Reverse logistics is different from forward logistics in objectives, operations, pricing, quality, quantity, packaging, product and information flow. Further, management of the returned products and their information is a major challenge since it is difficult to predict the time, place of origin, quantity and quality of the goods that will be returned. To establish the importance of reverse logistics as a business process and to understand related issues for information management, this research was undertaken with data from the Australian Manufacturing and E-Business organisations. This research examined six dimensions of reverse logistics. These were: (1) Factors that compel Manufacturing and E-Business organisations to manage reverse logistics; (2) Operations in product return process; (3) Methods of capturing value from returned goods; (4) Barriers to reverse logistics management; (5) Information management issues in reverse logistics; and (6) Product return trends in the E-Business industry. This research was exploratory in nature and was accomplished via a quantitative research method. It adopted a positivist epistemology and followed a deductive approach to capture reverse logistics knowledge. Research data from Manufacturing and E-Business industries was elicited with postal questionnaire surveys using structured questions. Since the data collected from the two main surveys was mainly nominal and ordinal, it was quantitatively analysed using non-parametric tests, Fisher's exact test and one sample Wilcoxon test. It also employed frequency distributions, binomial test and one sample t-test. An additional statistical test was carried out on each set of data to triangulate the finding. The tests were undertaken in Minitab spreadsheet computer packages. This research highlights the fact that reverse logistics management is an important business process in the Australian Manufacturing and E-Business industries. It is a strategic advantage, as well as an important customer service. Although substantial monetary value can be recovered from returned goods, at present two industries investigated have not tapped into this potential. Findings of this research also indicate that a lack of efficient information management is a problem in reverse logistics. Information management in the two industries is based on land-line telephone, fax and computers. This research identified that from E-Business sales error in ordering, customer change of mind on receipt of good and inefficient forward logistics operations (picking, packing and delivery) are important reasons for returns. It also established that e-businesses resell the returned goods and recapture value. The value recovery process in this industry is different from the manufacturing industries where the prevalent value recovery processes are repair, resale and recycle. Further research issues emanating from this project include evaluation methods for recapturing value from returned goods, effective information management strategies for return management and the impact of a law for returning certain types of used goods. This research is an initial effort undertaken to establish returns management in the Australian industries. It establishes that reverse logistics should be recognised as a business process in these industries.

M.Tech. (Sport Management) / This exploratory study was a situational analysis of the sport business industry with a specific focus on SMME’s and entrepreneurship. The study subsequently aimed to determine entrepreneurial opportunities in the sport domain. A survey questionnaire was administered to 250 small business entrepreneurs plying their trade in the broad South African sport industry. SMME’s were identified through CIPRO, online business databases, and snowballing. A stratified sample was selected through various non-probability sampling techniques. The survey was administered through a combination of post, email, and hand-delivery. A satisfactory yet representative response rate of 49% was realized. Although the geographic specificity of the electronic and postal surveys are not evenly spread through-out the country, it does lean towards SMME’s in the major urban and semi-urban metropolitan regions of the country. The hand-delivered survey was concentrated in the greater Durban region. Nonetheless, the researcher is of the opinion that the results obtained can provide an insightful and meaningful exposition into the opportunities and trends affecting SMME’s in the sport business industry in South Africa. The SPSS program was utilized to descriptively and inferentially analyze the data. The sport SMME sector in South Africa was found to be relatively young. The small business entrepreneur demographic profile found entrepreneurs to be mainly male, middle-aged and well-educated. Owner-managers were found to have had completed business or entrepreneurship training with varying years experience in the sport business industry. Company properties revealed that based on the age of sport businesses, SMME’s were spread through the start-up, growth, and mature business stages. The vast majority of the sample was categorized as small enterprises. From a legal perspective, most businesses were registered as close corporations. About a third of all SMME’s were registered with a plethora of business associations and agencies thus giving effect to the inherent cross-cutting nature of the sport industry being prominently felt in various spheres of business and industry. SMME’s were also found to be complying to the principles of B-B BEE with encouraging signs of previously disadvantaged ownership.

Personalomsättningen i revisionsbranschen är ett aktuellt ämne och ses som ett problem i branschen. Revisionsbranschen utvecklas och går från att vara en klassisk profession till att bli mer affärsinriktad och lönsamhet blir allt viktigare. Tidigare forskning kom fram till att uppfattningar påverkar valet att lämna branschen. Syftet med studien är därmed att utforska om revisorsassistentens benägenhet att lämna branschen påverkas av uppfattningar om den professionella verksamheten och uppfattningar om affärsverksamheten. Studien har en kvantitativ ansats och en webbaserad enkät med olika påståenden om revisorsassistentens uppfattningar har använts. Enkäten är baserad på professionsteori och tidigare forskning om business och karriärbyten och den skickades till revisorsassistenter på svenska revisionsbyråer. Variabler som studerats är uppfattningar, upplevelser, förväntningar, kön, ålder, erfarenhet i branschen, byråtillhörighet, storleken på det kontor revisorsassistenten arbetar på och om du arbetar eller har arbetat i branschen. Studien kom fram till att det finns ett positivt signifikant samband mellan uppfattningar om affärsverksamheten och karriärbyten. Vidare fann studien en indikation på ett negativt samband mellan uppfattningar om den professionella verksamheten och karriärbyten. Studien fann även en indikation på ett positivt samband mellan kontorsstorlek och karriärbyte. Det fanns även ett positivt signifikant samband mellan erfarenhet och karriärbyte samt mellan ålder och karriärbyte. Uppfattningar har visat sig påverka även i andra studier men uppfattningar om affärsverksamheten är ett relativt outforskat ämne och vidare studier behövs

When developing this thesis the main goal was to see how corporations impact society through new legislations giving them the right to act as individuals or humans. Gradually examining the impact on humans through CSR with analysis on how the implementation of CSR affects the performance of the business. A more theoretical approach is taken since Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Personhood are hard to classify since interpretation is dependent on individuals and cultures implemented within. The approach taken was to examine two cases including Enron and British Petroleum and see how their social practices affected society and the environment in general. Also the examination of research done from others was analyzed in order to find whether there was a correlation between CSR and the performance of the firm. The results concluded that there is a positive correlation between corporations implementing CSR initiatives and the overall performance of the business. It is also seen that businesses implement CSR to offset negative impacts. This supports the outcome of Enron and British Petroleum that if CSR would have been implemented correctly there is a great chance of success for the future. In overview it shows that for a corporation to improve it is success and become more competitive within the industry it is best to implement CSR tools in the correct way to create a competitive advantage. Reinforcing that being transparent and true will help the business succeed.

The development of digitalisation of public administration, also referred to as E-government, effects all actors within today´s society. This thesis aims to analyse whether digitalisation of case management within municipalities contributes to a good interaction between the municipality and business industry. Our main research question is: Does digitalisation contribute to good interaction between the municipality and business industry?  The thesis consists of a qualitative multi-case study of the three municipalities: Gothenburg, Halmstad and Vetlanda, where representatives from both the public administration and local restaurants have been interviewed. The empirical data is furthermore analysed through the thesis analytical tool which is based on a theoretical framework that describes three dimensions of what makes a good interaction: exercise of soft power, interdependence and maintaining of public administration legitimacy.  The results show that digital case management contributes to good interaction between municipalities and the business industry, this through a facilitated interaction that is beneficial for both actors. However, the results also emphasize that digitalization has its challenges due to reduced personal interaction which the study shows valuable for good interaction. Thus, the thesis concludes that digitalization contributes to, but also challenges, good interaction between municipalities and the business industry.