The Lunsemfwa river catchment is of paramount importance to the Zambian economy, particularly with regards to energy, agricultural and water for domestic, as well as wildlife. Water shortages during dry spells in the area present a huge problem for the various stakeholders in the basin. As the impact of climate variability increases in the basin, water resources managers in the basin are increasing challenged to efficiently allocate decreasing reserves of water resources against increasing levels of demand. This paper attempts to highlight the value of water resources to the earlier mentioned sectors; hydropower, agriculture and households, in order to inform allocation decisions in the Lunsemfwa catchment area of Zambia. The paper uses the SDDP method to investigate the average cost of electricity production, coupled with market electricity prices to ascertain the value of a unit of electricity given reservoir outflow levels. The PF method was used to evaluate the marginal value of water is agriculture, while the value of water for domestic consumers was evaluated using the Contingent Valuation method, particularly the willingness to pay, which essentially uses market prices to represent the consumers’ willingness to pay. A value of US$93/MWh is attached to hydropower produced here, while the marginal value of water in agriculture is estimated to be US$0.068/m3. The willingness to pay for connection to piped water is approximately US$34.13, while the monthly value is US$6.9. The Gross Financial Value (GFV) generated from hydropower, agriculture and domestic water supply is US$24,174,000, US$ 262,083,045.91 and $7,140,000.00 respectively.

The study aims to evaluate the understanding of value – based management (VBM) as a decision making tool, how it is embraced in all management levels and its impact on the performance of a petrochemical company. The application of VBM links business strategy, finance, performance management and management processes all together to create value. VBM is a powerful management framework with the aim to focus all managerial processes on shareholder value creation. It encourages employees at all levels within an organisation to focus on value creation. This study investigated VBM by means of literature study to formulate an understanding of how it can be used as a decision making tool in a petrochemical company. The VBM metrics were presented and some successes and failures of such metrics were considered to provide a better understanding of VBM implementation. A quantitative study was conducted through the use of a standardised questionnaire to collect primary data. The questionnaire was distributed to managers (from junior managers to senior managers) at Sasol. The completed questionnaire was tested for reliability and validity before it was analysed and specific constructs were developed from the literature review together with the respondents’ demographic profile. Even though most respondents indicated that they have not received adequate training and education on VBM, the results of the study indicate that there is a general knowledge and understanding of VBM and its principles in Sasol. After analysis the study provided practical recommendations to ensure that VBM is sustainably used as a decision making tool in a petrochemical company. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The study aims to evaluate the understanding of value – based management (VBM) as a decision making tool, how it is embraced in all management levels and its impact on the performance of a petrochemical company. The application of VBM links business strategy, finance, performance management and management processes all together to create value. VBM is a powerful management framework with the aim to focus all managerial processes on shareholder value creation. It encourages employees at all levels within an organisation to focus on value creation. This study investigated VBM by means of literature study to formulate an understanding of how it can be used as a decision making tool in a petrochemical company. The VBM metrics were presented and some successes and failures of such metrics were considered to provide a better understanding of VBM implementation. A quantitative study was conducted through the use of a standardised questionnaire to collect primary data. The questionnaire was distributed to managers (from junior managers to senior managers) at Sasol. The completed questionnaire was tested for reliability and validity before it was analysed and specific constructs were developed from the literature review together with the respondents’ demographic profile. Even though most respondents indicated that they have not received adequate training and education on VBM, the results of the study indicate that there is a general knowledge and understanding of VBM and its principles in Sasol. After analysis the study provided practical recommendations to ensure that VBM is sustainably used as a decision making tool in a petrochemical company. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Natural capital is a way of conceptualizing the linkages between economics and the environment. The concepts foundations can be traced back to the environmental movement of the 1970s and the works of influential economists at that time. Natural capital has come to have an elevated position in environmental conservation approaches in the United Kingdom. The UK government's advisory body, the Natural Capital Committee, is the first of its kind in the world to be established. The concept of natural capital points to those aspects of the environment that directly or indirectly are of value to people. Such aspects include the functions and services of ecosystems, species, and habitats, as well as atmospheric protection and clean air and rivers. Natural capital is also a central concept in the capital approach to sustainable development and the ecological economics field. However, natural capital has not been accepted into environmental conservation approaches in the UK without criticism. Considering natural capital's history then, and its current popularity in environmental conservation, this thesis is interested in addressing the key question: what is natural capital? To be able to account for natural capital's origins, definitions, development, and issues and debates about it, the method used for this thesis is wholly comprised of a literature-review. Throughout the review, reference is made to key scholarly works where natural capital is defined, developed, and used as a central concept. With regard to literature about natural capital, much of it is comes from scholars strongly associated with ecological economics. In addition, natural capital is analysed from three different perspectives. The first perspective is conceptual-historical, the second is a sustainable-development perspective, and the third a political-ecology perspective. From a conceptual-historical perspective, natural capital can be understood as a concept which has developed out of a body of thought of environmentally-aware economists who argue that economics must better take account of ecological systems and their complexity. From a sustainable development perspective, natural capital is a central concept underpinning a capital-based approach to sustainable development. Natural capital also features centrally in debates about how to give an operational meaning to 'sustainability' based around the traditional economic concept of capital. The key debate in this regard concerns weak versus strong sustainability. From a political-ecology perspective, the natural capital approach to environmental conservation is, in ideological terms, of a neo-liberal nature. Natural capital and economic valuation in environmental conservation arguably facilitate the 'monetization' and 'economization' of the environment. Natural capital is opposed for ideological and ethical reasons. Another view would present natural capital as a key part of the economists pragmatic attempts to improve the way economies are managed through better linking economics and the environment. By conveying the economic value of the environment we may be able to put it in a better standing in the priority policy-lists and economic-development agendas of governments and international development agencies. In the United Kingdom there continues to be an ongoing debate about natural capital's place in environmental conservation. This thesis is intended to be a contribution to that debate.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research report evaluated the concept of Economic Value Added (EVA) and investigated the application of EVA as a performance measure to a particular company. It was found that EVA overcomes some of the problems associated with the traditional measures of company performance. These traditional measures are profit based and are calculated from standard accounting methods. They are inadequate measures to account for the creation of shareholder wealth, as they do not take the full cost of capital into account and also distort the economic reality of the company. It was however observed that there are limitations when applying EVA. It was found that significant effort (and associated costs) could be required to implement an EVA system in a company. The EVA calculation can also become very technical, and is heavily biased by the company's risk index (or beta coefficient), which is also a subjective measure (especially for private companies). In addition, the choice of adjustments to standard accounting methods have a significant impact on whether the company creates or destroys value in terms of EVA, and can lead to a certain degree of manipulation of the EVA calculation. In the case of the particular company reviewed, it was however found that these potential limitations were overshadowed by the benefits that can be gained from the increased focus on the creation of shareholder wealth that comes from the implementation ofEV A. It was concluded that should EVA be fully implemented at this particular company, it could form the backbone of the financial management and employee incentive system, guiding decisions made at all levels, and changing company culture so that every employee thinks and acts like an owner of the company. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingsverslag het die konsep van Ekonomiese Toegevoegde Waarde (ETW) geevalueer, en ook die toepassing van ETW as prestasiemaatstaf by 'n spesifieke maatskappy ondersoek. Daar is gevind dat ETW sommige van die probleme wat geassosieer kan word met tradisionele maatstawwe van maatskappy prestasie (wins gebaseerde maatstawwe wat bereken word met die standaard rekenkundige metodes) kan oorkom. Hierdie maatstawwe is nie voldoende om die skepping van aandeelhouer welvaart te bereken nie, aangesien hulle nie die volle koste van kapitaal in berekening bring nie, en ook die ekonomiese realiteit van die maatskappy verwring. Daar is weI uitgewys dat ETW sekere beperkings het. Daadwerklike inspanning (asook gepaardgaande koste) kan nodig wees om 'n volle ETW implimentasie uit te voer, en die berekening van ETW kan ook baie tegnies wees. Die berekening word ook heweglik beinvloed deur die beta-koeffisient, wat op sy beurt ook 'n subjektiewe maatstaf is - veral vir privaat maatskappye. Gepaardgaande hiermee het die keuse van aanpassings aan die standaard rekenkundige metodes ook 'n groot impak op die eindproduk van ETW - of 'n maatskappy welvaart skep of vernietig. Dit kan op sy beurt lei tot 'n mate van manipulasie van die ETW berekening. In die geval van die spesifieke maatskappy wat ondersoek is in die navorsingsverslag was dit egter gevind dat die potensiele beperkings van ETW oorskadu word deur die voordele wat kan voortspruit uit die verhoogde fokus op die skepping van aandeelhouer welvaart wat gepaard gaan met die implementering van ETW. Daar was tot die slotsom gekom dat indien ETW ten volle implementeer sou word by die spesifieke maatskappy, dit die steunpilaar van die finansiele bestuur en werknemer vergoeding stelsel kan word, besluite op aIle vlakke kan beYnvloed, en die maatskappy se kultuur kan verander sodat elke werknemer kan dink en optree soos 'n eienaar van die maatskappy.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This report contains a strategic management model to assess the impact on the EVA тм of the individual business units and the consolidated group total of a Company, when manipulating any of the key business drivers. The model has been designed to deliver a solution to the end-user that is simple to operate and presents graphical outputs to enhance understanding and interpretation. The sensitivity analysis, the EVA тм tree and the financial statements are presented in Excel. A simulation technique is used to forecast NOPAT values from a set of key drivers. The theories used to construct the model are explained and a hypothetical example is provided. The appendices also provide the concept of EVA тм, simulation techniques, list of assumptions and model instructions. The report is comprehensive enough to allow the reader to develop, implement and test a model of this nature. Opportunities for further research are also provided. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie bevat 'n strategiese bestuursmodel om die impak van individuele besigheidseenhede op ekonomiese waardetoevoeging (Engels: EVA тм) en die gekonsolideerde groeptotaal van 'n maatskappy, wanneer enige een van die sleutel besigheidsdrywers gemanipuleer word, te bepaal. Die model is ontwerp om 'n eenvoudige oplossing vir die eindgebruiker te verskaf en verskaf grafiese uiteensettings om verstaanbaarheid en interpretasie te vergemaklik. Die sensitiwiteitsanalise, ekonomiese waardetoevoegingsontleding en die finansiële state word in Excel weergee. 'n Simulasie tegniek is gebruik om NOPAT waardes van 'n stel sleutel drywers te voorspel. Die teorieë wat gebruik is om die model saam te stel, word aan die hand van 'n hipotetiese voorbeeld wat voorsien word, verduidelik. Die aanhangsels voorsien die konsep EVA тм, simulasie tegnieke, 'n lys van aannames en instruksies vir die model. Die verslag is volledig genoeg om die leser in staat te stel om 'n model van hierdie aard te ontwikkel, te toets en te implementer. Voorstelle vir verdere navorsing word voorsien.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: "Value adding process design" entails two underlying concepts, namely "business process" and "value adding": Business process: According to Dr Michael Hammer (Hammer, 1999), the recognised father of process thinking, a business process is an "organised group of related activities that together create customer value". The focus in the process is not on individual units of work, which by themselves accomplish nothing for a customer, but rather on an entire group of activities that, when effectively brought together, create a result that customers value. Value adding: The concept of "value adding" can be defined in different ways depending on the receiver of the value (shareholders, customers or employees). From a shareholder perspective, value adding can be measured by using EVA (Economic Value Added). EVA is a measure of economic profit generally meaning that a positive EVA indicates that value has been created, whereas a negative EVA means value has been destroyed. The perspective from which process improvement is addressed is the value that is added for the customer, but always with the constraint of not negatively impacting the EVA of the organisation. Value adding process design: "Value adding process" design entails the design of a business process or interrelated business processes to ensure that employee and customer needs are satisfied, whilst creating value for shareholders. The objective of this study is to develop a methodology and supporting tools to enable a organisation to make the transition from being task focused to becoming a truly process organisation. The approach that is proposed is the Rynmar VAP Diagnostic Tool. The approach consists of 5 phases, best explained by the metaphor of building a house: • Setting the stage (phase 0) is identifying the need for a house, i.e. being unhappy with the current situation to an extent that one has the burning desire to change surrounding, even if it will cost a lot of time, effort and financial resources. • Visioning (phase 1) is drawing an artist impression of the house. It involves thinking what the new house should look like, for example do I want a Cape-Dutch house with thatched roof and white walls, or an Italian design with tiled roof and off-white walls. Visioning is the magnetic force that one holds on to whenever the question is asked: "Is it worth the effort?" • Design Process (phase 2) entails applying different techniques to draw an architectural design of the firstly the current processes, followed by the future process that will meet the different aspects of the vision. • Prototype & Build (phase 3) involves firstly building a small scale model of the house to test and improve the design made in phase 3, followed by building the actual house. • Train & Implement (phase 4) firstly entails training the different people in the skills required by the new process design and then implementing the process under careful guidance of the project team, i.e. moving into the house. • Continuous Improvement (phase 5) involves continuously improving the process to ensure that incremental performance improvement is achieved, which will lead to a dramatic cumulative improvement over time. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: "Waarde toegevoeging proses ontwerp" behels twee onderliggende konsepte, naamlik "besigheidsproses" en "waarde toevoeging": Besigheidsproses: Volgens Dr Michael Hammer (Hammer, 1999), die erkende vader van prosesdenke, kan 'n besigheidsproses definieer word as 'n georganiseerde groep van aktiwiteite wat gesamentlik waarde skep vir 'n kliënt. Die fokus in die proses is nie op individuele komponente van werk nie, wat individueel niks vir die gebruiker kan vermag nie, maar eerder op 'n geïntegreerde groep van aktiwiteite wat, indien effektief gegroepeer word, waarde skep vir 'n kliënt. Waarde toevoeging: Die konsep "waarde toevoeging" kan op verskillende maniere gedefinieer word afhangende van die ontvanger van die waarde (aandeelhouers, kliënte of werknemers). Vanuit die perspektief van 'n aandeelhouer word waarde toevoeging gemeet deur gebruik te maak van EVA ("Economic Value Added'). EVA is 'n maatstaf van ekonomiese wins, wat daarop neerkom dat 'n positiewe EVA aandui dat waarde geskep (toegevoeg) is, terwyl 'n negatiewe EVA beteken dat waarde verwoes is (waardevermindering). Prosesverbetering word gevolglik daarop gerig om waarde toe te voeg vir 'n kliënt, maar altyd onderhewig daaraan dat dit 'n positiewe impak op die EVA van die organisasie sal hê. Waarde toegevoegde proses ontwerp: "Waarde toegevoegde proses ontwerp" behels die ontwerp van 'n besigheidsproses of verwante besigheidprosesse wat sal verseker dat daar aan die behoeftes van werknemers en kliënte voldoen word en terselftertyd dat waarde geskep word vir aandeelhouers. Die doelwit van hierdie studie is om 'n metodologie en ondersteunende gereedskap te ontwikkel wat 'n organisasie in staat stel om die transformasie te maak van 'n taak-georiënteerde na 'n ten volle proses-georiënteerde organisasie. Die benadering wat voorgestel word is die Rynmar VAP model. Die benadering bestaan uit vyf fases en kan verduidelik word aan die hand van die metafoor om 'n huis te bou: • Definieer 'n platform vir verandering (fase 0) is om die behoefte te identifiseer om 'n huis te bou, naamlik om ontevrede te wees met die huidige situasie tot so 'n mate dat 'n brandende begeerte bestaan om iets daaraan te doen, selfs al kos dit tyd, moeite en finansies. • Skep van 'n prosesvisie (fase 1) is om 'n kunstenaarsvoorstelling te maak van die huis. Dit sluit in hoe die nuwe huis moet lyk, byvoorbeeld 'n Kaaps-Hollandse huis met 'n grasdak en wit mure. 'n Visie is die magnetiese aantrekkingskrag wat 'n organisasie aan vasklou wanneer die vraag gevra word: "Is dit die moeite werd?" • Proses ontwerp (fase 2) behels die toepassing van verskillende tegnieke om 'n argitekstekening van eerstens die bestaande prosesse te maak, gevolg deur die ontwerp van toekomstige prosesse wat die visie sal verwesenlik. • Prototipering & bou (fase 3) behels die bou van 'n klein skaalmodel van die huis om die ontwerp te toets en verbetering aan te bring, gevolg deur die werklike bou van die huis. • Opleiding & implementering (fase 4) behels eerstens die opleiding van die betrokke partye, gefokus op die vaardighede wat benodig word om die nuwe proses te implementer. Vervolgens word die proses implementeer onder die waaksame oog van die projekspan, naamlik om in die huis in te trek. • Kontinue verbetering (fase 5) behels die kontinue verbetering van die proses wat sal verseker dat inkrementele verbetering behaal word, wat lei tot dramatiese verbetering opgebou oor tyd.

Verslas labai svarbus kiekvienos šalies ekonomikai, jo teikiamą naudą gali pajusti tiek verslininkai, verslo atstovai, tiek ir kiti visuomenės nariai. Lietuvoje šiuo metu verslo sektorius yra pažengęs, tačiau jame yra dar daug neišspręstų problemų, neatsakytų klausimų. Šiuo metu Lietuva dar negali pasigirti aukštą pridėtinę vertę kuriančių verslų gausa, ir pati šalies vyriausybė tik po truputį pradeda suprasti pridėtinės vertės kūrimo ir jos generavimo svarbą visai šalies ekonomikai, tad darbe autorė aptarė pridėtinės vertės kaip pagrindinio ekonominio sverto svarbą verslui ir šalies ekonomikai, nustatė kokie ekonominiai svertai, kokios priemonės versle padėtų kurti aukštesnę pridėtinę vertę. Baigiamojo darbo tikslas – išsiaiškinti verslo Lietuvoje plėtros ypatumus, nustatyti, kokie ekonominiai svertai didina verslo kuriamą pridėtinę vertę. Darbo hipotezė – nepakankamas verslo sektoriaus pridėtinės vertės kūrimas ir generavimas Lietuvoje. Baigiamojo darbo pagrindiniai uždaviniai: supažindinti su Lietuvos verslo sektoriumi, atskleisti pagrindinius šio sektoriaus ypatumus, išskirti pagrindines jo problemas; apibūdinti pridėtinę vertę, jos kūrimo procesą bei teikiamą naudą; apibūdinti pagrindinius ekonominius svertus, didinančius verslo Lietuvoje kuriamą pridėtinę vertę, išnagrinėti kur ir kam ši sukurta pridėtinė vertė yra paskirstoma; atlikti pasirinktos verslo sektoriaus šakos Lietuvoje analizę, įvertinti kokią pridėtinę vertę ši šaka sukuria ir kokią naudą ta sukurta vertė... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Business is extremely important for any country's economy; its benefits can be experienced by both the business community, business representatives and also by other members of the public. Lithuanian business sector is currently advanced, however there are still many unsolved problems and open questions. Lithuania cannot yet be proud of plenty businesses, creating high value added, moreover, the government itself is only beginning to gradually realize the importance of value added creation to the national economy, therefore the author of this paper has discussed the importance of value added as a major economic leverage to both business and the national economy, determined the factors and measures are required for creating higher value added. The aim of the paper: to identify business development characteristics in Lithuania; to determine, what economic levers increase the value added of private business. Working hypothesis: lack of value added, generated by Lithuanian business sector. Main tasks: to introduce the theoretical side of the business sector; to identify the main features of the sector; to highlight its major problems; to analyze factors and measures, helping create a higher value added and promoting development of the country's private business; to perform analysis of a selected Lithuanian business sector branch; to assess the value added, created by that branch and the benefits to Lithuanian economy. Research methods: analysis of primary data sources; analysis... [to full text]

This thesis includes a financial analysis of AGC Flat Glass Czech a.s. on the basis of financial reports of the period 2005 - 2009. The theoretical part describes the methods of financial analysis - absolute and ratio analysis, predictive models, economic value added. The practical part includes an analysis of macroeconomic and industry growth, the financial analysis and comparison with the industry.

This thesis is devoted to financial analysis and it explains all the attributes and methods. These are applied to the example of T-Mobile, Inc. The core of this analysis is the processing of official financial statements of the company. Particular emphasis is placed on the bankruptcy models. The aim is to evaluate the current economic development of the company and its current market position, including a comparison with the competition. Thesis evaluates the financial health of the company from 2005 to 2009.