trucks can help logistics companies to tackle these challenges.However, the implementation of this technology could fundamentally alterthe competitive landscape. Hence, certain competitive advantages currentlyheld by logistics firms might lose their relevance in the future and need tobe adapted to maintain a strong market position. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the perception of self-driving trucks within logistics and the impact on competitive advantages of logistics service providers. Thereby, this thesis will look at experts from Germany and Sweden and their opinion on future implications of self-driving trucks. Method: An inductive research approach is used to explore the topic. A multi-method research strategy is applied to gather data through qualitative semi-structured interviews with 17 participants. These were divided into five different case groups. To interpret the data a thematic analysis approach was chosen. Conclusion: The main contribution is a model representing the impact of autonomous driving on competitive advantages and the implications for the logistics industry. Findings are based on the perception of experts about autonomous driving, current resources and capabilities.

Howden ČKD Compressors s.r.o. is a mechanical engineering company, which manufactures modern high-tech products, particularly industrial compressors, medium and large capacity electric motors and generators. The company provides its customers with complex technical services and supplies spare parts for different types of industrial equipment. The profound experience in manufacturing and business, technological basis, experienced design department and the existence of highly qualified staff help firm to satisfy client's highest requirements. The main objective of this thesis is analysis of present business activities and creating concept of competitive strategy for Russian Federation.

Strategy and IT research has been extensively discussed during the past 40 years. Two scientific disciplines Management Science (MS) and Management Information Science (MIS) investigate the importance of IT as a competitive factor. However, although much research is available in both disciplines, it is still difficult to explain how to manage IT to enable competitive advantages. One reason is that MS research focuses on strategies and competitive environments but avoids the analysis of IT. Another reason is that MIS research focuses on IT as a competitive factor but avoids the analysis of the competitive environment. Consequently, there is a gap of knowledge in the understanding of the strategic management of information technology (SMIT). The strategic analysis of IT as a competitive factor is important for achieving the competitive advantages of IT. This thesis explores factors related to strategy and IT that should be considered for the strategic analysis of IT as a competitive factor, and proposes a framework for SMIT. The research is conducted by means of a qualitative analysis of theoretical data from the disciplines of MS and MIS. Data is explored to find factors related to SMIT. The results of the analysis show that the strategic management of information technology is a continuous process of evaluation, change, and alignment between factors such as competitive environment, competitive strategies (business and IT strategies), competitive outcome, and competitive factors (IT). Therefore, the understanding of the relationships between these factors is essential in order to achieve the competitive advantages of using IT. This thesis contributes to strategic management research by clarifying the relationships between strategic management, competitive environment, and IT as competitive factor into a holistic framework for strategic analysis. The framework proposed is valuable not only for business managers and for IT managers, but also for academics. The framework is designed to understand the relationship between competitive elements during the process of strategic analysis prior to the formulation of competitive strategies. Moreover, it can also be used as a communication tool between managers, in order to achieve alignment among company strategies. To academics, this thesis presents the state-of-the-art related to strategic management research; it can also be a valuable reference for strategic managers, as well as researchers interested in the strategic management of IT. / <p>Report code: LiU-Tek-Lic.2006:53.</p>

The aim is the improvement of the company's strategy Prada Group in the Russian market during the economic crisis and sanctions against Russia. Objectives of the study: - Classify the overall exit strategy of the company to foreign markets; - Identify the features of formation of exit strategies of foreign companies (clothing manufacturers) on the Russian market; - To analyze the conditions of Prada Group; - Identify the forms of interaction Prada Group with Russian companies; - To propose changes in the strategy of Prada Group on economic activity in the conditions of the use of economic sanctions against Russia. The object of investigation is the problem of choosing the right exit strategy Prada Group in the Russian market. The subject of research is the gradual promotion of Prada Group in the Russian market, while analyzing the micro and macro environment in foreign markets, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the company. Scientific novelty of the research is to develop a theoretical and methodological approaches to the analysis and use of strategic decisions for the formation of a package of measures to change the strategy of foreign companies, taking into account characteristics of sectors and risk in the administration of the sanctions measures. Among the most important scientific results that define the scientific novelty and significance of the research, should be highlighted: 1) The proposed steps of forming a marketing strategy yield in emerging markets in the context of globalization; 2) The peculiarities of the Russian clothing market, affecting the output of foreign companies into the market; 3) Develop guidelines for choosing the exit strategy of the company Prada Group in the Russian market. The practical significance of the results of the research is both theoretical and methodological and applied character. The proposed recommendations can be applied at the exit of foreign companies to the Russian market. The work carried out situational analysis to develop marketing strategies exit of foreign companies in the clothing market. / Целью работы является совершенствование стратегии компании Prada Group на российском рынке в условиях экономического кризиса и санкций против России. Задачи исследования: - классифицировать общие стратегии выходы компании на зарубежные рынки; - выявить особенности формирования стратегий выхода зарубежных компаний (производителей одежды) на российский рынок; - проанализировать условия развития Prada Group; - выявить формы взаимодействия Prada Group с российскими компаниями; - предложить изменения в стратегии Prada Group на экономическую деятельность в условиях применения экономических санкций к России. Объектом исследования являются проблема выбора правильной стратегии выхода Prada Group на российский рынок. Предметом исследования выступает поэтапное продвижение Prada Group на российский рынок, анализируя при этом микро- и макроокружения на внешних рынках, а также преимущества и недостатки фирмы. Научная новизна диссертационного исследования состоит в разработке теоретико-методических подходов к анализу и использованию стратегических решений для формирования комплекса мероприятий по изменению стратегии иностранных компаний с учетом особенностей отраслей и рисков в условиях введения санкционных мер. В числе наиболее важных научных результатов, определяющих научную новизну и значимость проведенных исследований, следует выделить: 1) Предложены этапы формирования маркетинговой стратегии выхода компаний на развивающиеся рынки в условиях глобализации; 2) Выявлены особенности российского рынка одежды, влияющие на выход иностранных компаний на данный рынок; 3) Разработаны рекомендации по выбору стратегии выхода компании Prada Group на рынок России. Практическая значимость результатов проведенных исследований носит как теоретико-методический, так и прикладной характер. Предлагаемые рекомендации могут найти применение при выходе иностранных компаний на рынок России. В работе проведен ситуационный анализ для разработки маркетинговых стратегий выхода иностранных компаний на рынок одежды.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-13T14:10:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tiago Gregorie Pinheiro.pdf: 2010463 bytes, checksum: 32296f9e847ae2f5096537b711998231 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-12 / The aim of this work is to analyze the internationalization of Brazilian companies in Angola. Despite the difficulties, there are numerous opportunities for Brazilian companies. This study was based on the theories of institutional gaps, specific advantages of the firm (FSA) and specific advantages of the country of origin (CSA), and the state's role in the internationalization of companies. The study sample consisted of interviews with 12 experts from Brazil-Angola relations. Research results indicate that the Brazilian companies to Angola to have well-defined competitive advantage and, in most cases, go to the African country aimed at exploring the local institutional gaps. However, the perception of the actors involved, Brazilian companies are going to explore institutional gaps, taking advantage of their competitive advantages, they are not supported efficiently by the Brazilian state. Thus, lack a state policy that prioritizes these companies. The findings also indicate that to succeed in business in Angola, it is essential to build partnerships with local actors such as entrepreneurs and especially the government. In this context, a strategic roadmap is suggested to assist Brazilian companies operating in the African country. / O objetivo desta dissertação consiste em analisar a internacionalização de empresas brasileiras para Angola. Apesar das dificuldades, há inúmeras oportunidades para as empresas brasileiras. Este estudo teve como base as teorias de vazios institucionais, vantagens específicas da firma (FSA) e vantagens específicas do país de origem (CSA), além do papel do Estado na internacionalização de empresas. A amostra do estudo foi composta de entrevistas com 12 especialistas das relações Brasil-Angola. Os resultados da investigação apontam que as empresas brasileiras que vão para Angola possuem vantagens competitivas bem definidas e, em sua maioria, vão para o país africano visando explorar os vazios institucionais locais. Porém, na percepção dos atores envolvidos, as empresas brasileiras que estão indo explorar vazios institucionais, se valendo das suas vantagens competitivas, não estão sendo apoiadas eficientemente pelo Estado brasileiro. Assim, falta uma política de Estado que priorize essas empresas. Os achados também indicam que, para ter sucesso nos negócios em Angola, é fundamental construir parcerias com agentes locais como empresários e, sobretudo, o governo. Nesse contexto, é sugerido um roteiro estratégico para auxiliar os empresários brasileiros a operar no país africano.