M.B.A. / Over the past two years the international steel industry amply demonstrated just how precarious the business can be. Several steel companies fell by the way. Protectionism increased dramatically. Anti-dumping actions and unfair trade accusations were instigated at a level not previously seen. Any concept of the value of steel became blurred and in the near future, analysis predict, it is difficult to see much in the way of relief. To ensure its survival in these harsh conditions, the South African steel industry will be forced to look beyond its traditional markets and seek strategies to become more competitive. The objective of this research project is to determine the key strategic factors that lead to the successful global competitiveness of an organisation in the South African steelmaking industry. The literature survey revealed the trend among many of the global leaders in the steel industry. The literature also included Porter's research on competitive advantage and other authors strategies, which are considered as key factors in influencing global competitiveness. The analysis of the survey among the South African steelmakers revealed a picture of a fragmented industry. The majority of steelmakers were identified as been well out of step with the global trend and the issues identified in the literature. The research highlighted that in order for South African steelmakers to achieve global competitiveness there is a need for consolidation and strategic alliances in the industry. It was also recognised that organisations need to develop, exploit and lever their technologies, competitive advantages, core-competencies and their strategies, in creating a globally competitive organisation. Managing the linkages between these various strategies was revealed as key to achieving a unique global competitive advantage.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The 2008/2009 economic downturn had a major impact on the international steel industry. With economic activities declining, the demand for steel decreased and subsequently, prices started to tumble. This put a great deal of pressure on steel manufacturing companies’ financials and they had to focus on cost reduction initiatives to survive. Steel companies who did not follow a turnaround strategy were not able to keep up with the competition. This research study focused on determining the details pertaining to the ArcelorMittal Saldanha Works turnaround strategy, as it is viewed as one of the most successful in the steel industry. Data was obtained from discussions with various role players and managers at ArcelorMittal Saldanha Works. The aim of the interviews was to get the detail of all the steps taken by the company to turn around its performance. Quantitative data describing the operational as well as financial and cost performance was sourced from the ArcelorMittal Saldanha Works Key Performance Indicator (KPI) system and from financial statements and progress reports. It was found that the basis for the turnaround strategy of ArcelorMittal Saldanha Works was World Class Manufacturing as it provided the vehicles through which improvements were managed with the aid of mainly the Autonomous Maintenance (AM), Professional Maintenance(PM), People Development (PD), Focused Improvement (FI), Product Quality (PQ) and Safety Pillars. The Cost Deployment (CD) Pillar was used to identify the biggest losses that needed to be addressed. ArcelorMittal Saldanha Works moved from one of the highest-cost producers in the ArcelorMittal group during 2010 to the second-lowest-cost producer in the group at the end of 2013. It reduced its total cost of production with $70 per ton over this period, without any major capital expenditure. The study concluded that the turnaround of ArcelorMittal Saldanha Works was successful and it is sustainable. This can be seen from the increase in the overall equipment availability, amount of hot-rolled coil tons produced, as well as the EBITDA figures reported in the study.

M. Tech. (Human Resource Management, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / The main purpose of the study was to examine the level of job satisfaction and intention to quit, by employees in a steel manufacturing company. The research methodology used to conduct the study was a combination of a literature review and an empirical study. Due to the small size of the population, no sampling was done although a census had been drawn. The primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The measuring instrument contained 25 items. For the main survey, data from 181 respondents were collected and analysed. Participants in the study involved engineers, operators, technicians, artisans, administrative staff and safety, health and environmental specialists in the steel manufacturing company. Data were analysed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of the measuring instrument were computed to establish construct validity. Content validity of the scale was ascertained by pre-testing the questionnaire with employees in the steel manufacturing company. Factor analysis was conducted for variables in Section B of the research instrument. Analysis was done using descriptive statistics on the demographic information of respondents. The results were also interpreted through the factor analysis and correlation analysis. The findings regarding employee’s perceptions or feelings about job satisfaction and employees’ intentions to quit their current organisation revealed that the supervision variable is positively correlated with job variable while it is negatively correlated with intention to quit. In addition, job variable is also negatively correlated with intention to quit. This means that effective supervisors are likely to improve employees’ job satisfaction hence decrease their intentions to quit their current organisation and vise versa. In addition, when employees are satisfied with their job environment, this will decrease their intentions to quit their current organisation and vise versa. Judging from the results from respondents, it is clear that when employees are provided with a job that rewards them for their effort and provides opportunities for advancement, they will be satisfied and therefore more likely to stay in the organisation. Hence, the employees at Babcock Ntuthuko Generations are satisfied and they are not intending to leave the organisation. The research information collected through this study can be used to encourage Babcock Ntuthuko management to continue providing employees with a conducive working enviroment to ensure that current and new employees are retained.

M. Tech. (Human Resource Management, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / Workplace health and safety is a global concern. South African companies are bound by the stipulations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) (85 of 1993), which regulates employer and employee duties to identify and eliminate hazards, thereby controlling and minimising the risk to health and safety within the working environment. Employees are regarded as the strength of ArcelorMittal. The on-board programme of this employer is designed specifically to support the integration of new employees into ArcelorMittal’s environment and enable them to maximise their contribution to the performance of their team, implementation of a business plan and strategy and realisation of the group’s objectives. This study investigates the perceptions that ArcelorMittal (Vanderbijlpark) employees uphold regarding the effectiveness of the health and safety induction they received. The iron division was identified purposefully for selection of the target population because of its high rate of health and safety incidents. Simple random sampling was used within a quantitative research design to select 317 respondents out of 634 employees. Accordingly, questionnaires were distributed within the demarcated division and a total of 160 questionnaires were completed and returned. The collected data were statistically analysed and presented. The results indicated that the majority of employees perceive the health and safety induction they received to be effective. Respondents also indicated that ArcelorMittal was effective in providing them with the support they need towards their health and safety. Hence, it is recommended that the zero tolerance approach towards safety hazards be reinforced on a continuous basis within the work context of this leading steel manufacturer.

Trade liberalization and globalization have resulted in the free flow of goods, services, capital and people. In this regard ports play a vital role in linking supply chains, as goods flow from the point of inception through the chain up to the customer at the end. This research was conducted to determine and evaluate the role of logistics in the value chain of steel products that pass through Durban Port. The impact of logistics - measured in terms of costreduction, shorter lead times and better customer service - that would contribute to the competitive advantage of businesses was evaluated. Other countries like China and India are also manufacturers of steel products, and it is therefore important for South Africa not to lose international markets due to prices and products that are not internationally competitive. In essence, this paper unpacks the debates surrounding the high prices of steel products from South Africa, and suggests how these prices can be reduced. In this regard the investigation into steel products provided an excellent case study, as steel contributes significantly to the GDP of the country. The study analyses all logistics activities like transportation, warehousing, handling, quality control of goods and a just-in-time management approach. Informal interviews and a case study based on Durban Port highlight the role that logistics activities play in adding value to goods that pass through Durban Port. The implications of the findings are discussed and proposals for redefining the role of logistics in an organization are offered. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2008

M.B.A. / The steel industry worldwide is undergoing rapid transformation and this presents an unprecedented opportunity for manufacturers of steel products in South Africa to take advantage of their improved global competitiveness, which has arisen principally as a result of the fall in the value of the South African currency. With global competition at its peek, steel manufacturers in South Africa find it important to reduce costs whilst improving their responsiveness to their clients, especially the foreign export markets. For steel manufacturers such as Iscor Steel, global competitiveness means sharpening the logistics of servicing these complex foreign markets with their intricate demands. This in turn puts pressure on transport suppliers such as Spoornet to provide speedy and efficient movement of cargo through the inland network down to the ports for exports to meet time demands. It is crucial that steel manufacturers, such as Iscor Steel work hand in glove in a collaborative manner with the rail operator Spoornet to achieve superior service delivery levels which consequently will reduce costs of providing such service due to maximum utilization of equipment and infrastructure. The reduction of costs in the provision of logistics services will result in a reduction of operating costs, which will have a positive effect on the operating profits of each steel manufacturer. Consequently the improvement in operating profits will result in improve shareholder value. The following areas of improvement have been identified and form part the recommendations, which will influence positive growth in shareholder value: Iscor Logistics should find ways to work on and improve relationships with Spoornet and other such service providers it makes use of; Iscor Logistics should implement the cost saving initiatives it has identified, such as adopting centralized distribution as in the case of Newcastle Steel as a matter of urgency — there is value in doing so; Iscor Logistics must start proving to its clients that it is adding meaningful value by showing value-add as this will differentiate them from the rest of similar service providers in the market. High level of logistics integration between stakeholders is critical to reduce cost of rendering logistics solutions. This will go a long way in improving shareholder value in organizations such as Iscor Steel.

M.Comm. / The goal of this study is to investigate the causes for conflict within the distribution channel currently used by a major manufacturer and exporter of steel products. This manufacturer is currently using six South African based agents. These agents are responsible for the marketing of the manufacturer's products in foreign markets. This channel of indirect exports was chosen due to the lack of a proper infra-structure within the export division of the manufacturer. Conflict between manufacturer and agents can cause foreign end-users to get a distorted image of the manufacturer and its products. Therefore it is necessary to investigate the causes for conflict. Plans can then be made to identify what can be done to switch a conflict situation to a situation of co-operation within the distribution channel. The first part of this study provides a theoretical framework, based on literature from many sources, on the different international distribution channels that are available. Special attention is given to indirect exports and the different forms that are available. Thereafter the causes of conflict and co-operation in the channel are discussed, as well as the different types of conflict and how to manage conflict. The second part of the study is practical, with interviews being held with the six agents to get their view on what causes conflict between them and the manufacturer. Thereafter the personnel of the manufacturer is interviewed to get their perception of the cause of conflict. The two different views are combined in order to make recommendations and conclusions regarding the causes of conflict within the distribution channel. The major cause of conflict in this channel is due to poor communication between the manufacturer and agents. This, problem can only be resolved if most of the information flow is computerised. This will ensure that 'information is reliable and on time. If this can be achieved, conflict situations can be switched to a situation of co-operation.

Thesis (M.Com. (Development Theory and Policy))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic and Business Sciences, 2016. / Aims and objectives: The objective of this study is to unpack the processes that the South African government has embarked upon with a view to averting a deepening crisis in the ailing steel sector. This study specifically investigates the parts of the package that have been launched to date, namely the tariff support requested by the steel industry and designation of the steel industry for government procurement. [No actual abstract provided] / MT2017

Commercial decisions are been made with respect to the competitive advantage of manufacturing catalytic converters in South Africa. This thesis identifies those factors relating to the sourcing of stainless steel and the impact it has of securing future business in a competitive environment. The catalytic converter industry requires the support of a stainless steel plant that provides high quality products at a competitive price, while keeping abreast with international developments.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / Iscor Mining is facing key challenges due to the intensification of international market competition, deteriorating commodity prices and escalating input costs. Its parastatal history and protected environment during the years of isolation, was not a conducive environment for the development of a high performance organisation. Iscor management recognised this challenge and embarked on a programme to kick-start improvement on all its operating units. This programme delivered on expectations, but signs of weaknesses in the organisation's ability to sustain the improvements were starting to emerge. The potential for further improvements were shown to be far more than anticipated, however the organisation was limited by cultural and leadership issues in its ability to turn the identified performance improvement potential into business results and shareholder value. The existing organisational capabilities were evaluated for its potential to unlock the identified value against a chosen management model, and the areas of biggest concerns identified were in leadership behaviour, business process design and organisation culture. The biggest gaps in organisational capabilities were shown to exist in areas of leadership, core business process design and organisational culture issues. Thirteen actions for change is proposed to close the identified gaps.