The success of the South African automotive production industry relies on the industry support programs from the Government. The industry’s seven Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) of passenger vehicles are wholly owned by respective Multinational Companies (MNCs) and they, together with the Components suppliers, engage with the Department of Trade and Industry, as Host Country (HC), in the development of the automotive industry support programs. The research tested the Obsolescing Bargain Theory (Vernon, 1971) within the South African Automotive Industry context of three bargain cycles of the industry programmes, viz. 1989 Local Content Phase VI, the MIDP of 1995 and APDP introduced in 2013. The study explored the longitudinal interaction between automotive MNCs and the Host Country in terms of relative bargain power during the three bargain cycles. Using the qualitative single case study method, nine industry stakeholders were interviewed, and responses were triangulated with secondary data. The findings provided the following insights into the automotive industry’s bargain power relations between government and multinational companies: The relative bargain power shifted towards MNCs due to the locational disadvantage of the HC, FDI spill-over effects on components suppliers, employment and technology, as well as due to investments driven by short product cycles. Further insights emerged in terms of the collaborative nature of MNC-HC relations during the three bargain cycles due to industry significance. This research was of value in extending research on the obsolescing bargain theory, particularly in the manufacturing industry. It was also of value to the future of bargain relations between the automotive and manufacturing industries with the government, in general. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / zkgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

The field of entrepreneurship research offers differing theories regarding the underlying behaviours of entrepreneurs. These theoretical frameworks describe the behaviours and principal thought processes that entrepreneurs use to create new businesses. The unique attributes of the South African context, characterised by high unemployment and low entrepreneurial activity, together with new business formation make this field of research particularly important. Some of the major theoretical frameworks were reviewed in the study, and a qualitative study was employed using the Grounded Theory approach. Ten successful entrepreneurs were interviewed for the study and the data collected was used to provide insight into their behaviour and particularly sought to determine whether principles from Effectual Theory were present. The findings of the research supported some aspects of the important theoretical frameworks, emphasising the need for a multitude of perspectives rather than a single best framework. Particularly strong evidence of effectual entrepreneurial behaviours were found in the data, supporting the Theory of Effectuation as a construct for new business formation in South Africa. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lmgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

Based on identified factors, non-traditional collateral secured loans can be viable to low income borrowers in developing markets. By being innovative and adjusting the typical banking business model, these loans can provide funding to people who otherwise would not have been able to get funding through the formalised banking system. A large number of individuals, at the bottom of the pyramid in developing countries, do not have access to property rights (property is usually used as collateral in secured loans). The purpose of this study is to determine if non-traditional collateral secured loans can be provided to individuals, SME’s and entrepreneurs at the bottom of the pyramid in developing markets. A qualitative study was conducted from interviews with Heads of Credit, Chief Risk Officers and Secured Lending Heads in financial institutions that provide secured lending offerings in developing markets. The study indicates that specific behavioural trends are associated with secured loan repayments that indicate favourable for lending institutions. Economies of scale in collateral evaluation and monitoring, is a critical factor to this lending approach to enable cost reduction. Being entrenched in the market and pro-active management in a market where very little infrastructure exist is a key factor to success. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lmgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

The purpose of the study was to explore barriers to supplier development encountered by SMEs as suppliers in the South African railway industry. The first objective was to identify barriers faced by SMEs to be suppliers of large OEMs in the South African railway industry. The second objective was to establish the challenges that lead to failure in the supplier development process. The third objective was to describe the activities done by SMEs to position themselves in becoming preferred supplier development candidates for OEMs in the South African railway industry. SMEs as suppliers in the railway industry were interviewed through an explorative interview. The interview targeted suppliers who were involved in the railway industry and who are actively seeking contracts with the South African railway operators. The findings are that new suppliers are experiencing barriers to enter the railway industry. The key barriers for new suppliers are industry human capital, industry regulation, capabilities, ineffective government intervention and lack of resources. The main challenges identified during the supplier development process are the long bureaucratic process related to supplier development on-boarding, miscommunication and lack of transparency. Suppliers also faced challenges in the way they position themselves in becoming preferred suppliers development candidates for OEMs in the South African railway industry. Recruiting railway expertise and innovating compliant products were the most effective measures taken by suppliers in becoming a preferred supplier. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lmgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to explore the various forms of brand loyalty, to understand the drivers of brand loyalty and disloyalty, and to determine within which product categories consumers were brand loyal or disloyal at the base of the pyramid (BoP) in South Africa. The study was exploratory, therefore a qualitative research design was adopted where individual face-to-face interviews were conducted with 18 low income consumers in Living Standard Measure (LSM) 2 to 4, residing in urban Gauteng. The findings show that low income consumers are increasingly brand conscious with proven access to media and therefore marketing messages. Primary brand loyalty drivers at the BoP include perceived quality, durability, brand experience, brand trust and affordability, while in their absence consumers are disloyal. Affordability is important to these consumers, but they also value these other aspects of brands, making them discerning and value driven. Consumers are loyal to those brands that are relevant to them at an acceptable price value proposition. Consumers spend more of their money on consumables than durables and branded services. Brand loyalty is minimal across product categories; consumers seek variety and are prone to sales promotions, making them multiple brand users. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lmgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

This study investigates the impact of violence and intimidation, especially the extent to which these have an effect on the behaviour of union joining and leaving in the platinum mining site located in the North-West Province. Accepting the premise that unions have substantial leverage, both in terms of legislative provisions of the Labour Relations Act for bargaining for wage increases and the capacity for organized industrial action, the study zoned in on the localized offshoots of the experience of union domination as intimidation This has particular value in understanding the often-ignored reasons why employees behave in ways that express solidarity, on the one hand, and rivalry, on the other—both of which articulate to a propensity to behave in ways that mask or avoid vulnerability. One of these ways is union-joining behaviour. Framed on a qualitative methodology, this study measured the aforesaid behaviour through research questions and hypothesis that scale intentions to join through normative beliefs above organizational justice. In order to provide a logical link between its independent variables of violence/intimidation and the union-joining dependent variable, it marshalled scientific constructs gleaned from Icek Azjen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour. Accordingly, it used convenient sampling to manage the data gathered from the Theory of Planned Behaviour Questionnaire, which was apt to accurately and validly score the values of research constructs—such as they were ranged against moderators and mediators. The study arrived at the following significant findings: the propensity to join unions is as much prompted by an urgent sense of threat to job security and personal safety as it is by the need to leverage organizational justice. On the basis of these findings, the study makes bold recommendations to all concerned stakeholders. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lmgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

The uptake of micro insurance products by low income consumers has been low, especially in the short term insurance industry. Many studies have identified a number of challenges that insurers are faced with when trying to penetrate this market. This study explores this problem from a different angle, where it investigates whether low income consumers already apply risk mitigating strategies to their circumstances, precluding them from purchasing short term micro insurance products. A qualitative design was followed, specifically to understand what the target population understood of insurance and whether they had their own existing methods of how to respond to risk events regarding their assets. 20 interviews were conducted with 10 from two townships namely Thembisa and Alexandra in the Guateng province of South Africa. The research found that risk mitigating behaviour did indeed exist amongst low income consumers; however this behaviour was driven by a prioritisation process. This process was developed considering low income consumers’ dilemmas of having limited resources but needing to mitigate the effect of what they would term as the most significant risk in their household. These risks would differ per household because of the different criteria that households would use to determine what is important, and this will lead to mitigating solutions that these consumers will engage in, thus resulting risk mitigating behaviour. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lmgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

The effective integration of social media into the sales and marketing process for pharmaceutical companies can be complex. The complexity is further increased by the regulatory limitations (Code of marketing practice) within the industry as well as other considerations. This research explores some of these considerations and implications for social media integration. Further, the research determines the value of social capital as well as the process for social media engagement. The study surveyed three pharmaceutical companies in different stages of social media integration. A heterogeneous sample was selected to include diverse characteristics because the topic is still new within the pharmaceutical environment. A qualitative multiple case study method was selected which included interviews, direct observations and document reviews. Despite regulatory limitations, the findings provide insights for other industries with possible considerations for social media integration into sales and marketing. This is complemented by the Social Capital Theory that states that social media adds value. The issues of adverse event reporting and how to measure the return on investment remain a challenge. In conclusion, the engagement and management of social media processes is not easy to implement; therefore a four-phased process for social media engagement is proposed as a framework that allows easy integration. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / pagibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

The growth in developing markets has created a need for businesses to re-look their strategies and become players in the emerging economies. With the advancement of growth in the developing countries, new opportunities are created with innovative solutions coming from developing countries and being sold to developed countries. Besides the projected growth and opportunities in the developing countries, the majority of people living in poverty are found in these countries. They are also faced with challenges such as lack of infrastructure and lack of property rights. Firms that want to successfully serve these markets will need to develop innovative business models that will create value for the shareholders, communities and other stakeholders.The purpose of this study is to explore business models developed for the Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) in different industries and to understand what makes them successful despite facing the institutional voids experienced in developing countries with the intention to provide a high-level generic business model template that can be used for firms that are targeting the BOP markets. The objective of this report, hence, was to explore the differences in business models developed by firms serving the BOP market; identify the challenges of doing business in developing countries and explore how those challenges are met; and identify the critical success factors in serving the BOP markets. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / pagibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

Orientador: Rosana Teresa Onocko Campos / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-27T14:24:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Baccari_IvanaOliveiraPreto_M.pdf: 1579922 bytes, checksum: 195b5377fa4df5671e2d6b27b8d4d98f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: Estudo conceitual sobre o uso de narrativas em Saúde. Parte-se de um panorama sobre paradigmas usados na Saúde Coletiva para, em seguida, aprofundar-se na noção de narratividade como princípio epistêmico, seja apenas de forma instrumental ou como instância metodológica estruturada a partir do pensamento do filósofo Paul Ricoeur (1913-2005) - particularmente elaboradas nos livros Tempo e Narrativa (Tomo I, 1994), A Memória, A História, O Esquecimento (2012) e no artigo Documentos - Narratividad, fenomenología y hermenéutica, publicado na revista Anàlisi 25 (p. 189- 207, 2000). Discutem-se princípios da pesquisa qualitativa em Saúde Mental, defendendo-se as concepções de racionalidade e cientificidade em oposição à impertinência das de verdade absoluta e neutralidade para a construção científica / Abstract: A conceptual study of narratives in Health based on a panorama of paradigms used in Collective Health in order to, afterwards, deepen the notion of narrativity as an epistemological principal, be it in an instrumental manner or as a methodology structured on the ideas of the philosopher Paul Ricoeur (1913 - 2005) particularly developed in the books: Tempo e Narrativa (Temps et récit) (Volume I, 1994), A Memória, A História, O Esquecimento (La mémoire, l'histoire, l'oubli) (2012) and the paper Documentos - Narratividad, fenomenología y hermenéutica, published in the journal Anàlisi 25 (p. 189-207, 2000). The principles of qualitative research in Mental Health are discussed defending the conceptions of racionality and scientificity in oposition to the irrelevance of the absolute truth and neutrality for scientific construction / Mestrado / Política, Planejamento e Gestão em Saúde / Mestra em Saúde Coletiva