Presently in the South African automotive industry competition is becoming more fierce. It is becoming more important for companies to concentrate on thier competitive strategies to ensure that they remain competitive in this industry. Military strategy techniques have always been successful in defeating an anemy opponent. An enemy in a military sense could be considered as a competitor in a business sense. There is currently a potential for an improvement of the competitive strategies that South African organisations, in particular the South African automotive industry uses to remain competitive. Military strategists such as Sun Tzu and Carl von Clausewitz have provided valuable strategy theories and philosophies to many military institutions. Military strategies such as Attrition and Maneuver have long been used by these institutions in battle to defeat the enemy. Military strategies could provide the edge that companies ranging from manufacturers, suppliers of components and dealerships need, to remain competitive in the automotive industry.

Ports are the backbone of the economy of countries endowed with shorelines and they spearhead foreign trade through the importation and exportation of goods to and from their domestic markets. The newly constructed Port of Ngqura will be the outlet for exports of semi-finished and finished goods produced in the Coega IDZ and will also receive raw material to be processed. Its position at the center of the world’s main trade routes, equidistant from American, European and the Pacific Rim regions makes the Coega IDZ the ideal location for any manufacturer adding value to raw materials, components and producing goods bound for the world markets. Traditionally the ports have been developed and operated by the government enterprises. Recently all these are changing in many countries all over the world, with more private participation in the development and operations of the ports. This evolution has entrusted Port Authorities in taking control over port planning, broad regulation of shipping and port operations, applying conventions, laws and rules. South Africa is no exception to these winds of change, hence the adoption of the new port bill in managing all ports in the country. The Port of Ngqura will then serve as a benchmark for all other ports, with a new management structure which will help the port to be efficient. The study addresses the model for the efficient strategic management of the Port of Ngqura. The model looks into placing the Port of Ngqura ahead of its competitors through efficiency in port management and operations. Efficient ports are catalysts, facilitators and attractors of international sea borne trade. Competitive efficiency is achieved by employing the best suited port equipments, facilities and technology to cater for customer’s needs and requirements. A successful port must be able to constantly adopt new roles in order to cope with the ever changing market environment.

South African Telecommunication market is becoming more challenging and highly competitive which results in market share continuously shifting between the role-players in this sector. The market is characterized by diverse service offering radical price plans that are offered by the operators. An organization that operates in this space needs to have some sort of competitive advantage which will ensure that it remains relevant and be able to survive the tough competition. Competitive advantage in an organization is seen as having leverage of rival organizations and is derived from either the external sources or internal sources. The external sources include factors like lower prices, differentiated services etc. This research unpacks the internal sources for achieving competitive advantage. These internal sources are seen as the internal corecompetencies, which are the combination of skills, knowledge and intellect that will ensure that the organization thrives amongst the competitors. The dimensions of core competencies that have been analysed are innovation, strategic entrepreneurship, intellectual capital and effective leadership. The primary objective of this research is to determine the impact of these internal core competencies in improving the organizational competitive advantage. This will in turn provide a view of the critical skills and knowledge base in the organization and how these skills will assist the organization in surviving in this challenging and competitive environment. This research makes use of the resource based view (RBV) as the baseline model for core competencies and to address the short comings of RBV, organizational learning theory dimensions have been added to the operational model of this research. The research then provides the analysis of all the dimensions of core competencies using statistical modelling to provide empirical evidence. Based on the empirical evidence, descriptive statistics and using the theoretical frameworks, the recommendations for this research are provided.

M.Comm. / The study focused on Telkom, a telecommunications utility, and the major strategic change that it’s currently undergoing to prepare for privatisation. Telkom displayed the typical characteristics of a bureaucracy with a strong hierarchical top-down structure, management that was not in touch with its customers and centralised control and decision making.

D.Comm. / The mission of the research is to design a South African biotechnology business model that could be widely embraced by various biotechnology enterprises. The business model advises biotechnology enterprises on the applicable strategy to follow and addresses both internal and external factors important to biotechnology enterprises. Contrary to common beliefs, biotechnology has been utilised for thousands of years. The biotechnology markets in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia/Pacific are increasingly moving operations beyond country borders to achieve business efficiency. A South African biotechnology strategy has been drafted and various organisations have been established to assist with the development of the industry. Aligning the information technology and knowledge management strategy to the overall business and operational strategies is crucial. The model information technology infrastructure will integrate key administrative, clinical and financial data and make it available to all researchers during the life-cycle, but in such a way that the speed-to-market for the new products being developed is much faster. Information technology outsourcing and grid computing have emerged as key solutions to solve shortage of information technology skills and generate vast capacity in the industry. Knowledge management forms the foundation of biotechnology organisations. The biotech culture must foster knowledge transfer and sharing. Employees in return must foster the behaviour created by the culture, and must importantly work in groups such as communities of practice to achieve applicable goals. Technology is the enabler of the knowledge management process and the corresponding architecture must allow the people to follow the culture of a knowledge sharing and transfer culture. The strategic management process of a biotechnology organisation is critical. Collaboration activities in the biotechnology industry have increased substantially over recent years to represent a contemporary management issue that needs to be managed by the strategic management process. Innovative biotechnology organisations will stay ahead by introducing new products prior to their rivals and consolidate a strong market position by adopting corporate and collaborative growth strategies. The aim of the empirical research is to identify the respondents' views on a number of strategic factors crucial to a biotechnology organisation and how it will influence the business model. Externally, market conditions, biotech categories and regulatory conditions influence the market outlook for South African biotech enterprises. Internally, information technology, knowledge management, human resources, enterprise structure, customers, productivity and growth strategies influence the shape of the enterprise. Based on all of these factors, recommendations are made to the industry on the external and internal factors of a business model and on specific areas that require further research.

Thesis in Afrikaans, with Afrikaans and English summaries / Daar bestaan geen twyfel nie dat vir 'n onderneming om suksesvol te wees, deeglik opgestelde en strategies beplande ondernemingsdoelwitte onontbeerlik is. Hierbenewens moet die missie van die onderneming duidelik uitgespel wees. Die rede vir die voorgenoemde vereistes is dat die politieke, wetlike, sosiale en kulturele omgewings waarbinne die moderne onderneming horn bevind, die huidige bestuursvraagstukke en probleme kompliseer. Vir mannekragbestuur in die besonder, is daar sekere faktore soos die gebrek aan geskoolde mannekrag en die vooruitgang op tegnologiese gebied, wat 'n belangrike rol in die besluitnemingsprosesse speel. Dit is dus belangrik dat alle besluitneming en beplanning ondersteun moet word met professioneel ontwikkelde strategiese mannekragbestuursfunksies wat op 'n sinvolle wyse in die praktyk deur die onderneming toegepas kan word. Alle mannekragbestuursprogramme-, aktiwiteite en -stelsels moet dus so ontwikkel word dat aan die vereistes en beperkinge van die onderneming asook sy eksterne omgewing voldoen word. Die bestaande teoretiese beginsels en modelle ten opsigte van strategiese mannekragbestuur is in diepte ontleed, waarop 'n empiriese studie gevolg het om vas te stel in watter mate strategiese mannekragbestuur in vervaardigingsondernemings in die Pretoria/Witwatersrand/Vereeniging/KwaNdebele-streek bedryf word. Uit die ondersoek het verskeie insiggewende bevindinge na vore getree soos onder meer die gebrek aan deeglike strategiese mannekragbeplanning en voorsiening asook strategiese mannekragopleiding en ontwikkeling. Dit het dus duidelik na vore gekom dat die strategiese mannekragbestuursbenadering nog nie ten volle gevestig is nie, en daar 'n behoefte bestaan vir die daarstelling van die nodige riglyne in die verband. 'n Model is vervolgens ontwikkel wat in hierdie behoefte sal voorsien. There is no doubt that, for an enterprise to be successful, soundly formulated and strategically planned goals are essential. In addition, the mission of the enterprise must be clearly defined. The reason for these requirements is that the political, legal, social and cultural environments in which the modern enterprise operates, complicate existing management difficulties and problems. Particularly in regard to human resource management, there are certain factors like the shortage of skilled manpower and technological progress, which play an important role in the decisionmaking process. It is important therefore that all decision making and planning must be supported by professionally developed strategic human resource management functions which can be meaningfully applied in practice by the enterprise. All human resource management programmes, activities and systems must therefore be so designed that they conform with the needs and constraints of the enterprise, as well as with its external environment. The existing theoretical principles and models relating to strategic human resource management, have been analysed in depth and was followed by an empirical study to determine to what extent strategic human resource management was being applied in manufacturing enterprises in the Pretoria/Witwatersrand/Vereeniging/ KwaNdebele region. / There is no doubt that, for an enterprise to be successful, soundly formulated and strategically planned goals are essential. In addition, the mission of the enterprise must be clearly defined. The reason for these requirements is that the political, legal, social and cultural environments in which the modern enterprise operates, complicate existing management difficulties and problems. Particularly in regard to human resource management, there are certain factors like the shortage of skilled manpower and technological progress, which play an important role in the decisionmaking process. It is important therefore that all decision making and planning must be supported by professionally developed strategic human resource management functions which can be meaningfully applied in practice by the enterprise. All human resource management programmes, activities and systems must therefore be so designed that they conform with the needs and constraints of the enterprise, as well as with its external environment. The existing theoretical principles and models relating to strategic human resource management, have been analysed in depth and was followed by an empirical study to determine to what extent strategic human resource management was being applied in manufacturing enterprises in the Pretoria/Witwatersrand/Vereeniging/ KwaNdebele region. / Business Management / D. Com. (Bedryfsekonomie)

This study focused on the possible determinants of operational efficiency at the University of Venda, which was premised on the extent to which stakeholders are involved in the strategic planning of the institution. The aim of the study was to establish the stakeholders’ involvement in the strategic planning of the University of Venda. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data during August and October 2011. The study was conducted at the University of Venda, Vhembe District in the Limpopo Province. A non-probability sampling procedure was used to select respondents. The results revealed that whilst the stakeholders seem to be involved in the process of the strategic planning, the extent of stakeholders’ involvement has largely remained contentious. The results further indicate that not all stakeholders are involved in the strategic planning process at the University of Venda. Although stakeholders are invited to participate, the process of strategic planning is absolutely dominated by the management cadre, reducing the rest participants into the doldrums. Those who are directly affected by the strategic plan are least involved in the process of the planning. Because of the lack of involvement and communication regarding the strategic planning process, the findings reveal that the majority of stakeholders were de-motivated in that regard, culminating in their lack-lustre approach towards the implementation of the orchestrated plan. The resultant lack of buy-in by the affected stakeholders, essentially the internal stakeholders (staff members and the student community), eventually hamper the actualisation of the targeted goals of the strategic plans. These results suggest that the strategic plan review should be an on-going process in order to update and involve the university community of the strategic planning processes. Proper feedback and communication on strategic planning processes should be implemented. More importantly, the stakeholders’ involvement and consultation on the strategic planning should be galvanized, since most of the staff members and students seem to be unaware of the strategic planning process at the University of Venda, let alone its contents and aspirations. / Business Management / M. Tech.(Business Administration)

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African business arena forms a rich platform for tertiary research in strategic management to post graduate students attending South African business schools. The problem exists, however, that very few of these case studies are written up and therefore available as research material to the students. The researcher contributes with this case study to the lean body of research material available for research of South African businesses. The chosen company for research purposes are Pick 'n Pay Stores Limited. This company is typically a leader in the food retailing industry. Information regarding this company is readily available, which increases the learning experience for the student. The study project is presented in the form of a case study that urges the student to work through the material and answer the questions. The questions are formulated with the purpose of guiding the student through the logical steps of a strategic analysis of a company. The case study also includes a model answer that serves the purpose of guiding the lecturer towards the expected answers to the questions of the case study. Initially the student is introduced to a model that could typically be used in the strategic analysis of a company. This model serves as a framework for the strategic analysis of Pick 'n Pay. The student is invited to use this model in the strategic analysis of the company. In so far as this model is not adequate, the student may introduce a new model as long as business-minded and/or academic arguments underpin it. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse besigheidsarena skep 'n ryk platform vir tersiêre navorsing in strategie bestuur aan nagraadse studente by bestuurskole. Die probleem bestaan egter dat min sodanige gevallestudies opgeteken is en derhalwe beskikbaar is as leerstof. Die navorser dra by wyse van hierdie werkstuk by tot die uitgedunde bron van leermateriaal beskikbaar vir strategiese analises van Suid-Afrikaanse gevallestudies. Die gekose maatskappy vir analise, is Pick 'n Pay Stores Limited. Hierdie maatskappy is tipies 'n leier in die kleinhandel voedsel industrie. Daar is baie inligting beskikbaar en opgeteken aangaande hierdie maatskappy, wat die leerervaring vir die student vergroot. Die werkstuk word opgeskryf in die vorm van 'n gevallestudie wat die student noop om , deur die leesstof te werk en die opgestelde vrae te beantwoord. Die vrae is geformuleer met die doel om die student deur die logiese stappe van 'n strategiese analise van 'n maatskappy te lei. Die gevallestudie sluit ook 'n modelantwoord in wat ten doel het om die dosent te lei in die antwoorde wat verwag word in die gevallestudie. Die student word aanvanklik voorgestel aan 'n model wat gebruik kan word in 'n tipiese strategiese analise van 'n maatskappy. Hierdie model dien as raamwerk vir die strategiese analise van Pick 'n Pay. Die student word uitgenooi om hierdie model te gebruik om die strategiese analise van die maatskappy te doen. In soverre hierdie model nie voldoende is nie, kan die student 'n nuwe model bekend stel, solank dit met weldeurdagte akademiese en/of besigheidsbeginsels onderstreep word.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The consumer in 2000 has various new options on which to spend money, even when compared to only one year ago. In South Africa new spending destinations and higher interest rates, fuel prices and administered prices led to changes in consumer patterns, which implies less spending on traditional retail products such as furniture, clothes, shoes and more spending in the growth sectors such as cell phones and internet. The retailer who wants to ensure success in this changing environment has to competently address a number of strategic issues. Effective positioning significantly contributes to an organisations competitiveness and consequent success in any line of business. The loss of the Edgars group clothing, footwear and textile market share despite expensive efforts to buy sales and add space, was the clearest indicator that every retailer's most treasured asset, the customer, was migrating to competitors, and/or spending less with the group. In this study the key strategic issues that led to Edgars decline in marketshare from 1995 through to 2000 has been examined in the light of changes in the internal and external environment of retail. Case study research in the form of documentary analysis of Edgars, together with knowledge originating from the literature review, provided a sound basis for generating questions to be answered. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verbruiker het in die jaar 2000 verskeie nuwe opsies waarop geld spandeer kan word. Nuwe bestedingsareas in Suid-Afrika het as gevolg van hoër rentekoerse, brandstofpryse en administraiewe kostes gelei tot verandering in verbruikerspatrone, wat impliseer dat minder op tradisionele handelsprodukte soos meubels, klere, en skoene teenoor sektore soos selfone en die internet spandeer word. Die handelaar wat 'n sukses in so 'n situasie wil verseker, moet 'n aantal strategiese vraagstukke op 'n bekwame en vaardige wyse aanspreek. Effektiewe posisionering sal 'n besondere bydrae maak tot enige onderneming se mededinging en sukses. Die verlies aan markaandeel van Edgars se klerasie, skoene en tekstiel bedryf ten spyte van hoë besteding aan bemarking en addisionele vloerspasie, was 'n duidelike aanwysing dat elke handelaar se mees gewaardeerde bate, die klient, na kompetisie migreer of minder by die handelaar spandeer. In hierdie studie word verskeie strategiese vraagstukke ondersoek in die lig van die interne en eksterne omgewing van die handelaar. Identifisering van hierdie veranderinge en tendense sal handelaars help om probleme te formuleer vir verdere strategiee. Gevallestudie navorsing in die vorm van dokumentere analise rakende die Edgars ondersoek, tesame met kennis verkry uit literatuuroorsig, het 'n sterk grondslag gelê vir die formulering van vrae wat beantwoord kan word.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Continuous change has become one of the major characteristics of the South African manufacturing environment. Such an unstable dynamic environment, where continuous change is a normal occurrence, necessitates an appropriate response in order to regain or sustain competitive advantage. The environment is changing so fast that most small and medium manufacturing enterprises barely have the ability to survive the day-to-day challenges, without even seeing or thinking about the real challenges of surviving in the future, and more importantly, not only surviving, but actually prospering through these new challenges. The conventional approaches of strategic management do not satisfy the fast decision making requirements of today's organisations. The development of the different schools of strategic planning clearly shows how the strategic management process has developed with the changing times. One of the enduring problems facing the field of strategic management is the lack of theoretical tools available to describe and predict the behaviour of firms and industries. The fundamental problem is that industries evolve in a dynamic way over time as a result of complex interactions among firms, government, labour, financial institutions and other elements of the environment. These interactions are strategic in the sense that decisions by one party take into account anticipated reactions by others, and thus reflect recognition of interdependence. Existing models tend to assume relatively simple linear relationships without feedback. Chaos theory, which is the study of non-linear dynamic systems, promises to be a useful conceptual framework that reconciles the essential unpredictability of industries with the emergence of distinctive patterns. To understand the relevance of chaos theory to strategy, industries need to be conceptualised as complex, dynamic, non-linear systems. A basic strategic planning model was developed, incorporating some aspects of chaos theory, containing the following basic elements: vision, environmental scanning, strategic objectives, measurements, strategies and performance evaluation. The final aspects covered are some aspects of strategy implementation, concluding with some final notes confirming that one of the main reasons for strategic assessment of the organisation's situation is to exploit possible advantages from external, discontinuous changes and so gain first mover advantages by surprising the 'enemy'. To cope with chaos, a quickly responsive, organic corporation needs to be crafted. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die hoofkenmerke van die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse vervaardigingsomgewing is voortdurende verandering. Ten einde 'n mededingende voordeel in hierdie veranderende, dinamiese milieu te verkry en te behou, verg besondere vaardighede en innoverende tegnieke. Die meeste klein- en mediumgroot-ondernemings bevind hulself midde-in hierdie vinnig veranderende omgewing, waar hulle nie net daagliks moet oorleef nie, maar ook die uitdaging van langtermyn oorlewing die hoof moet bied. Ongelukkig vorm langtermynoorlewing en groei dikwels nie deel van meeste ondernemings se beplanning nie. Konvensionele benaderings tot strategiese beplanning kan nie meer die moderne onderneming se behoefte aan vinnige besluitneming bevredig nie. Die ontwikkeling van die verskillende denkskole oor strategiese beplanning toon ook 'n duidelike beweging in die rigting van sneller verandering in strategiese bestuur. Een van die probleme ten opsigte van strategiese bestuur, is die gebrek aan teoretiese modelle om die gedrag van ondernemings te beskryf en te voorspel. Die onderliggende probleem is egter dat ondernemings oor 'n lang tydperk groei en ontwikkel as deel van 'n komplekse interaksie met ander ondernemings, asook met die regering, arbeid, kapitaal en ander elemente binne die bedryf. Sodanige interaksie is van strategiese belang, aangesien 'n spesifieke rolspeler telkens antisipeer watter impak elke besluit wat geneem word, op die res van die omgewing gaan hê. Bestaande teoretiese modelle impliseer relatief eenvoudige, lineêre verwantskappe wat geen terugvoer bied nie. Daarteenoor skep die sogenaamde chaosteorie, dit wil sê die studie van dinamiese, nie-lineêre stelsels, 'n konseptuele raamwerk met bepaalde patrone waarmee die onvoorspelbaarheid van ondernemings verklaar en beskryf kan word. Die relevansie van die chaosteorie vir strategiese beplanning en bestuur kan egter slegs begryp word indien ondernemings as komplekse, dinamiese, nie-lineêre stelsels beskou word. In hierdie studie is 'n basiese strategiese beplanningsmodel ontwikkel. Belangrike aspekte wat gedek is, is einddoel, omgewingstudie, strategiese doelwitte, meting, strategieë en prestasie-evaluering. Daar word ook kortliks gekyk na moontlike probleme om dié model te implementeer, met verwysings na die impak van chaosteorie op die tradisionele beplannings- en implementerings-modelle. Ter afsluiting word daar klem gelê op die geleenthede wat deur die snelveranderende omgewing geskep word, en die noodsaaklikheid daarvan dat 'n onderneming gereed moet wees om binne hierdie omgewing vinnig en effektief op te tree. Die kern van enige onderneming se sukses lê in sy vermoë om verandering raak te sien, geleenthede te identifiseer en onmiddellik daarop te reageer.