Techn. Universiẗat, Diss., 2002--Darmstadt.

Thesis (M.B.A. (Rhodes Investec Business School)) - Rhodes University, 2009. / A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Thesis (M.B.A. (Rhodes Investec Business School)) - Rhodes University, 2009. / A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: At the beginning of 1999, DaimlcrChrysler SA prepated itself for becoming part of the family ofintcmational plants within DaimlerChrysler AG. To do this, DaimlcrChryslcr SA had to produce vehicles for the international markets and not just for the local markets. This meant that they were required to change many processes and systems. Many processes were aligned with processes used within DaimlerCbrysler AG, while certain standatd systems like PLUS. which is the shop floor control system, were implemented. A brand new SAP system was also implemented. During the implementation of these processes and systems, a documentation methodology was developed to ensure that the processes and systems implemented in South Africa, could be reused elsewhere in the world. At the same time, a project implementation methodology was also developed to ensure that this project and futw:c projects w· document processes and systems in this manner, while ensuring strict quality control. This study looked at the above methodologies developed at DaimlerChrysler SA with the aim of knowledge reuse and the subsequent reduction of cost and project implementation time. It was found that the process modelling methodology used at DaimlerChrysler SA was comprehensive. Compared to other process modelling methodologies available in the literature, the methodology used by Daimlc.tChrysler SA covered most aspects i.e. detailed organisation structures (e.g. line and staff relationships) and informacion structures (e.g. data file structures). Within the DaimlcrChryslcr documentation methodology a strong emphasis is placed on maintaining the link between the process and system documentation. This link is important during the system development cycle, as well as for the pmpose of reuse of software. International plants wanting to use the process and system documentation from DaimlerChrysler SA as a basis for their implementations could easily follow the documentation. The documentation flows from a high level process and system concept, to detail process descriptions, to system specification docwnents, and t \stly program names and customizing settings required for the use of the system functionality. It was found that the project implementation methodology used at DalmletChrysler SA was following conventional project management guidelines, whist ensuring the maintenance of process and system docwnentation as required by the reuse approach. DaimletChrysler's reuse approach of process and system knowledge is built on the foundation of using innovation teams in local organizations together with a team coordinating centralised rollout. The approach also focuscd on the development of certain modular components that can be 100% rcused. It was found that interfaces between the DaimletChrysler core systems were ideally suited for this modular approach. The International Production Template approach led to significant cost savings. So fat, each implementation showed an improvement in total project implementation cost and time compated to the previous implementation. Each implementation was also used as an opportunity to further itnprove the template by adding functionality and widening the scope. This study showed conclusive evidence that system and process knowledge can effectively be reused, resulting in significant cost and time savings. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Aan die begin van 1999, het DaimlerChrysler SA homself gereed gemaak om deel te vorm van die familie van intemasionale aanlegte binne DaimlerChrysler AG. Om dit te vermag moes DaimlerChrysler SA voertuie vir die intemasionale markte produseer:, en nie net vir die plaaslike markte soos in die verlede nie. Hiervoor moes hulle menige prosesse en stelsels verander. Verskeie prosesse is in Iyn gebring met prosesse soos gebruik binne DaimlerChrysler AG, tenvyl sommige standaard stelsels soos PLUS, wat 'n produksie beheer stelsel is, geimplementeer is. 'n Splintemuwe SAP stelsel is ook geimplementeer. Gedurende die implementering van hierdie prosesse en stelsels, is 'n dokumentasie metodiek ontwikkel om te verseker dat prosesse en stelsels wat in Suid Afrika geimplementeer word, in ander wereld dele hergebruik kan word. Terselfdertyd is 'n projek implementerings metodiek ontwikkel om te verseker dat bogenoemde en toekomstige projekte, prosesse en stelsels op hierdie wyse sal dokumenteer terwyl streng kwaliteitsbeheer toegepas word. Hierdie studie het gefokus op bogenoemde metodieke soos deur DaimlerChrysler SA ontwikkel, met die doel om kennis en kundigheid te hergebruik, en sodoende koste en tyd te bespaar. Die studie het bevind dat die proses modellering metodiek soos deur DaimlerChrysler SA gebruik, omvattend was. Vergelykende met ander proses modellering metodieke soos in die Iiteratuur gevind, dek die metodiek soos deur DaimlerChrysler SA gebruik die meeste aspekte o.a. die fynste besonderhede van organisatoriese strukture en inligting strukture (data). Die DaimlerCbryslcr dokumentasie metodiek fokus sterk daarop om 'n verbintenis te bewerkstellig tussen proses en stelsel dokumentasie. Hierdie verbintenis is belangrik tydens die stelsel se onwikkelings kringloop, asook vir die doel van die hergebruik van die sagteware. Sodoende kan internasionale aanlegte wat die proses en stelsel dokumentasie wil gebruik as basis vir hul implementasies, maklik die vloei volg. Die dokumentasie vloei vanaf 'n hoë vlak proses en stelsel konsep na gedetailleerde proses beskrywings na stelsel spesifikasie dokumente en laastens rekenaar program name en konfigurasie verstellings wat benodig word vir die beoogde stelsel funksionaliteit. Daar is gevind dat die projek implementerings metodiek soos deur DaimlcrChrysler SA toegepas konvensionele projek bestuur beginsels volg, terwyl die metodiek verseker dat die proses en stelsel dokumentasie soos vereis deur die hergebruik benadering, op datum gehou word. DaimlerChrysler se benadering van die hergebruik van prosesse en stelsels is gegrond op die die gebruik van innovasie spanne in plaaslike organisasies, saam met 'n span wat die uitrol daarvan koordineer vanuit 'n sentrale oogpunt. Die benadering fokus ook op die ontwikkeling van sekere modulere komponente wat 100% hergebruik kan word. Daar is gevind dat die koppelvlakke tussen die leidende DaimlerChrysler stelsels uiters geskik is vir hierdie modulere benadering. Die Intemasionale Produksie Patroon as benadering het tot aansienlike koste besparings gelei. Tot op datum het elke implemenrasie 'n besparing getoon ten opsigte van die totale projek implementeringskoste in vergelyking met die vorige projek. Elke implementering is ook gcbruik as 'n geleentheid om die patroon verder te verbeter deur addisioncle funksionaliteit by te voeg en die omvang te vergroot. Hierdie studie het onweerlegbare bewyse gelewer dat stelsel en proses kennis op 'n effektiewe wyse hergebruik kan word, en wat sodoende kan lei tot beduidende koste en tyd besparings.

Dans le cadre du débat entre les conceptions convergentes ou dépendantes des trajectoires (path dependency) de la gouvernance d'entreprises, ce mémoire analyse les modifications et les changements ayant eu cours des années 1990 à 2005 au sein de la firme Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft (AG) (devenue en cours de route DaimlerChrysler Corporation). Dans la première section de ce travail, nous soulignons les principales caractéristiques des modèles de gouvernance Anglo-américains (orientés en fonction de la valeur des actionnaires) et de l'Europe continentale (plus axés vers leurs parties prenantes) tout en mettant en lumière les enjeux contemporains entourant les transformations structurelles auxquelles sont soumises les sociétés par actions allemandes. La deuxième section de ce mémoire, focalise sur l'évolution interne de Daimler-Benz AG d'un modèle d'entreprise traditionnel allemand à une entreprise Germano-américaine internationale. Dans cette section, nous étudions également l'impact externe de trois forces marchandes sur la firme allemande soit: le marché dérégulé des capitaux, le marché mondial des produits et services, et le marché émergent des talents de gestion. Au final, notre étude de cas révèle comment, à la suite des pressions des marchés internationaux, les firmes allemandes en sont incrémentalement venues à adopter des principes de gouvernance plus orientés en fonction de la valeur des actionnaires, tout en maintenant certaines caractéristiques importantes du système de gouvernance pour les parties prenantes.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Globalization has shifted to a level where market competition is tougher. Therefore, multinational companies focus on cutting cost along the company’s supply chain with heavy scrutiny on procurement. Developing countries have become very attractive from which to strategically procure commodities because of low cost labour, especially from the People’s Republic of China. The business complexity, ethics and current market situation in China are often too modestly emphasized. Yet, these elements have a significant impact on the sourcing decision because it indirectly influences the total landed cost of a commodity but is not taken into account. Therefore, the total landed cost on which sourcing decisions are made, does not reflect the actual total landed cost of a commodity. In many cases multinational companies sourcing from China do not realise the impact of the hidden cost involved and do not reach the expected cost savings as calculated. The purpose of this study is to explore why more attention must be paid to hidden cost when automotive commodities are procured from China. This, as well as the research methodology used in order to obtain the data, is explained in chapter one. Chapter two of this thesis illustrates the change in a company’s supply chain and discusses this in a global sourcing context. The sourcing commodity, which is the point of focus in this study, is automotive commodities sourced from China and is discussed in chapter three. Based on China’s increased presence in global sourcing of automotive commodities, chapter four focuses on China’s integration into the global supply chain. The influential factors that have an impact (hidden cost) on the actual landed cost of commodities sourced from China are described in chapter five and identified as guanxi, indirect business logistic obstacles, quality of goods and supply, management, the labour market and training, and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). In chapter six the influential factors, as described in chapter five, are analysed through a case study of Daimler Chrysler China Limited. Chapter seven is a comparative study of Japan’s miracle economy from 1960-1980 and the current economic trends in China to determine whether it will be feasible to procure automotive commodities from China in the future with regards to the economic indicators. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Globalisering het verskuif na ʼn vlak waar mark kompetisie meer gekonsentreerd is. Daarom fokus multinasionale maatskappye ernstig daarop om kostes langs die aanvoerketting van die maatskappy te verminder deur te konsentreer op die aanskaffingsproses. Ontwikkelende lande het uiters aanloklik geword as bestemming in die strategiese aanskaffingsproses van goedere weens lae arbeidskoste, veral vanaf Sjina. Tans word die besigheidskompleksiteit, etiek en die markkondisie in Sjina meestal onderbeklemtoon. Daarenteen het die faktore ‘n gewigtige impak op die aanskaffingsbesluit omdat dit die totale koste by aankoms indirek beïnvloed. Gevolglik reflekteer die totale koste by aankoms, waarop aanskaffigsbesluite gegrond word, nie die werklike koste van aankoms van goedere nie. In menige gevalle behaal multinasionale maatskappye nie die verwagte kostebesparing soos bereken vir goedere wat vanaf Sjina aangeskaf word nie omdat die multinasionale maatskappye onbewus is van die impak wat die versteekte koste op die totale koste by aankoms het. Die doel van hierdie studie is ‘n ondersoek na die redes waarom daar meer beklemtoning moet wees op versteekte koste wanneer goedere uit Sjina aangeskaf word. Dit, sowel as die navorsingmetodes wat gebruik is om die inligting vir die studie in te win en akkuraat deur te gee, word verduidelik in hoofstuk een. Hoofstuk twee bespreek die verandering in 'n maatskappy se aanvoerketting in ʼn globale aanskaffingskonteks. Hoofstuk drie fokus op redes vir Sjina se toenemende verteenwoordige rol in die globale aanskaffing van goedere en op die aanskaffing van motorvoertuigparte uit Sjina. Met betrekking tot die globale aanskaffing van goedere word die integrasie van Sjina in die globale aanskaffingsketting in hoofstuk vier bespreek. Die beïnvloedende faktore wat 'n impak (versteekte koste) op die werklike koste by aankoms van die motorvoertuigparte wat aangeskaf word vanaf Sjina het, word bespreek in hoofstuk vyf en geïdentifiseer as guanxi, indirekte besigheidslogistiek hindernisse, die kwaliteit van goedere en die aanskaffing daarvan, bestuur in Sjina, die Sjinese arbeidsmark en opleiding in die werksplek, en intellektuele eiendomsreg. In hoofstuk ses word die beïnvloedende faktore (soos bespreek in hoofstuk vyf) geanaliseer deur ʼn gevalle studie van Daimler Chrysler Sjina Beperk. Hoofstuk sewe is ʼn vergelykende studie tussen Japan se wonder ekonomie van 1960-1980 en die huidige ekonomiese tendens in Sjina om te bepaal hetsy dit moontlik sal wees om motorvoertuigparte aan te skaf vanaf Sjina in die toekoms met betrekking tot die ekonomiese indikatore.

This research is born out of recognition of the challenges Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) in the private sector faces in South Africa, with preferential procurement being one of the components of South Africa's Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Strategy. Over the past years, South Africa has witnessed the birth of a new economy, one that allows for investment in its people, makes provision for sustainable growth through skills transfer and development, and ensures economic empowerment. The focus of this research is the Preferential Procurement strategy implemented at DaimlerChrysler South Africa (DCSA) as part of its overall Black Economic Empowerment strategy, the perceptions and expectations of how the current BEE preferential procurement strategy should work versus the perceived performance of how it is working. An official definition of Black Economic Empowerment is presented in the study, followed by barriers to growth of BEE suppliers. The aim of defining Black Economic Empowerment is to provide a good reference point against which an organization like DaimlerChrysler can assess the implementation of its preferential procurement programmes. Having discussed the above, there will be a reflection on government scorecard and a brief discussion of the two charters namely, mining and financial services charter. The study also presents the following requirements for a successful BEE corporate strategy: Strategic intent; External Balanced Scorecard; Financial Assistance; Skills development; Communication. A research methodology for conducting this study and data analysis is presented, followed by limitations of the study and recommendations for further research. It is expected that the knowledge gained from this study will help to I. Demonstrate the need to change perceptions and behaviour regarding Black Economic Empowerment. 2. Assist procurement officials to include BEE objectives into their procurement strategy. 3. Identify policy implications and assist in improving DCSA's Black Economic Empowerment Procurement strategy.

Corporate social responsibility has become the business issue of the 21st century. Heightened expectations of the business sector, globalisation and increased media attention on the role of business in society are casting an intense spotlight on this issue. As a result, pressure has built on business to play a larger role in bringing about socio-economic development to many local communities where they operate. While for a long time companies have been involved in the community on a philanthropy basis, many companies today are reassessing the manner in which they conduct their corporate social responsibility programmes. Many companies are including corporate social responsibility issues into their strategic planning process and overall corporate strategy. Emphasis is given to certain strategic indicators that must be present in order for a company to be said to have taken a strategic approach to corporate social responsibility. This study adopted a critical-realist approach using a case study method to evaluate DaimlerChrysler South Africa’s corporate social investment programmes in the local community of the Border-Kei region against these strategic indicators. This new form of engagement is even challenging for a multinational corporation, which may feel that it is only obliged to assist the local community where its corporate headquarters is located. But as companies derive an everlarger share of revenue and profits from international operations, multinational companies are being called upon to redefine “community”, by looking beyond local, domestic and geographical communities to include those in regions where they have factories or factories operated by key suppliers. This study found that DCSA was strategically involved and had a good relationship with its local community. However, the company needs to be more connected with the rural communities to make local projects more successful especially after handover.

The existence of an occupational health and safety policy is believed to be evidence of management accepting their occupational health and safety role in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. It is accepted that this results in management ensuring the provision of a safe workplace. Despite the emphasis in legislation (the Occupational Health and Safety Act) on the need for management to implement comprehensive occupational health and safety policies, there is a lack of research on the implementation and efficacy of occupational health and safety policies in the workplace. This study investigates the efficacy with which management carries out their occupational health and safety duties and responsibilities when implementing the provisions of an occupational health and safety policy in the workplace. A number of factors are essential to the efficient performance of management in this regard. These factors include managerial commitment, practices and strategies; communication practices and structures; training initiatives and information; the extent of employee and trade union involvement; and the infrastructure of the organisation. This research study is primarily qualitative in nature. Semi-structured interviews were the primary tool used by the researcher to collect the data. The case-study research method was employed to assist the researcher in collecting the data. The participants involved in the research were selected using the principles of strategic informant sampling and expert choice sampling. The participants consisted of a sample of management, employees and shop stewards. The research findings indicate that firstly, the presence of occupational health and safety policies, practices, strategies and systems in the workplace do not automatically result in reduced hazards, accidents or deaths in the workplace. Secondly, the participation schemes and the communication practices put in place by management are weak. The reason for their weakness is their ineffective implementation by management and use by employees and the trade union. Thirdly, management has a definite impact on the involvement, attitudes and actions of the employees and the trade union in occupational health and safety issues. Fourthly, there is an unequal partnership between management and employees as a result of the educational differences regarding occupational health and safety between them. The outcome is that management and employees are faced with numerous challenges in relation to occupational health and safety. Contributing to this challenge is a lack of sufficient resources allocated to training, resulting ultimately in the ineffective monitoring of occupational health and safety in the workplace. The existence of occupational health and safety structures and systems does not provide the essential evidence to suggest that their mere presence makes a difference to the workplace safety level. However, through more co-operation and participation by all the parties, these structures and systems have the potential to be effective. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in

Hochsch. für Wirtschafts-, Rechts- und Sozialwiss., Diss.--St. Gallen, 2007.