M.Com. (Business Management) / With the coming of deregulation, many service station operators and oil companies have had high expectations from convenience stores. They saw it as an extra revenue stream. The reality is proving much tougher. To be successful one has to have the right location, external image and internal layout. Unfortunately very few oil companies went about setting up their convenience store franchises in accordance with franchise disciplines in the first place. Many of them insufficiently developed their pilot operations and set up as many shops in as short a time as possible, with proliferation of their convenience stores as the driving force. The idea at the time was to capture as big a share of the market as was possible, before competition moved in. In many of these stores there was a lack of research into the target market, there was insufficient training and information for the dealers/operators and product range was haphazard. These problems themselves were exacerbated as the number of stores grew. The objective of this study is to analyse TOTAL's convenience store location decision making process, external image and internal layout.

D.Comm. / The South African Petroleum Industry is very competitive and is vital to the economic growth of the country. It is the basis for much of the nation's productivity, from keeping national transport flowing to producing products and services. The South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA) was formed to further matters of common interest amongst competitive providers of Petroleum Industry Road Conveniences (PIRCs), and to promote good ethics, high industrial standards, competent governance and effective communications within the industry. PIRCs are distributed on most South African roads. This study emphasises and focuses on the location of PIRCs on national routes only. Various factors and theories, which influence the location of a PIRC, are analysed by means of a literature study, personal investigation and practical experience. Attention is given to the physical and legal aspects, which can influence the location of a PIRC. Thereafter, the macro, market and micro considerations are discussed. Particular attention is given to Porter's Five Forces of Competitiveness and the value chain.