Globalisation yields numerous challenges and continuous changes in the economic environment, rapid technological advancements, and an increased emphasis on organisational competitiveness. The existing practice in the Telecommunications company relied on conventional recruitment-on-vacancy and training. In 1997, a customer contact research programme was launched to review the specific competencies underlying the full range of customer contact roles, in order to understand the constructs which would underlie effective assessment of people for the role of sales and marketing. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of an assessment battery in a telecommunications company. The assessment battery measures the participants' essential skills, behaviour and performance to bring about critical development action. The Work Profiling System (WPS) and Subject Matter Experts in the Sales Division identified the fifteen competencies. The assessment battery consisted of Ability Tests: Verbal Evaluation (VCC3) and Numerical Evaluation (NCC4), and a personality questionnaire: Customer Contact Styles Questionnaire (CCSQ7.2). The Customer Contact Competency Inventory (CCCI) was electronically administered to the sales representatives' respective managers in 2006, to give objective 360" feedback. The study population (n=97) consisted of sales representatives working in a Telecommunication company. The objectives for this research were to validate the chosen selection battery for the sales representatives, and determine its relation to manager-rated performance. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were carried out to determine whether the independent variables (CCSQ7.2 and Ability Tests) hold any predictive value regarding the dependent variable (CCCI). The results of the regression analyses showed that Verbal Evaluation (VCC3) was a significant predictor of: Convincing, Communicating Orally, Results Driven. Problem Solving and Organisation. Modest (R4) was a significant predictor of Convincing. Participative (R5) was a significant predictor of Problem Solving and Organisation. Overall, it can be stated that there is a significant relationship between the test battery and job performance. The results in this study reflect that correlations between personality, ability and performance were small to moderate. This is lower than expected and what is found in similar international research. This is probably due to the flawed criterion. The results should be used with caution to prevent making a Type I1 error. Recommendations for future research are made. vii / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Personeelvermindering as gevolg van operasionele redes word gelykgestel aan 'n ekonomiese doodstraf, aangesien geaffekteerde werknemers weinig, indien enige skuld het aan hierdie traumatiese ervaring. Die toenemende bekommernis oor hierdie verskynsel en die totstandkoming van mense-en arbeidsregte het dan ook veroorsaak dat hierdie verskynsel op 'n internasionale vlak omsigtig en deeglik benader word deur beide wetgewers en arbeidsorganisasies. Verandering in die wêreld geskied teen 'n snelle pas en vind op alle terreine van die samelewing plaas. Suid-Afrika is onlosmaakbaar deelgemaak van hierdie wêreld en word dus ook blootgestel aan honger internasionale maatskappye wat almal veg vir oorlewing en groter markaandele in 'n globaliserende wêreldekonomie. Dit laat Suid - Afrika met 'n dringende behoefte om meer mededingend te word. Om dit te kan bereik, moet aan die knellende behoefte aan opleiding aandag geskenk word, sowel as aan die skepping van aantreklike internasionale beleggingsgeleenthede. Internasionale beleggers raak gou afgeskrik deur hoë werkloosheid en misdaad, en hier is Suid -Afrika ver agter die Ooste. Die tendens van globalisering en die uitwerking van sekere aspekte daarvan op werkloosheid noodsaak dus dringende fokus op kwellende kwessies, soos: Hoe om werkloosheid te verminder, teenoor die behoefte aan verhoogde produktiwiteit en verbeterde internasionale mededingingsvermoë. Hierdie veranderinge het ook meegebring dat verbruikers, werknemers en die gemeenskap waarin maatskappye besigheid bedryf, uiters sensitief begin word het vir onverantwoordelike optrede van maatskappye teenoor die gemeenskap, die werknemers en die omgewing. Hierdie veranderinge en die gevolge daarvan lei tot 'n groeiende bewustheid van en ernstige behoefte aan korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid. Die waarde hiervan word in 'n al hoe groter mate besef en maatskappye aanvaar hierdie verantwoordelikheid toenemend in alle dimensies van die gemeenskap. Die manier waarop maatskappye met mense omgaan, word direk beïnvloed deur werkspraktyke en korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid het dus 'n fundamentele uitwerking op hoe potensiële hoëgehalte kennis-werkers die maatskappy beskou. Dit word derhalwe al hoe belangriker dat werkgewers die menings van hulle eksterne en interne belangegroepe ernstig opneem, aangesien globalisering besig is om die magsbasis tot voordeel van die werknemers te verskuif. Intussen sal personeelvermindering voortgaan ten spyte van duidelike bewyse dat die langtermynvoordele daarvan verdag is, en dit plaas 'n enorme sosiale verantwoordelikheid op werkgewers. Die goed nagevorste verband tussen misdaad en werkloosheid dui duidelik op die onderprestering van die regering teenoor beloftes wat gemaak is. Dit is juis om dié rede dat die rol van maatskappye in die gemeenskap al hoe meer onlosmaaklik deel van die besigheid word. Die uiteindelike gevolg hiervan is 'n onaanvaarbare hoë misdaadsyfer, wat weer lei tot 'n gebrek aan beleggingsvertroue, wat op sy beurt weer lei tot personeelvermindering. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Sociology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

Many small islands depend on sustainable tourism to attain long term economic prosperity and well-being for their citizens. As they become more dependent on tourism for their growth, they are more concerned with improving their competitiveness to adapt to a highly charged competitive environment and to the dynamic market conditions. The quintessential problem is how to achieve, maintain, and enhance competitiveness. There is limited research on tourism destination competitiveness (TDC), and much less on small island destinations. This study concentrates on TDC with a special focus on Malta as a small Mediterranean island in an attempt to develop a comprehensive TDC framework that is useful to small island destinations, and advances models and measures to assess competitiveness based on importance-performance analysis techniques (IPA). To achieve its research objectives, this study adopts a methodological position reflecting pragmatist assumptions and uses a sequential, exploratory, Mixed Methods design strategy. In the qualitative first phase of the design, thirty-five in-depth interviews are conducted with key ‘experts’ in tourism. It emerges from the participants’ description that sixty tourism-specific and business-related determinants provide a broad framework for assessing TDC. In the second phase, survey research is applied in order to develop quantitative measures to reveal the relative importance of the competitiveness factors, to assess the performance of the destination on these factors, and to identify priority areas that require immediate attention for improvement. Statistical measures and procedures are modified, introduced, and tested to establish a valid model for measuring TDC. Results show that the diagonal approach and the adjusted weighted partial ranking method for measuring importance and performance are the best combination that satisfies validity criteria. When applying these techniques to assess Malta’s competitiveness relative to a competing set of Mediterranean destinations, twelve tourism attributes and fourteen business-related factors are identified as priority areas for improvement, with the competitiveness deficiency gaps in business factors being notably higher than those in tourism-specific areas. This study has several implications for the development of TDC theory, methods, and application to small islands. It provides tourism researchers, policymakers, and practitioners with a theoretically robust framework that can assist them in the formulation of policies, the management of the destination, and the implementation of strategies to optimise resource allocation in order to enhance a destination’s competitive position. Given that there are few studies that focus on the development and measurement of TDC models for small islands, this study makes a valid contribution to knowledge. The methodological approaches adopted in this inquiry have substantive application in IPA studies both within and beyond tourism studies. The study’s outcomes are also transferable to small island destinations operating in similar environments.

經濟全球化帶動了全球服務貿易的發展，使其在各國經濟的地位日漸重要，服務貿易的發展及服務貿易競爭力之分析與研究便成為重要議題。自蘇聯解體以來，俄羅斯服務業逐漸成長，帶動了服務貿易的發展，無論是總量或成長率皆呈現上升趨勢，同時，俄羅斯於2012年加入WTO，更為其服務貿易之發展帶來契機。 　　本研究以質化方法探討俄羅斯服務貿易之發展現況，並分析俄羅斯加入WTO時對服務貿易所作之承諾，最後再以貿易競爭力指標（TC指數）輔以顯示性比較優勢指標（RCA指數），對俄羅斯2006年至2015年之服務貿易競爭力做實證分析。 　　研究結果顯示，這段時間內俄羅斯服務貿易各項主要指標乃由進口所主導，並呈現貿易逆差之局勢；而俄羅斯加入WTO時，對於其發展較落後的服務貿易項目如金融服務設定有較多的保護措施及年限，對於其發展較佳之服務貿易項目如運輸服務則開放較多。此外，在服務貿易競爭力方面，俄羅斯整體服務貿易國際競爭力與出口競爭力皆偏弱，且在傳統服務貿易產業上較具有比較優勢。其中，商品相關服務及運輸服務是俄羅斯較具國際競爭力之項目，營造服務則具有較佳之出口競爭力；此外，金融服務、專利及知識產權服務則是俄羅斯國際競爭力最弱之項目。 / Economic globalization has furthered the development of trade in services around the world, such that it has come to play an increasingly important role in national economies. Therefore, the development and competitiveness of trade in services has become an important issue to be analyzed and researched. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the constant growth of the service sector has led to the development of trade in services, which has an upward trend both in total volume and growth rate. Meanwhile, the accession of Russia to the WTO in 2012 has brought even more opportunities for the development of trade in services. In this study, a qualitative method is used to explore the current state of the development of trade in services and to analyze the commitments that Russia made in relation to trade in services upon its accession to the WTO. Finally, the Trade Competitiveness Index (TC Index) is used in combination with the Revealed Comparative Advantage Index (RCA Index) to empirically analyze Russia’s trade competitiveness between 2006 and 2015. The results demonstrate that the main indexes of Russia’s trade in services were dominated by imports during this period, as well as present its state of trade deficit. Following Russia’s accession to the WTO, the Russian government has on the one hand set more safeguard measures and a longer duration for trade in service items which are less developed, such as financial services, and on the other hand, opened the trade in service items which are better developed, such as transport. In addition, in terms of the competitiveness of trade in services, Russia is weaker both in overall international competitiveness of trade in services and export competitiveness, and enjoys greater comparative advantage in the traditional sectors of trade in services, among which goods-related services and transport are items of greater international competitiveness and construction are of greater export competitiveness. However, financial services, along with charges for the use of intellectual property are the items for which Russia experiences the weakest international competitiveness.

<p>U disertaciji je kreiran novi model<br />konkurentnosti malih i srednjih preduzeća u<br />tranzicionim uslovima u funkciji optimizacije<br />performansi, održanja i sticanja konkurentnosti.<br />Istraživanje omogućuje identifikovanje ključnih<br />indikatora konkurentnosti malih i srednjih<br />preduzeća u tranzicionim uslovima, ali i njihovu<br />evaluaciju, na taj način pružajući malim i<br />srednjim preduzećima neophodan alat koji<br />omogućuje efikasno praćenje i procenu<br />konkurentnosti, merenje efikasnosti poslovanja,<br />upoređivanje sa konkurentima, kao i<br />formulisanje adekvatne konkurentske strategije.<br />U disertaciji se na odgovarajući način može<br />sagledati signifikantnost eksternih faktora<br />okruženja, kao i konkurentskih strategija i<br />njihova korelacija sa identifikovanim ključnim<br />indikatorima konkurentnosti malih i srednjih<br />preduzeća u tranzicionim uslovima, čime se<br />uspostavlja veza između konkurentnosti malih i<br />srednjih preduzeća u tranzicionim uslovima i<br />primene odgovarajućih strategija u poslovanju.</p> / <p><span style="font-size:10px;">A new competitiveness model of small and<br />medium sized enteprises in transitional context<br />has been created in this dissertation, as a<br />function of performance optimization,<br />maintenance and acquisition of competitiveness.<br />This research enables identification of key<br />competitiveness indicators of small and medium<br />sized enterprises in transition economies, as well<br />as their evaluation, thus providing small and<br />medium sized enteprises with a necessary tool<br />for efficient monitoring and assessment of<br />competitiveness, business efficiency<br />measurement, benchmarking, as well as<br />formulation of adequate competitive strategies.<br />The significance of external environmental<br />factors, as well as of competitive strategies, and<br />their correlation with the identified key<br />competitiveness indicators of small and medium<br />sized enteprises in the transitional context can<br />be adequately observed, thus establishing the<br />relationship between competitiveness of small<br />and medium sized enterprises in transition<br />economies and implementation of adequate<br />business strategies.</span></p>

There exists no predefined framework for aviation policy making and development. While aviation policy planning in most developed countries comes as a result of institutional and industry coordination and is embedded within other national policies addressing the welfare and growth of the country, it is found that in many cases in less developed countries (LDCs), aviation policy planning is often influenced by political pressures and the interests of fund donors. The complexity of this situation in the developing countries results in aviation plans that represent stand alone studies and attempt to find solutions to specific problems rather than comprehensive aviation plans which fit well the country‘s competitiveness profile and are properly coordinated with other national policies for achieving medium and long-term objectives. This study provides a three-stage policy development framework for aviation strategic planning based on situational analysis and performance benchmarking practices in order to assemble policy elements and produce a best-fit aviation strategy. The framework builds on study results that indicate an association between air transport sector performance and aviation policy strategies, arguing that it is not sufficient to simply describe performance but also to be able to assess it and understand how policymakers can use strategic planning tools to affect the air transport industry efficiency levels. This can be achieved by recognizing the level of the country‘s stage of development and working on enhancing the policy elements that produce better output and induce more contributions by aviation to the national economic development and connectivity levels. The proposed aviation policy development framework is systematic and continuous. It helps policymakers in LDC to manage uncertainty in complex situations by allowing them to defend, correct and re-examine the policy actions based on a forward thinking approach which incorporates the contingency elements of the policy and tracks the developments that can affect the odds of its success. The framework‘s elements and its flow of process are explained by providing an illustrative example applied to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

This study will focus on the South African sugar generic marketing campaign and compare this initiative with other generic food commodity marketing campaigns with the objective of identifying appropriate methodologies for measuring generic marketing campaign effectiveness / The purpose of the study is to determine if consumer attitude towards sugar is an indicator of sugar consumption behaviour. Attitudinal statements were developed using the results of a segmentation study, which classified sugar consumers into six segments. These statements, which were characteristic of consumer attitudes towards sugar, were included in a national survey of 2 516 respondents to test sugar consumption behaviour relative to consumer attitudes. Conventional statistical methods were applied to analyse the sugar consumption behaviour of respondents within the six attitudinal segments. It was found that there is a direct relationship between consumer attitudes towards sugar and sugar consumption behaviour. Consumers with a positive predisposition towards sugar were found to consume significantly more sugar than those in negatively predisposed segments. According to attitude theory, which suggests that attitude can be influenced and changed, the study concludes that generic advertising is an appropriate communication tool to influence and change the attitudes of negatively predisposed sugar users in order to improve sugar consumption. Furthermore the segmentation based on attitudes provides a method for measuring the success of advertising initiatives by monitoring the movement of consumers between positive and negative segments. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / MBL

No description available.

The case study explores how leveraging on experience, risk and control can be used to enhance a late-entrant globalisation strategy.

The South African Post Office is investing large amounts of money in IT. Organisations were encouraged by the notion that investing in IT correlates with higher returns and the delivery of expected results by replacing the human component in organisations. The employment of IT within business has often resulted in the replacement of old problems with new and the expected business benefits of IT not realised. The primary research objective was to determine the relationship between IT expenditure and the financial performance of a firm. The secondary research objective was to explore the perceived value of IT investment in SAPO. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / MBL