Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 1997. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study project comprises an analysis of the Cash Flow Statements of a number of delisted companies for the years in which the companies were listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The trends in the cash flow infonnation for the years prior to delisting is summarised in order to detennine whether the Cash Flow Statement can be utilised as an aid in the prediction of financial failure. The validity of the foUowing hypothesis is tested against the results of the study: If the cash flow from operations of a company is very low or negative for two years, the company will be delisted, except if an issue of shares can be done. From a sample of 46 companies, the following was derived: 16 companies encountered cash flow problems and tried to delay delisting by issuing shares. 19 companies encountered cash flow problems, but did not try to delay delisting through tbe issue of shares. 11 companies were delisted for reasons other than cash flow problems. The fmal conclusion is tbat the Cash Flow Statement can be utilised as an aid in the prediction of fmancial failure, but compliance to tbe bypotbesis does not necessarily mean tbat failure is inevitable. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie werkstuk behels 'n ontleding van die Kontantvloeistate van 'n aantal gedenoteerde maatskappye vir die jare waarin die maatskappye genoteer was op die Jobannesburgse Effektebeurs. Die tendense wat waargeneem word in die kontantvloei oor 'n aantal jare tot en met denotering word saamgevat ten einde vas te stel of die Kontantvloeistaat gebruik kan word as hulpmiddel in die voorspelling van finansiele mislukking. Die volgende hipotesestelling word gemaak en dan getoets aan die hand van die resultate van die studie: Indien die kontantvloei uit bedrywighede van 'n maatskappy vir twee jaar baie laag of negatief is, sal die maatskappy denoteer behalwe as 'n uitgifte van aandele gemaak kan word. Uit 'n steekproef van 46 maatskappye is die volgende afgelei: 16 maatskappye het kontantvloeiprobleme ondervind en het deurgaans denotering probeer vertraag deur aandele-uitgifte te maak. 19 Maatskappye het kontantvloeiprobleme ondervind maar het die aandele-uitgifte gebruik om denotering te vertraag. 11 maatskappye is gedenoteer weens redes anders as kontantvloeiprobleme. Die uiteindelike gevolgtrekking is dat die Kontantvloeistaat wel kan dien as bulpmiddel in die voorspelling van finansiele mislukking, maar voldoening aan die hipotese beteken nie noodwendig dat mislukking onvermydelik is nie.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 1997. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study it is attempted to determine whether delisting of companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange is preceded by certain cash flow patterns. Information was collected by summarising the Source and Application of Funds statements and Cash Flow statements of companies into a spreadsheet model. The cash flows of companies were then presented graphically over time with the intent to derive possible patterns. It was also attempted to assess the impact of depreciation on the cash flow situation, as well as the possible reasons for share Issues. Although the sample may be too small for definite conclusions, it seems as if certain cash flow patterns preceded delisting and that share issues are related to investing activities. Depreciation does not seem to have a substantial effect on the cash flow situation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie word daar gepoog om vas te steI of denotering van maatskappye op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs voorafgegaan word deur sekere kontantvloei patrone. Inligting is versarneI deur maatskappye se Bron en Aanwending van Fondse state en Kontantvloeistate in 'n sigbladmodeI saarn te vat. Die kontantvloeie van maatskappye is dan grafies voorgesteI oor tyd ten einde moontlike patrone af te lei. Daar is ook gepoog om die impak van waardevermindering op die kontantvloei situasie te bepaaI, asook die moontlike redes vir aandeeluitgifte. AlhoeweI die monster moontlik te klein is vir definitiewe afleidings wil dit tog voorkom of sekere kontantvloei patrone denotering voorafgaan en dat aandeeluitgifte verband hou met investeringsaktiwiteite. Dit blyk dat waardevermindering nie 'n wesenlike rol in die kontantvloei situasie speel nie.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 1993. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Cash flow information is important in evaluating the financial results of companies. As cash flow statements were only prepared since October 1988 as part of Generally Accepted Accounting Practice various assumptions were made in calculating cash flow information for earlier years. In a study by Wessels (1991) a few approximate methods were used to calculate cash flow from operating activities. For this study an analysis was again made of the same companies. In this latest study it is concluded that the assumptions of the previous study could be wrong. It is therefore suggested that the assumptions and results of the previous study be re-evaluated. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kontantvloei-inligting is belangrik by die evaluering van maatskappyresultate en daarom word aannames dikwels gebruik om die inligting voor Oktober 1988 te bereken . Die rede hiervoor is dat kontantvloeistate as deel van Algemeen Aanvaarde Rekeningkundige Praktyk eers sedert Oktober 1988 gepubliseer is . In In studie van Wessels (1991) is gebruik gemaak van 'n aantal benaderde metodes om kontant uit bedryfsaktiwiteite te bereken. 'n Ondersoek na dieselfde maatskappye wat toe gebruik is, is weer in hierdie studie gedoen. Die gevolgtrekking wat in hierdie studie gemaak word, is dat die aannames van Wessels moontlik foutief kon wees. Daar word aanbeveel dat die studie van Wessels en die gevolgtrekkings waartoe gekom is, herevalueer moet word.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 1993. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The success rate of an undertaking is normally measured against the industrial average of the specific undertaking. In theory it is very easy, but in practice many problems arise which must be overcome before any ratio analysis becomes meaningful. All companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange were measured against the definition of a conglomerate. After the selection there were efforts to divide all the South · African conglomerates into homogeneous groups according to an article by Amit & Livnat (1990: 65-100) of the United States of America "Grouping of Conglomerates by their segments' economic attributes: Towards a meaningful ratio analysis." Thereby a more meaningful ratio analysis can be devised. A method of selection was devised to select the conglomerates from the universe which consisted of all listed companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 1 February 1993. Out of 685 companies 44 were selected as conglomerates. When the USA article was applied to South Africa it appeared that, due tot various problems, it was impossible to apply the USA article directly to the South African situation. Therefore the South African situation was approached differently. Due to the fact that guidelines only existed according to which conglomerates report their financial information segmentally, there were efforts to determine which methods were applied by the 44 conglomerates and whether any uniform measures existed in the segmental reporting. After the analysis of the separate companies it was found that 19 of the 44 companies which were selected as conglomerates report financial figures for their operational segments; 16 companies disclose no segmental reporting; 17 companies only mentioned certain segmental information in the directors' reports and 2 companies reported financial information for their subsidiaries instead of operational segments. From the research it becomes clear that segmental reporting was practiced in less than 50% of South African conglomerates. It appears that company management avoid segmental reporting to ensure that opposition companies cannot benefit from it. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die mate van sukses van 'n onderneming word normaalweg aan die gemiddelde van die industrie waarin die onderneming homself bevind, gemeet. Teoreties is dit baie maklik, maar in die praktyk ontstaan daar vele probleme wat oorkom moet word voordat enige verhoudingsanalise enigsins betekenisvol kan wees. Alle maatskappye wat op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs genoteer is, is aan die definisie van 'n konglomeraat gameet. Na die seleksie is daar aan die hand van 'n aftikel deur Amit & Livnat (1990: 65·'00) van die Verenigde State van Amerika "Grouping of Conglomerates by their segments' economic attributes: Towards a more meaningful ratio analysis" . gepoog om die Suid·Afrikaanse konglomerate in homogene groepe te deel. Sodoende word 'n meer sinvolle verhoudingsanalise daargestel. 'n Seleksiemetode is gevind om die konglomerate uit die universum, wat bestaan uit alle maatskappye wat op 1 Februarie 1993 op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs genoteer was, te selekteer. Met die toe passing van die VSA-artikel op Suid-Afrika het dit egter geblyk dat dit weens verskeie probleme onmoontlik sou wees om die VSA-artikel direk op die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie toe te pas. Daar is toe van die VSA-artikel afgewyk en die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie is op 'n ander manier benader. Aangesien daar slegs riglyne bestaan waarvolgens konglomerate segmentele rapportering in hul finansiële state doen, is daar toe gepoog om te bepaal watter metodes die 44 konglomeraatmaatskappye volg en of daar enigsins 'n mate van eenvormigheid in hul segmentele rapportering bestaan. Nadat die verskillende bedryfsegmente van elk van die 44 maatskappye geïdentifiseer is, is elkeen se finansiêle state sorgvuldig ontleed sodat daar vasgestel kon word of daar enigsins finansiële rapportering in die verskillende bedryfsegmente plaasvind. Uit die ontleding van die onderskeie maatskappye is daar gevind dat 10 van die 44 maatskappye wat as konglomerate geselekteer is, wel finansiële syfers in segmentele verband rapporteer; 16 maatskappye doen geen segmentele rapportering nie; 7 maatskappye maak slegs in hul direkteursverslag melding van sekere segmentele inligting en 2 maatskappye rapporteer finansiële inligting in filiaalverband in plaas van bedryfsegmente. Uit die ondersoek blyk dit dat segmentele rapportering in minder as 50% van SuidAfrikaanse konglomeraatmaatskappye voorkom . Dit wil egter voorkom of maatskappybestuur hul van segmentele finansiële rapportering in hul jaarverslae weerhou uit vrees dat hul opposisiemaatskappye bevoordeel mag word .

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 1998. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study investigated the divergent practice in the presentation of Value-Added Statements (V AS) by industrial companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. A standard statement (for 1997 only), as suggested by the author, was constructed for all 188 companies analysed to eliminate unusual or faulty recording of certain items. Overall, the calculated value added differed from that published by the companies due to the inclusion of certain items which are specific to particular companies. The information compiled during the investigation will also he used to upgrade the database of the University of Stellenbosch Business School. The results of the study suggest that there are indeed some deep-rooted conceptual problems in reporting value added as well as problems associated with the treatment of individual items in the statement. Taxation reporting in the V AS was found to be the major item where inconsistency was prevalent. Of the 188 companies studied, about forty percent included what the author tenned "taxation mistakes" in their VAS. Minority reporting was found to be another significant problem area where companies were very inconsistent in reporting the item. In addition, there were some strange items that the writer came across in the published VAS. [f value added is to be accepted as a useful tool in financial reporting, that is, if it is to gain popularity and usefulness, it must be derived from a consistent model and should be systematically applied. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie het die verskillende wyses ondersoek waarop Toegevoegdewaardestate (TWS) opgestel is deue industriele maatskappye op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs. 'n Standaard staat (slegs vir 1997) soos voorgestel deur die skrywer is opgestel vir elk van die 188 maatskappye wat ontleed is ten einde ongewone of foutiewe rapportering te elimineer. Oor die aigemeen het die berekende toegevoegde waarde verskil van die syfers soos gepubliseer deur die maatskappy. Die verskille was hoofsaaklik toe te skryf aan die insluiting van sekere items wat uniek was aan bepaaJde maatskappye. Die informasie versamel gedurende hierdie ondersoek sal ook gebruik word om die databasis van die Bestuurskool van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch op te gradeer. Die resultate van die studie het getoon dat daar weI sommige diep-geworteide konseptuele probleme in die rapportering van toegevoegde waardc bestaan het sowel as probleme geassosieer met die hantering van individuele items in die TWS. Veertig persent van die 188 maatskappye ondersoek, het belastingfoute (soos deur die skrywer omskryf) ingesluit in die gepubliseerde TWS. Die rapportering van minderheidsbelang was ook 'n groot probleem area wat gelei het tot 'n groot mate van inkonsekwente rapportering. Verder het die skrywer op 'n hele aantal ongewone items in die gepubliseerde TWS gevind. As toegevoegde waarde as 'n handige hulpmiddel in finansiele rapportering aanvaar wil word, dit is om groter populariteit en groter gebruikswaarde te verkry, sal dit ontwikkel moet word uit 'n bepaalde model, en op 'n sistematiese wyse opgestel word.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 1980. / VOORWOORD: Die rekenaarisering van die kontantvloei-model van Strauss (1979) het die potensiaal van die model as 'n beplannigshulpmiddel uitgebeeld. In die werkstuk word die effek wat enkele faktore op die brutoinkomste-persentasie uitoefen ondersoek om uiteindelik 'n geïntegreerde model te vorm, wat vir die bepaling van 'n brutoinkomste-persentasie onder sekere doelstellings gebruik kan word.

published_or_final_version / Management Studies / Master / Master of Business Administration

M.Com. (Computer Auditing) / This study investigates the effects of the implementation and upgrade of financial Enterprise Resource Planning (hereafter ERP) systems, particularly the Oracle system, on financial reporting and audit. It also determines whether the independent external auditors play a vital role in the process of implementing internal controls in the implementation and upgrade of the Oracle system at a higher education institution (hereafter HEI). With the ever-evolving information technology, it is of utmost importance that the necessary controls be implemented. A sample of 18 Oracle system users from the HEI finance expenditure department and HEI independent external auditors is surveyed and the results of the survey are used to provide advice to organisational management on measures that should be implemented to ensure smooth systems implementation and post-implementation results. The empirical study indicates that the HEI had adequate measures and controls in place to ensure that the ERP implementation runs smoothly and threats are avoided, resulting in a successful implementation for competitive advantage in HEI.

Both revenues and earnings of diversified firms are increasingly being reported, to the government and the public, on a subentity basis. Adequate criterial foundations do not exist to permit the effective general prescription of specific segment delineations, nor is it known whether such criterial assists can be usefully developed.Demands for segmentation in financial reports are currently intense. Actual reporting practices are largely nonstandardized as to either the definition of segments employed or, the disclosure modes used to present them. Neither conceptual nor theoretical supports are now adequate in guidance to the forms and levels of segmentation activity now required. Prerequisite to effective development of such supports is an-adequate understanding of the corporate diversification phenomenon itself. This dissertation project investigates and analyzes the nature of corporate diversification, as manifested in (1) its historical evolution; (2) general comprehensions of the phenomenon, as evidenced in published opinions and conceptual reasoning schemes of both authoritative experts and lay investors; and (3) formal research by others. Additionally, the results of these investigations and analyses are developed into conceptual schemes and theoretical frameworks, at moderate levels of abstraction.

The purpose of this research was to determine if presentation format, given a particular task to be performed, would affect the decision-making process of financial decision makers. The problem motivating this study is the potential for managers to make inefficient decisions when they use reports which are presented inappropriately for a given task.