Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Globalisering, tegnologiese vooruitgang, die Internet en veranderinge in Suid-Afrika vanaf 1994 het bygedra tot die huidige nuwe ekonomie. Indien organisasies wil oorleef in die nuwe ekonomie sal hulle moet aanvaar dat die nuwe ekonomie ‘n aantal nuwe uitdagings te weë gebring het tot die manier waarop besigheid gedoen word in Suid-Afrika en in die res van die wêreld. In die nuwe ekonomie moet organisasies takties te werk gaan om volgehoue sukses te verseker. Besluitnemers moet die impak wat die nuwe ekonomie op hulle besigheid en hul stand in die betrokke mark het analiseer en strategiese beplanning doen oor hoe die organisasie gaan aanpas in die nuwe ekonomie om oorlewing te verseker in ‘n mark wat aanhoudend verander. Verwantskappe met interne en eksterne belangegroepe en deelhebbers is van kardinale belang in die nuwe ekonomie. Organisasies moet hul fokus plaas op verwantskappe met belangegroepe wat deel is van die besigheidsproses en sodoende deelhebbers beïnvloed tot voordeel van die organisasie. ‘n Aantal nuwe toetreders tot die mark (klein tot medium ondernemings en internasionale organisasies wat investeer in Suid-Afrika) het ‘n beduidende toename in mededinging veroorsaak. Die toename in mededinging het op sy beurt gelei tot ‘n groter veskeidenheid aanbiedinge wat beskikbaar gestel word aan verbruikers en ander belangegroepe. Die reputasie van ‘n organisasie, sy produkte en sy werknemers speel ook ‘n baie belangrike rol in die nuwe ekonomie aangesien belangegroepe en deelhebbers verkies om geassosieer te word met geloofwaardige en suksesvolle organisasies, produkte en dienste. Dit is dus belangrik dat indien ‘n organisasie will oorleef in die nuwe ekonomie moet die organisasie homself onderskei van ander en seker maak dat hulle ‘n plek in die gedagtes van hulle belangegroepe en deelhebbers toe eien. Die enigste manier om ‘n mededingende voordeel binne die nuwe ekonomie te bewerkstellig is om die besigheid takties in die gedagtes van alle belangegroepe en deelhebbers te posisioneer. As gevolg van die uitdagings en veranderinge wat die nuwe ekonomie te weeg gebring het kan ‘n organisasie nie langer net staat maak op tradisionele bemarkingsbeginsels om hulle self te posisioneer nie. ‘n Posisionerings- (of plasings-) strategie moet ontwikkel en toegepas word deur ‘n stelsel benadering te volg waar die hele organisasie betrokke is in posisionering. Die navorser het hierdie studie aangepak omrede ‘n handleiding te ontwerp en daar te stel vir besluitnemers in organisasies wat hul betrokke organisasies takties wil posisioneer in die nuwe ekonomie. Om die konsepsionele model vir posisionering (of plasing) van ‘n organisasie in die nuwe ekonomie daar te stel het die navorser kwalitatiewe navorsing gedoen wat ‘n studie van gepaste vak-inhoud, teorieë, beskikbare studiemateriaal, opinies van deskundiges en ‘n inhouds-analise van steekproef onderhoude ingesluit het. Die resultaat van die studie is ‘n goed geformuleerde teoretiesie model vir posisionering van ‘n organisasie in die nuwe ekonomie wat enige organisaie wat dit toepas in sy geheel sal bevoordeel en sy posisionering sal versterk. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Globalisation, technological enhancements, the Internet and changes in South Africa from 1994 led to the current new economy. If a company wants to survive in the new economy it will have to realise that the new economy brings a number of challenges to the way that business is conducted in South Africa and abroad. Companies need to work tactically in the new economy business environment to ensure sustainability. Decision-makers are to access the impact that the new economy has on the company and its position in the market and strategise how to adapt to the new economy in order to survive in an ever changing market. In the new economy relationships with internal and external stakeholders have become more important and companies need to focus on the relationships within its value chain in order to influence its stakeholders to the benefit of the company. Competition has increased due to a number of new entrants to the market (small to medium enterprises and international companies investing in South Africa) which led to a vast amount of offerings being available to consumers and other stakeholders. The reputation of a company, its products and its employees also play an important role in the new economy as stakeholders want to be associated with a credible and successful company, product or service. It is thus important that if a company wants to survive in the new economy it needs to differentiate themselves from others and make sure to own an area in the minds of their stakeholders. The only way to create a competitive advantage in the new economy is to position a company tactically in the minds of all stakeholders. Due to the challenges and changes that the new economy brought about a company can no longer only use traditional marketing principles to position themselves. A positioning strategy needs to be developed and implemented from a systems point of view where the whole company is involved in its positioning. The researcher embarked on this study to create a tool for companies that will assist decision-makers in the tactical positioning of their companies within the new economy. In order to create a conceptual model for positioning of a company in the new economy qualitative research was conducted, that included a study of content, theories, available material, views from experts as well as a content analysis from sample interviews. The outcome of the study was a well formulated theoretical model for positioning of a company in the new economy that will benefit and enhance the positioning of any company that applies it in its entirety.