This study explored the management style at Durban Mill and the corresponding climate it created. The first objective was to establish the current style of management using the Managerial Grid Theory developed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton in 1964. Blake and Mouton's Managerial grid (1975) identified five different styles of management, each differentiated by the degree of concern for people and degree of concern for production. According to Blake and Mouton (1975) the Team Leader (9,9) style of management is effective most of the time, however, one must not dismiss the other styles as depicted on the Managerial Grid (see Figure 2.1), as depending on the situation they may be the most appropriate style to use. The second objective was to identi fy the impact of this style of management on the psychological climate in the company i.e. the atmosphere in the workplace. The model used in this study to measure psychological climate was based on a study conducted by MCG Davidson (2000). Davidson's model, in itself was an adaptation of studies conducted by .lames and .Iones (1979) and Ryder and Southey (1989). The dimensions of climate identified for this study was, Leadership Facilitation and Support; Professional Organisational Esprit; Conflict and Amhiguity: Regulations and Organisation Pressure: Joh Challenge. Importance and Variety and Workgroup Co-operatioll. Frielldlilless alld Warmth. This research hypothesised that the dominant style of management in the mill is Impoverished Leader (i.e. Iow concern for people and low concern for production). Further, this style of management influences each dimension of climate as identified above. The results indicated, the two dominant management styles in the company was Team leader and Impoverished leader. According to Blake and Mouton's (1975) theory, whilst the fom1er result is positive, the latter is a less than desired style for any company to operate in. The findings in the climate section of this study revealed that there is seldom to occasionally a positive climate in the workplace regarding, leadership support and facilitation, company image, issues relating to conflict and ambiguity, regulations and job pressure and job challenge. The correlation analysis showed that management style and organisational climate are strongly related (r=0.786), variables. Management style is related to the following dimensions of climate vi z. leadership facilitation and support of employees, professional organisational esprit, con flict and ambiguity and regulations and job pressure. Poor support was found for the relationship between management style and job variety and importance and no relationship found between management style and workgroup friendliness and support. In order to improve relations between management and employees and thus contribute towards business success, a holistic approach was taken in the recommended strategy. A reengineering of the business towards a leaming organisation based Tobin's (\ 993) theory was suggested. Tobin 's theory on "Ieaming organisations," is characterised by five foundations VI Z . visible leadership, ' thinking' literacy, overcoming functional myopia, ' Ieaming' teams and managers as enablers. The recommendations cover a detailed account of the five foundations of the leaming organisation approach and the course of action to be taken at the mill to place it on the road to business success.

No abstract available. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

This study was an evaluation of the change management strategy implemented at the Foschini Retail Organization. An explanatory study was conducted by drawing up a case study and thereafter comparing the initiatives taken in the case study to an ideal change process model. In order to conduct a more focused design only four factors updating on the change management process were considered. These factors were :The nature of organizational change and the philosophy behind the Foschini Retail Academy; The need to develop a change approach which is suitable for the organizational specific context; The managerial and personal status designed by a successful change agent; The difference between the design of recipe - driven or formulaic approaches to change implementation and more context - specific approaches. Information for the case study was mainly obtained from interviews and focus groups. The problem matching technique was performed the case study, where strategy implementation was compared to those recommended in literature. It was found that there was effective change planning and communication. The change management process was tailored to suit the organization's specific context. The change agent had to have strong managerial and leadership status. The senior management team at Foschini had identified specific outputs that they expected after the role out of the academy and thereby careful emphasis and plan went into the context - specific approaches to the change process. The management team at Foschini had taken all aspects into account when designing the change strategy as recommended, by information gathered from literature and certain areas in communication and planning that needed to be implemented. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

This study seeks to assess the viability, acceptability and feasibility of an overnight air courier network linking Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa. The positivist research approach was adopted in this study. A questionnaire was sent to each the regulatory bodies in the six countries under study. 40 questionnaires were also administered to respondents from air courier companies. Judgement sampling was used for questionnaire administration to regulatory bodies because of the reduced cost and time involved in this method. For courier air service providers, the researcher used simple random sampling because it ensures that the perceptions and views of everyone are represented. Study results show that most of the nations under consideration belong to sub-regional, regional and international groupings. Most nations would want to grant fifth freedom rights, but on a conditional basis. Also, the states advocate for liberalisation of air traffic because it results in improved service quality and courier companies do not offer money-back refunds if service guarantees are not met. Though courier companies do not offer overnight air courier services, they say such services are critical to their operation. Courier companies are dogged by inaccessibility of the market. Some of the major recommendations are that states should liberalise market access and other ancillary services such as ground handling. Specific provisions such as open route exchanges, multiple designation and the practice of 5th freedom should be implemented. The development of a regional aircraft maintenance centre should be explored as soon as possible. Furthermore, all the states should commit themselves to implementing the sub-regional safety projects. Countries should implement agreements they make as economic and political blocs because this leads to a shift away from restrictive bi-lateral air service agreements in favour of liberalised multi-lateral policies. A further study should be carried out to assess the impact of deregulation on service delivery in airline networks. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

This study ascertains financing behavior and Capital Structure determinants of a leading Jamaican corporation, Grace Kennedy Limited (GKL) in order to establish the extent to which the company follows the Static Trade-off theory (STOT), in which an optimal capital structure of the firm exists and can be derived by balancing the benefits of debt against costs associated with debt i.e. Bankruptcy costs and Agency costs and costs of underinvestment. STOT is compared with The Pecking Order theory (POT) which firm has no specific target debt ratio and capital structure is driven by the need of funds. The existence of Information Asymmetry, Signaling and relative costs associated with alternative methods and sources of funding lead the firm to have a preferred hierarchy for financing decision with the Internal Retained Earnings being preferred, followed by Debt and then Equity. GKL's financing behavior arguably follows the STOT, but more clear evidence supports the POT. The Firm has given preference toward the following funding sources and Corporate Principles, Financial Flexibility, Transactions Costs, Bankruptcy Costs, Credit Rating, Market Considerations and Timing are all seen as important fundamental factors (Determinants) in deciding about Capital Structure. Some concern is also given to Information about Asymmetry problems at international level. However, Agency Costs, i.e. Asset Substitutions, Wealth Transfers, and Over-investment are not found to be issues of major concern, as the Firm has good governance. Tax Shield benefits have no effect on the financial manager's decisions. Also an Industry Norm is not found to be important for GKL's Capital Structure decisions. The amount of debt in the Firm's capital structure is maintained at a low level according to a conservative policy. It is also driven by corporate strategic planning, and by the availability of profitable investments taking advantage of each funding source. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Research universities broadly have integrated scientific research as a core component of their teaching mission and are frequently the source of technological innovation. The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) likewise, seeks to give effect to its vision of being the premier university of African scholarship in its research endeavors and is currently ranked as one of the “Big Five” research institutions in South Africa. However, despite UKZN’s high research publication output, there is negligible patenting at UKZN. This study therefore investigated why there is that anomaly and carried out a Comparative Analysis of Innovation Support Models at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in South Africa. Based on the research findings, this study provides some useful insights on how Innovation Support Models in South Africa in general and UKZN in particular, can best be structured to achieve success. The study highlights the extent to which patenting affects publication (for example whether patenting hinders publication) with particular emphasis on the “Big Five” research universities in South Africa. Some of the factors that affect innovation at the HEIs, which this study reviewed, include the institutional arrangements for the management of Intellectual Property and technology transfer capacity. The study reviews literature on the roles that universities play in the national innovation systems, the complex institutional landscapes that influence the creation, development and dissemination of innovations at global and national levels. The literature shows that countries worldwide, including South Africa, are striving to stimulate innovation as a fundamental source of competitiveness and are building on locally generated Intellectual Property (IP) from Research Institutions. To arrive at the findings, this study adopted a case study approach by examining innovation at UKZN in some detail. Purposive sampling was used to select the “Big Five” research institutions and an additional three HEIs were selected through judgment sampling. Out of a sample size of eight HEIs, a response rate of 75% was achieved. The case study and the interview analysis showed that HEIs use more than one indicator to measure their performance. These indicators include: the number of disclosures, number of patents, number of breakthroughs to the industry, number of projects managed within the innovation portfolio, the level of efficiency of innovation systems and tools, successful commercialisation of projects and the income generated. While there are several good innovation performance indicators, this study recommends the patent system, which is accepted internationally as a good yardstick and is used in South Africa by the Department of Science and Technology to monitor technological performance. Patents are valuable because they provide a researcher with a coherent set of data across countries and specific technological fields for long time series. Proper use of the patent system could result in additional publications to the researchers and could facilitate the transfer of new technology to the industry. Despite delays in obtaining patents, the patent system has the benefit of securing the researchers with a priority date for their work. This study further shows that there is a low rate of patenting by South African HEIs at both local and international level. The existence of IP management policies at HEIs and patenting appears to be correlated given the fact that HEIs with IP policies and established structures performed well in the area of patenting. Improvement of infrastructure and availability of highly skilled and creative researchers coupled with proper management of IP is necessary for successful commercialisation. A useful tool for enhancing commercialisation would be a mechanism for increasing the number of disclosures of inventions made by researchers to technology transfer offices. This study therefore recognizes that achieving research and innovation excellence in South African HEIs, especially in UKZN, requires breaking down existing barriers within and outside the institutions while building a collaborative and entrepreneurial culture. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2009.

Globally, companies are adopting electronic business to sustain their competitive advantage and to link this with their core competencies. The world, as described by Gartner, is currently in a "Trough of Disillusionment" - an area of pessimism where the perceived value of e-business are thought of not delivering sustainable value. However, challenges and opportunities exist to change this perception. This dissertation makes a case for e-business adoption by laying out the value of e-business and discussing the components that make up e-business. Evidence exits linking e-business and competitive advantage and the degree of e-business adoption is producing shifts in the competitive landscape, thereby becoming a integral part of business activities across the world. Literature research is presented, making a case for adoption of e-business and its role in sustainable competitive advantage. The case therefore can also be made for South African companies and their e-readiness can be determined. The dissertation then proceed to examine the adoption of e-business by South African companies, looking at their readiness and making conclusions based in various criteria such as market segmentation, company size and so forth. Qualitative and quantitative research is presented in the form of secondary data from reputable sources and is discussed as and when presented. Evidence of IT contribution to competitive advantage is presented and the concept of the Intelligent Enterprise is introduced. International e-commerce trends is discussed along with Gartner's Net Liberalised Organisations (NLO) and the specific components making up e-business, such as supply chain management, business intelligence, enterprise resource planning, infrastructure, intermediation and customer relationship management, are examined in order to determine adoption levels in these technologies and business enablers. The dissertation goes onto examine South African B2B adoption trends focusing on e-commerce enabling technologies and components as a function of company size. Implementations, solutions and obstacles are presented and discussed. An Examination of E-Business Adoption by South African Companies. Closer examination of corporate IT trends for certain industry segments is evaluated with the primary focus on enterprise software application implementation phases. This is an exhaustive look at implementation of tools ranging from CRM through to portal technologies and network security. Next the penetration levels of enterprise applications for various vertical industries are looked into, as well as the degree of penetration propensity as a gauge of trends. Obstacles to e-business, Internet connectivity and the effects of IT budgets on adoption are examined. Future trends are discussed during these chapters. Internet based B2B exchanges and offerings (both vertical and functional or hub exchanges) have been researched in various industry sectors. These are presented and conclusions drawn as to the positioning of these exchanges in the South African marketplace. Finally, recommendations, trends, conclusions and future predictions are presented along with the challenges that the marketplace (both small and large company size segments), is facing. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002. / Telkom.

This is a case study of an irrigated sugar cane Estate owned by the Company that mills sugar cane from the irrigated farms that make up the Estate and also from a wide range of other suppliers. The agricultural land on which the sugar cane is grown is threatened by divestiture in that the Mill could conceivably obtain supplies from other Private Growers and other contracted suppliers who are the potential purchasers of divested land. This is the problem that the research addresses. The case study addresses this problem by analysing the relationship between a specific sugar mill and its company owned Estate which supplies cane to the Mill, from irrigated sugar cane lands. In other cane growing areas Estate operations have been divested and the cane supplies outsourced to Private Growers. The case study evaluates this management strategy in the particular case of the Heatonville irrigation Estate supplying sugar cane to the Felixton sugar mill, both of which are owned by Tongaat-Hulett Sugar Limited. In 1993 the Company had vertically integrated backwards, and invested in agricultural land in a move to secure strategic cane supplies for the Felixton Mill. The Mill was at that time, and still is, under supplied with sugar cane on an annual basis. The case study provides a review of the relevant literature in the fields of vertical integration, divestiture and outsourcing which are concepts that can be related to the actions that the Company is taking in selling off significant potions of its agricultural land holdings. An overview of the concepts of marginal cost and marginal revenue are given in order to assist in the understanding of the relationship between the sugar mill and the Company owned Estate. The research design is guided by five main research questions around which the methodology and data collection processes are focused. These research questions are all related to the research problem. Computer generated budget models are used to evaluate financial and production information, with the assistance of tables and graphs. The specific relationship that the Estate has with the Mill in terms of its financial contribution towards milling revenues is also highlighted as a strategic benefit. A summary of results is presented by answering the specific research questions. The case study concludes that the Heatonville Miller Cum Planter irrigation operation provides strategic cane supplies to the Felixton Mill, which if outsourced to third parties may be at risk. The case study makes no attempt to generalise findings to other cane growing irrigation schemes. However where similar situations prevail management decisions could well be guided by the findings of this study, given the systematic application of the budget models in each situation. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

In the face of increased competition compounded by globalisation, the challenge facing many South African companies is the need to develop a competitive advantage that will secure and grow its market share. This study explores the concept of customer satisfaction as the means to create that competitive advantage. Customers today are more demanding and are exposed to wider choices. The challenge facing management is to define strategies to "delight customers" - customers do not just want to be pleased they want to be delighted, they want to feel that the company exists to ensure that their expectations are not only met, but exceeded. This study further explores quality as a strategy to enhance customer satisfaction. The Six Sigma approach to quality management has been chosen as the focus. This study has been based on a medium sized South African Information Technology (IT) company, called Business Connexion. The IT industry is characterised by many challenges, the most significant being that it is currently in a slow growth phase after being in a boom in the late 1990s. The management of IT companies, today need to develop strategies to retain their customers and to attract new ones. The challenge facing Business Connexion, who is a relatively new entrant to the market, is to develop a competitive advantage that will put it ahead of its competitors who come in the form of large internationally listed companies. This study explores the option of Business Connexion defining its differentiator based on the capacity to offer its customers a superior quality service at a price lower than that of its competitors. The Six Sigma approach is suggested because it focuses on the elements such as: defining customer needs, creating processes to meet and exceed customer expectations, investigating methods to reduce costs and creating a quality-focused culture within the company. These elements are critical to achieving competitive advantage. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Kumba Resources Ltd [Kumba], one of the largest South African-based mining companies listed on the JSE Securities Exchange, is a focused metals and mining company with a diverse commodity portfolio consisting of iron ore, heavy minerals, coal, base metals and industrial minerals. At the unbundling of Iscor Ltd [Iscor], all the mining assets were housed under the new mining company, Kumba Resources. The study therefore is an effort at evaluating the unbundling decision as well as options for the Kumba going forward. The literature reviewed covers restructuring and cases on restructuring in South Africa and internationally. It outlines various methods at arriving at the competitive strength and strategic fit of company business units in a diversified environment as well as evaluating the contribution of each business unit to the profitability of the company. All the tests applied to Kumba attest to the unbundling decision having been a good decision to take. However there are assets that have been identified that do not provide the right strategic fit in Kumba or too small and therefore destroying value like the information technology company, AST and Base Metals and Industrial Minerals Divisions. Analysis of Kumba going forward shows that the key drivers to its growth strategy will be a focus on those commodities and investments that offer above average growth and returns while spreading the risk associated with cyclicality and volatility that characterises the supply and demand of minerals and metals in the world's major markets. Whilst the attraction of being a single commodity player because of the performance of iron ore in relation to other commodities in Kumba's portfolio, experience shows that iron ore has in the past suffered same cyclical swings particularly when the steel prices are low. Lastly minerals and metals are a depleting resource and it is therefore advisable for the company to maintain a robust project pipeline in commodities where the company will achieve above average returns including considerations at mergers and acquisitions, critically investigate and divest in those commodities that do not provide the expected returns. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.