Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Marketing of Agricultural Products Act 47 (No 47 if 1996) led to the dilution of single-channel marketing in the agricultural sector. Hence, marketing boards such as the Maize Board were dismantled. New legislation forced agricultural businesses to adapt to the changing environment and turn co-operatives into companies. The new developments also implied that these companies had to reposition themselves to be more competitive in a deregulated market. MGK Group Operating Company Pty (Ltd) is a prominent role player in the agricultural sector in the North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces in South Africa. Unexpected growth in the company as well as the deregulation of the industry necessitated a bona fide marketing communication department to manage and coordinate all advertising, promotional and communication efforts. After establishing this department all marketing communication efforts were still fragmented. Consequently, the cost-effectiveness of this department was questioned by the company’s board of directors. The MGK Group’s the board of directors received a mandate to follow a holistic approach and formulate a strategy to enhance the impact of its marketing communication efforts while cutting costs. This study sets out to establish whether the implementation of an integrated marketing communication programme can ultimately satisfy the board of directors’ requirements for marketing communication that is more accountable, effective and efficient. This study starts with a literature review of the practices and theories underpinning integrated marketing communication. This is followed by testing the applicability of the various approaches and methodologies in the MGK Group environment. The study is concluded with the formulation of a marketing communication strategy and recommendations based on the needs of the MGK Group. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Wet op die Bemarking van Landbouprodukte (Nr 47 van 1996) het eenkanaal-bemarking in die sektor verwater. Dit het daartoe gelei dat bemarkingsrade soos die Mielieraad afgeskaf is. Nuwe wetgewing het landbou-ondernemings genoop om in 'n veranderende sake-omgewing aan te pas en koöperasies in maatskappye te omskep. Die aanpassing het ook beteken dat maatskappye hulself in 'n meer mededingende en gedereguleerde mark moes herposisioneer. Die MGK Groep Bedryfsmaatskappy Edms Bpk is 'n vooraanstaande rolspeler in die landbousektor in die volgende provinsies in Suid-Afrika: Noordwes, Limpopo, Mpumalanga en Gauteng. Onverwagse groei asook die deregulering van die bedryf het meegebring dat dié maatskappy 'n bona fide bemarkingskommunikasie-afdeling nodig gehad het om alle reklame-, promosie- en kommunikasie-aktiwiteite te bestuur en te koördineer. Nadat die afdeling op die been gebring is, het bemarkingskommunikasie-aktiwiteite steeds los van mekaar gestaan. Dit het daartoe gelei dat die kostedoeltreffendheid van die funksie op divisievlak bevraagteken is. Die direksie van die MGK Groep het 'n mandaat gehad om 'n holistiese benadering te volg en 'n strategie te formuleer om die impak sowel as die kostedoeltreffendheid van die maatskappy se bemarkingskommunikasie te verbeter. Hierdie studie poog om vas te stel of die implementering van 'n geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasieplan uiteindelik in die direksie van die MGK Groep se behoefte aan verantwoordbare, doeltreffende en doelmatige bemarkingskommunikasie kan voorsien. Die studie begin met 'n literatuuroorsig van die praktyk en teorie van geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasie. Daarna word die toepaslikheid van die onderskeie benaderings en metodologieë ten opsigte van die MGK Groep getoets. Die studie word afgesluit met 'n bemarkingskommunikasiestrategie en aanbevelings wat op die behoeftes van die MGK Groep gegrond is.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Marketing of Agricultural Products Act 47 (No 47 if 1996) led to the dilution of single-channel marketing in the agricultural sector. Hence, marketing boards such as the Maize Board were dismantled. New legislation forced agricultural businesses to adapt to the changing environment and turn co-operatives into companies. The new developments also implied that these companies had to reposition themselves to be more competitive in a deregulated market. MGK Group Operating Company Pty (Ltd) is a prominent role player in the agricultural sector in the North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces in South Africa. Unexpected growth in the company as well as the deregulation of the industry necessitated a bona fide marketing communication department to manage and coordinate all advertising, promotional and communication efforts. After establishing this department all marketing communication efforts were still fragmented. Consequently, the cost-effectiveness of this department was questioned by the company’s board of directors. The MGK Group’s the board of directors received a mandate to follow a holistic approach and formulate a strategy to enhance the impact of its marketing communication efforts while cutting costs. This study sets out to establish whether the implementation of an integrated marketing communication programme can ultimately satisfy the board of directors’ requirements for marketing communication that is more accountable, effective and efficient. This study starts with a literature review of the practices and theories underpinning integrated marketing communication. This is followed by testing the applicability of the various approaches and methodologies in the MGK Group environment. The study is concluded with the formulation of a marketing communication strategy and recommendations based on the needs of the MGK Group. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Wet op die Bemarking van Landbouprodukte (Nr 47 van 1996) het eenkanaal-bemarking in die sektor verwater. Dit het daartoe gelei dat bemarkingsrade soos die Mielieraad afgeskaf is. Nuwe wetgewing het landbou-ondernemings genoop om in 'n veranderende sake-omgewing aan te pas en koöperasies in maatskappye te omskep. Die aanpassing het ook beteken dat maatskappye hulself in 'n meer mededingende en gedereguleerde mark moes herposisioneer. Die MGK Groep Bedryfsmaatskappy Edms Bpk is 'n vooraanstaande rolspeler in die landbousektor in die volgende provinsies in Suid-Afrika: Noordwes, Limpopo, Mpumalanga en Gauteng. Onverwagse groei asook die deregulering van die bedryf het meegebring dat dié maatskappy 'n bona fide bemarkingskommunikasie-afdeling nodig gehad het om alle reklame-, promosie- en kommunikasie-aktiwiteite te bestuur en te koördineer. Nadat die afdeling op die been gebring is, het bemarkingskommunikasie-aktiwiteite steeds los van mekaar gestaan. Dit het daartoe gelei dat die kostedoeltreffendheid van die funksie op divisievlak bevraagteken is. Die direksie van die MGK Groep het 'n mandaat gehad om 'n holistiese benadering te volg en 'n strategie te formuleer om die impak sowel as die kostedoeltreffendheid van die maatskappy se bemarkingskommunikasie te verbeter. Hierdie studie poog om vas te stel of die implementering van 'n geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasieplan uiteindelik in die direksie van die MGK Groep se behoefte aan verantwoordbare, doeltreffende en doelmatige bemarkingskommunikasie kan voorsien. Die studie begin met 'n literatuuroorsig van die praktyk en teorie van geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasie. Daarna word die toepaslikheid van die onderskeie benaderings en metodologieë ten opsigte van die MGK Groep getoets. Die studie word afgesluit met 'n bemarkingskommunikasiestrategie en aanbevelings wat op die behoeftes van die MGK Groep gegrond is.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Agricultural Economics)) --University of Limpopo, 2001.

This study examines recent evidence of growth and deterioration in the geography of Quebec agriculture. An explanation is sought in the changing food market linkages between producers and consumers. To this end the nature of consumer demand, the conduct and marketing strategies of processors and retailers, their productivity and competitiveness are reviewed in turn. / It is shown that the market system is inherently dynamic and increased vertical control is identified as a key factor. Its role in the process of change is explained in terms of the joint working of economic and political forces. Much policy is found inadvertently to reinforce existing trends. An explanation is suggested in the failure to recognise the complexity of the market process. As a result structural rigidity now threatens the market system. All this is directly evidenced in the spatial characteristics of the farm landscape. Policies are suggested to resolve the issue and strengthen the farm sector.

The major objective of this study was to seek a better knowledge and greater understanding of the factors associated with successful pineapple farming in the Eastern Cape Region of the Union of South Africa. As no previous · investigation equally representative of commercial pineapple farming patterns in the Eastern Cape has been made, this study can be regarded as a pilot survey of the labour structures, rates of production, combination of enterprises; marketing channels and the suitability of various districts in the region of study for the production of pineapples. In addition, the history of the pineapple in South Africa will be traced briefly, and the position the Union holds as a supplier of pineapples on the world market, will be investigated. the importance of the Eastern Cape as a producer of pineapples in South Africa is well known, but is also unequivocally illustrated by the information in Table 1. According to estimates made by the Division of Economics and Markets for 1955/56 season, no less than 86.5 percent of the total acreage planted to pineapples in South Africa, was located in this area. Bathurst, East London and Albany, three of the six districts included in the estimate, were particularly prominent. Taken together, they cultivated more than three-quarters of the total area planted to pineapples in the Eastern Cape, and nearly 70 per cent of the total for South Africa. The remaining quarter of the area cultivated in the Eastern Cape was located in the districts of Peddie, Komgha and Alexandria.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The agricultural sector in the Limpopo Province, comprises both commercial and subsistence farming. The smallholder farmers in the province are mainly producing for subsistence purposes and play an important role in poverty alleviation and livelihood creation. These smallholder farmers produce lower quantities of products that are also of low quality. Consequently, their products are rejected in the markets and by processors, and this affects the extent to which they participate in the market. This presents a challenge since the smallholder farming is highly labour intensive and represent the main source of income-generating occupations and a source of economic relief for the majority of people residing in the former homeland areas of the Limpopo Province. This study examined the factors influencing production and market participation among smallholder tomato farmers in Madibong and Manganeng Villages, at Makhuduthamaga Municipality in Greater Sekhukhune District, using the Multiple Linear and the Logistic Regression Models. The Multiple Linear Regression Model was used to analyse the socio-economic factors influencing tomato production among smallholder farmers in the study area. The results of the model indicated that extension access, fertiliser application, marital status, use of agricultural equipment and income from production output significantly influence tomato production among smallholder farmers. The Logistic Regression Model was used to analyse the socio-economic factors influencing market participation among smallholder tomato farmers in the study area. The Logistic Regression results indicated that factors such as educational level, gender of the farmer, farming experience, marital status, and farm size positively and significantly influence market participation while market distance negatively influences market participation among smallholder tomato farmers in the study area. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that the local municipality invest more in rural adult education in order for the farmers to adopt new farming skills and utilise the market information provided. In addition, the investment in adult education has the potential to contribute to rural development and job creation in the study area. The study recommends that there should be a comprehensive producer support such as input subsidies, that focuses primarily on subsidising smallholder farmers when purchasing production input such as fertilisers and pesticides. / NRF (National Research Foundation)

No description available.

This study was designed to compare the price levels of the Northern and Southern marketing areas and to determine if the returns to Virginia vegetable growers would be increased if more shipments were made to the Southern area. Six crops, snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes, were studied during 1954, 1955, and 1956. Eighteen consecutive weeks beginning near the first of June were studied during each year. Price and quantity data were collected from the daily market reports of New York, Baltimore, and Atlanta. Additional data on shipments of the six crops from Virginia were collected from Eastern Virginia vegetable producers. The prices which Virginia vegetable growers received for their produce in the terminal markets were found to be within a 25 percent range of the weekly terminal market median prices for 74 percent of the shipments where comparisons could be made. The price level in the Southern market was significantly higher than in the Northern market for snap beans, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes. There was no difference between the Northern and Southern market price levels for cabbage and sweet corn at the desired confidence level, but the Southern market price level was found to be higher at the 20 percent confidence level. The analysis of the two Northern markets indicates that no significant difference existed in the price levels of these markets for any of the crops. This relationship could not be accepted at the desired confidence level for cabbage, peppers, and tomatoes because the price variances were not homogeneous. After deducting transportation costs from Virginia to the respective markets, the highest net price to Virginia vegetable growers for most crops was available more often from the Southern market than in the Northern market. The study of these net prices in conjunction with the shipments by Virginia growers during the same period indicated that even though higher returns could have been realized from shipments to the Southern marketing area, Virginia growers generally did not take advantage of them. Some significant relationships between price and quantity arriving on the market were found. However, a few of the relationships did not conform to the traditional inverse relationships of the factors as expressed economic theory. Such results indicate that the data may not have been suitable for this type analysis. Complete data on the price of each unit and the total number of units in the markets should give a more reliable supply and demand relationship. Although the weekly period proved satisfactory for determining the differences in price levels of the markets, the use of such a period imposes serious limitations on the analysis of price and quantity relationships. If marketing decisions generally are made on the basis of the relative prices of the previous day or two days on the markets, the weekly period may average out many of the pertinent differences. Even though the demand in the Southern market was usually more elastic than in the Northern market, the price in the Southern market was found to generally be more responsive to a given change in quantity arriving on the market. This responsiveness of price to varying quantities arriving on the market was primarily a function of the difference in the size of the markets. The elasticity of demand of the markets was found to be of secondary importance in determining the responsiveness of price. The greatest difference in price responsiveness between the markets was for peppers. They were much more responsive to changes in the quantity arriving in the Southern market than in the Northern market. The prices of snap beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes are also more responsive to quantity changes in the Southern market. The price of sweet corn was found to be more responsive to additional carlot arrivals in the Northern market. Cabbage was not used in the calculations because the preliminary results did not conform to economic theory. / Master of Science

No description available.

No description available.