There is a great need for qualified MBL and MBA graduates in South Africa to support and maintain the current growth rate that the economy is experiencing. Diligent effort is required to ensure that the locally acquired MBA/MBL qualifications remain on par with international qualifications. As an initial step to ensure high standards, the Council for Higher Education (CHE) did accreditation evaluations and only 18 MBA courses are now accredited. Admission criteria for the MBA/MBL is one of the minimum standards being assessed as part of the accreditation process conducted by the CHE. / Department of Industrial & Organisational Psychology / M.B.L.

Thesis (M.Tech.: Business Administration)-Durban University of Technology, 2006 vi, 70 leaves / One of the major problems facing SMME’s in the South African clothing industry is the surge of clothing imported particularly from China, which negatively impacts on the ability of local firms to survive in business. Despite this challenge within the volatile business environment some SMME’s within the clothing industry have been resilient and have remained in business. This survey focused on the existing business strategies of SMME’s within the clothing manufacturing sector of Kwa-Zulu Natal. The main aim of the research was to establish the underlying factors of competitive advantage of SMME’s and to determine the strategic action taken by businesses in order to combat the impact of the sale of imported clothing in South Africa. In addition, an evaluation of the success of these strategic choices was carried out so that future business strategies for SMME’s can be developed to ensure sustainable competitive advantage.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African Government has set a target to halve poverty and unemployment by 2014. In an attempt to achieve this target a number of projects were initiated, one of which is the National Tooling Initiative (NTI). Local structures were established to encourage co-operation and competitiveness among the Small Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) by using the cluster concept. Consequently the Western Cape Tooling Initiative (WCTI) was formed to focus on and address the needs of the toolmakers in the Western Cape. It was highlighted during the interview with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the WCTI that some of the toolmakers are limited in terms of the size of orders they could handle due to lack of capacity. Discussions and research showed that in addition to the cluster initiative, a model such as the Order Fulfilment Process (OFP) could be used to encourage toolmakers to play a role in the activities within the OFP which they are strong in and collectively tender for contracts which they cannot fulfil on their own. Coupled to the OFP, it was decided that activity based costing would be used to assist with the cost allocation of the activities along the OFP. Furthermore, some of the activities within the OFP would be centralised i.e. order taking and invoicing, while others would be decentralised i.e. manufacturing and distribution. The research study showed that although the office of the WCTI is fully established, there is a need to better understand and analyse the actual state of the toolmakers, their profile and capability. Once this information is available, the WCTI would be in a better position to make meaningful decisions about the appropriate plan of action. Concurrently, the WCTI need to also learn about the business opportunities that are available to the toolmakers and begin to exploit them. The aim of the study was to help improve the performance of the toolmakers through co-operation by using the order fulfilment process model complemented by activity based costing. The objective of the research project was to develop a framework that should be used by the WCTI to encourage co-operation among the toolmakers to improve their competitiveness. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse regering het aan hulself die doelwit gestel om teen 2014 armoede en werkloosheid te halveer. In ‘n poging om hierdie doelwitte te bereik, is ‘n aantal projekte van stapel gestuur, waarvan die “National Tooling Initiative” (NTI) een is. Plaaslike strukture is gevestig om samewerking en mededinging aan te moedig tussen die klein-, mikro- en medium- sake-ondernemings (SMMEs) deur die gebruik van ‘n groeperingskonsep. Gevolglik is die “Western Cape Tooling Initiative” (WCTI) tot stand gebring om te fokus op die behoeftes van die gereedskapmakers in die Wes-Kaap en hul behoeftes aan te spreek. In ‘n onderhoud met die Hoof Uitvoerende Beampte van die WCTI is aandag daarop gevestig dat sommige van die gereedskapmakers beperk word in terme van die grootte van bestellings wat hulle kan hanteer as gevolg van hul gebrek aan kapasiteit. Gesprekke en navorsing het getoon dat ‘n model soos die bestellingvoltooingsproses (Order Fulfilment Process (OFP)) gebruik kan word om gereedskapmakers aan te moedig om ‘n rol te speel in die aktiwiteite binne die OFP waarin hulle sterk is en gesamentlik tenders in te dien vir kontrakte wat hulle nie op hulle eie kan hanteer nie. Tesame met die OFP, is daar besluit dat aktiwiteitsgebaseerde kosteberekening gebruik sou word om te help met die bepaling van koste-allokasie van die aktiwiteite binne die OFP. Verder sal sommige van die aktiwiteite van die proses gesentraliseer word, naamlik die neem van bestellings en fakturering, terwyl ander gedesentraliseer sou word, naamlik vervaardiging en verspreiding. Die navorsingstudie het getoon dat, alhoewel die kantoor van die WCTI ten volle gevestig is, daar steeds ‘n behoefte bestaan om die werklike toestand van die gereedskapmakers, hulle profiel en kapasiteit te begryp en te ontleed. Wanneer hierdie inligting beskikbaar is, sal die WCTI in ‘n beter posisie wees om betekenisvolle besluite te neem rakende die gepaste plan van aksie. Verder moet die WCTI ook hulself vergewis van die sakemoontlikhede wat vir die gereedskapmakers beskikbaar is en dit begin benut. Die oogmerk van die studie was om die werkverrigting van die gereedskapmakers deur samewerking te verbeter deur middel van die OFP wat ondersteun word deur aktiwiteitsgebaseerde kosteberekening. Die doel van die navorsingsprojek was om ‘n raamwerk te ontwikkel wat deur die WCTI gebruik kan word om samewerking onder die gereedskapmakers aan te moedig en hul mededingendheid te verbeter.

Thesis (MBA (Graduate School of Business))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Globalisation, constant innovations and well-informed customers have made modern business environments dynamic and complex. Organisations, with their ever-changing business models, are striving to improve the quality of their products and services. Congruently, several management theories have evolved. Total Quality Management (TQM),Just in Time (JIT), Benchmarking, Lean Management, Balanced Scorecard and Six Sigma are some of the more well known. Each movement with its own life span, its share of popularity and level of acceptance has the same basic goal – improvement in quality by measuring performance. Recent years have seen an upsurge in the approaches and contributions to the field of performance measurement. Are these management theories just a flavour of the month or do they add value. The object of this study is to provide industry specific manufacturing business with a Manufacturing Performance Measurement Matrix Model, which can be used over time to measure improvement and serve as a basis for Knowledge Management. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Globalisering, konstante inbring van veranderinge en goed ingeligte kliënte het die moderne besigheidsomgewing dinamies en kompleks gemaak. Organisasies, met hulle ewig veranderende besigheidsmodelle, streef daarna om die kwaliteit van hulle produkte en dienslewering te verbeter. Verskeie bestuursteorieë het as gevolg hiervan ontwikkel. Die mees bekende bestuursteorieë is onder andere: Total Quality Management (TQM), Just in Time (JIT), Benchmarking, Lean Management, Balanced Scorecard en Six Sigma. Elkeen van hierdie planne, met sy eie leeftyd, porsie van die gewildheid en vlak van aanvaarding, het dieselfde basiese doel – verbetering van kwaliteit deur die meet van prestasie. Onlangse jare het ‘n opvlam gesien in die benaderings en bydraes tot die veld van prestasiemeting. Is hierdie bestuursteorieë net ‘n nuutjie of is hulle waardevol vir die besigheidswêreld? Die doel van hierdie studie is om industrie spesifieke vervaardigingsbesighede met ‘n Vervaardigings Prestasiemetings Matriks Model te voorsien wat deur die verloop van tyd verbeterings kan meet en kan dien as ‘n basis vir die bestuur van kundigheid.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The aim of this study is to develop an understanding of and to identify those people management practices used by global South African companies to improve competitive advantage, and which enables them to compete effectively internationally. People management practices refer to any human resource management initiative or process designed to improve the effectiveness of a company's human capital. Such practices typically flow from the organisation's overall business strategy. and are interpreted and developed into HR policies, processes and systems by HR professionals. However it is the manner in which such policies and processes are applied by management, which transforms them into people management practices. A detailed literature review was used to develop an understanding of the current influences impacting on the human resource management field and also to identify those people management practices considered to be 'best practice'. The people management practices of five companies, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange or with their origins in South Africa, were then studied and compared. These companies represent a wide variety of sectors and industries, including mining, financial services, telecommunications, manufacturing and industrial services. The final results were then compared against and used to verify the 'best practice' template identified earlier during the literature review. Finally, the study also provides a brief summary and understanding of how the HR function in particular, facilitates and supports the implementation of these people practices within the companies surveyed.

published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This work collected four years of financial data from an employee-owned firm and a traditionally-owned firm from the same industry. The data were then organized to provide measures of three dimensions of corporate performance: (1) employee turnover, (2) productivity, and (3) profitability. Based upon a review of the literature, employee stock ownership plans (ESOP) are reported to enhance corporate performance after their adoption. Additionally, ESOPs are purported to perform better than traditionally-owned companies. This dissertation developed hypotheses to ascertain whether or not the particular ESOP used in this study conformed to these expectations. The first set of three hypotheses was tested using multiple regression techniques to determine if the ESOP experienced a reduction in turnover, an improvement in productivity, and an increase in profitability following its conversion to employee-ownership. The results of the regressions found that there was no incremental significance. There was no improvement noted in the performance of the ESOP firm. Another component of this investigation was to determine whether improvements in corporate performance were temporary or permanent phenomena. This portion of the research was rendered superfluous when no improvements were available for analysis. The final question that was examined was whether the ESOP would demonstrate better performance than a traditionally-owned control firm during the post-intrusion period. There was no significant difference discovered in productivity and profitability. A marked difference was identified in terms of turnover. However, it was the traditionally-owned firm which performed better than the employee-owned firm—the opposite of what was predicted. These findings, although interesting, had to be evaluated as inconclusive because of innate differences between the treatment and control firms. The variance between the two companies may be attributed to such factors as company size and marked differences in their respective labor markets. The ESOP used in this study did not demonstrate any of the changes in performance that had been predicted.

M.A. (Public Management and Governance) / This study focuses on the policy programme feasibility of the proposed OR Tambo Industrial Development Zone (ORTIAIDZ) programme to determine the viability of its implementation. This introductory chapter highlights the background and rationale in order to provide context to the problem statement and the chosen research approach. The research questions and research objectives are provided and the research investigation methodology (research approach, design, data collection and analysis methods) used in this study are clarified. The chapter also clarifies the explicit terminology used in the text. Finally, a synopsis of the chapters comprising the dissertation is provided.

by Chow Yue-Hin, Terence, Xie Ming-An. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-66). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND TABLES --- p.v / Chapter / Chapter I --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter II --- BALANCED SCORECARD --- p.3 / Origin of Balanced Scorecard --- p.3 / What is Balanced Scorecard? --- p.5 / Four Perspectives of Balanced Scorecard --- p.4 / Strategy and Balanced Scorecard --- p.8 / Balanced Scorecard and traditional management --- p.11 / Chapter III --- DEVELOPING A BALANCED SCORECARD - GETTING STARTED --- p.14 / Preparation Tasks --- p.14 / Balanced Scorecard Team --- p.15 / Chapter IV --- PRESENT SITUATION IN THE RETAIL JEWELLERY INDUSTRY --- p.18 / Hong Kong Retail Jewellery Industry --- p.18 / Changes in the External environment --- p.19 / Company Background --- p.21 / Chapter V --- COMMENCEMENT OF BSC --- p.24 / Beginning Stage --- p.24 / Meetings --- p.27 / First Meeting --- p.28 / Second Meeting --- p.29 / Third Meeting --- p.30 / Fourth Meeting --- p.31 / Interviews --- p.32 / Executive Questionnaire --- p.34 / Finalizing Measures --- p.36 / Chapter VI --- CONCLUSION --- p.38 / Limitations of Balanced Scorecard Program --- p.38 / Chapter VII --- ACTION PLANS AND FUTURE OUTLOOK --- p.42 / Setting up Targets/Initiatives --- p.42 / Prioritizing different measures/initiatives --- p.43 / Creating a Balanced Scorecard Measure Dictionary --- p.43 / Feedback from employees --- p.44 / APPENDIX AND FIGURES --- p.46 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.65

Firms' participation in exporting or foreign direct investment is an extremely rare behavior: only 4 percent of over 5.5 million U.S. firms were exporters in 2000. Exporters are generally larger (e.g. output and employment) and more productive than firms serving only domestic markets. Such heterogeneity within a narrowly defined industry cannot be fully explained by either comparative advantage arguments or the presence of scale economies and consumers' love of variety. Recent studies of heterogeneous firms show that a reduction in trade costs, i.e. policy, geographic and institutional barriers, has two effects within an industry previously not recognized in trade literature: (i) exit of low productivity firms, and (ii) resource reallocation in favor of high productivity firms. These two effects combine to raise an industry's average productivity and overall welfare, but can adversely affect some regions of an economy with firm closures or job losses. The objective of this dissertation is to examine the effects of trade costs on firm entry, exit, and employment at a regional level in the United States. For this purpose, industry-specific trade costs by U.S. regions are derived and their underlying sources are examined. The chosen trade-costs measure, based on the gravity equation, captures the variation over time in trade fictions among countries. Data from the Census Bureau and the World Bank are employed to quantify trade costs by U.S. industries and regions. Results show that a single measure of trade costs for the United States does not adequately represent the large number of and diverse regions through which trade in agriculture and manufacturing occurs. Moreover, geographic factors appear to be relatively more important than policy barriers in explaining the level of trade costs faced by U.S. regions. Drawing on recent heterogeneous firms models, this dissertation specifies an empirical framework to examine: (i) firm entry or exit arising from changes in trade costs, i.e. extensive margin, and (ii) changes in employment of surviving firms creation arising from changes in trade costs, i.e. intensive margin. These two hypotheses are tested using regional business dynamics data from the Census Bureau and trade cost measures derived earlier. Results show that trade cost changes affect firm exit and employment as hypothesized. That is, lowering trade costs increases the likelihood of firm exit, presumably of the low-productivity ones. Thus, trade costs, by way of the extensive margin, affect an industry's average productivity. Similarly, trade costs appear to affect the employment of surviving firms suggesting that the intensive margin also operates to improve average productivity of an industry, such as through resource reallocation towards high-productivity firms. The intra-industry reallocation of resources to high productivity firms is an important source of gains from trade to the whole economy. Nonetheless, some regions face firm exit and job losses. In assessing the gains from trade, attention must be paid to the distributional consequences of resource reallocation within an industry as well as a country. / Graduation date: 2013