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

Stress is a condition which causes the body to react in response to a threat or a challenge, and where the outcome is important to the individual. Stress can be both physical and psychological. Physical stress can be the result of having too much to do, and psychological stress can be the result of an emotionally disturbing or devastating event. There are several origins of these causes of stress, and this dissertation has attempted to explore the main and most common ones: the various possible factors (stressors) which can arise from the workplace and factors outside the workplace. Everyone experiences stress differently because of various reasons and reacts differently to stress in face of the same stressor. Stressors produce different stress levels in different people: combined with the external factors of stress (potential stressors) it has been found that how one is affected by that stressor depends on how one perceive this stressor, based on its relative importance to the person and the traits and characteristics of the person e.g. reactions in face of a challenge or threat. As an effect of stress, the one reacts physically, psychologically and behaviourally, and has negative consequences rather than positive consequences, which affect both physical and mental well-being and performance at work. These have serious implications for businesses, especially in this highly competitive and dynamic environment. In a research carried out in, it has been found that there is relatively low incidence of stress the airline industry in Durban but some recommendations for stress management have been made to bring knowledge about the problem and to be proactive in face of an otherwise increasing problem. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, 2003.

The fundamental aim of this study was to analyse the main marketing strategies used in developing and sustaining tourism in the Eastvaal region. An empirical study was conducted amongst the respondents from the local authorities, local tourism organisations, hotels and guesthouses. The information collected was used to write a case about the current reality of tourism marketing in the Eastvaal, which was later evaluated against the ideas presented within the theoretical framework. Furthermore, the study looked at the strategic plans developed by local authorities as well as private sector, which were aimed at encouraging local economic development in general and tourism development in particular. This process was aimed at understanding the effect of private and public sector partnership in the formation of marketing strategies that would impact on sustainable development of tourism industry in the Eastvaal region. A wide range of literature was consulted to understand theoretical base regarding marketing strategies and tourism concepts. However, the study was restricted to the evaluation of the current strategies applied so as to measure their impact in relation to growth and sustainability of tourism in the Eastvaal. Conclusions of the research indicate that an improvement is needed in the current marketing strategies so a to create long-term growth opportunities within the tourism industry. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, 2003.

Staff motivation in a contact centre environment was analysed from the perspective of Herzberg's Motivation- Hygiene theory in the present study using survey data from seven contact centres in the Kwa-Zulu Natal region. The study investigates the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation factors and the extent of the existence of equity factors in the and the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation factors with equity factors in the South African environment, specifically favouritism, discrimination and consistency. The findings confirm that contact centre agents need to be highly skilled and adequately supported by management in order to fulfil the significant role that they play in an organisation. The support required goes further than technical skill and training but moves into the emotional well being of the agent. The emphasis shifts from the agent providing a service to the customers and the organisation and moves from the organisation providing its agents with the recognition and incentives to motivate them to strive for their very best at their jobs. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, 2003.

The rail industry in South Africa is represented by Spoornet, the only rail operator in this country. The rail industry in South Africa has undergone profound changes since the deregulation of the transport industry. Driving the changes that the rail industry now finds itself were the adoption of new technology, government legislation, difficult trading conditions, the strengthening of the rand and growing transport options available to rail customers. The rail transport industry must not only survive but also prosper in a radically different environment, to that in which it operated as a monopoly prior to 1990. As South African companies are becoming more export driven by catering to international markets, these companies are governed by stringent international practices in terms of the manufacturing of goods and services. As such it is imperative for South Africa's transport companies to render a seamless transport and logistics service in order to facilitate the expansion of these local companies into new global markets. This research aims to identify the factors that impact the level of service in the rail transport industry and to determine the actions necessary to improve the current levels of service. This research was undertaken amongst Spoornet's Import / Export customers nationally. It investigates service quality in the rail transport industry by utilising the Servqual methodology. The Servqual measuring instrument has been found to be a reliable measure of service quality. A sample of 50 customers was selected and previous research on the topic reviewed. The statistical analysis revealed that respondents indicated a high expectation of service and a low perception of service received. As a result, urgent attention must be focused on Spoornet's service delivery. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.

Formalised markets for the trading of securities have been impacted upon to the same degree as other business entities by the advent of electronic commerce. Globalisation has furthermore forced these markets to adapt their operation with a view towards improving efficiency while simultaneously catering for increased demands on their capacity. Clearing and settlement of securities is a core financial function on which fundamental confidence in the financial market depends. It is also an area experiencing rapid growth, profound technical and structural change, and infrequent but severe market shocks. Growth has been tremendous. For example, the value of shares traded annually in world markets rose nearly 63 times between 1980 and 2001. Advances in telecommunication technology, has brought far-reaching changes in the characteristics and supply of financial products and services, and in trading and settlement systems. Changes have also fuelled cross border activities. The South African equities industry has not escaped this dramatic paradigm shift and has itself initiated STRATEgic projects, all with a view of catapulting South Africa into the world's financial markets. It is also meeting these challenges, has often been expensive and met resistance amongst individual and professional investors who have become accustomed to established ways of trading securities. To counter these challenges and resistance (and further justify the expense and effort in transforming), various contentions (such as an increase in trade volumes arising in greater liquidity levels) were forwarded. The introduction of the STRATE (Share Transactions Totally Electronic) system by the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) is an example of an exchange adapting its operation to meet new challenges. This exploratory research examined whether the contention that the transition to an efficient electronic settlement system STRATE, has been successful, the effect of STRATE equity/electronic settlement in the South African market and to determine the position/standing of STRATE in comparison to other developing/emerging and world markets. An analysis of the STRATE system from inception to current status was done as well as a comparison of the South African settlement system to other emerging and world markets. A Questionnaire was sent to various major Financial Institutions (banks) and investment professionals in the employ of equity broking firms, to ascertain their opinion as to the impact ofSTRATE's result/success of the transition to an effective electronic settlement system and to determine STRATE's position in comparison with emerging/developing countries and world markets. The views of the respondents are that STRATE will increase trade volumes although it may perhaps be too early at this stage to note a difference. The major themes elicited from the respondents are that they have a greater confidence and faith in the workings of the market, lost share certificates and lack of an ease of settlement infrastructure prevented effective settlement previously, barriers to private investors have been removed, share certificates are in some instances missed, STRATE makes stock broking and investing more cost effective or easier, there is a greater liquidity potential for the Johannesburg Securities Exchange, an increase in market activity due to greater and more efficient settlement of trades, principal risk being reduced, increased foreign investment, a better international image as regards settlement through the adoption of best international practice has arisen, greater ease of transaction should lead to an increase of trade volumes, the benefits of STRATE as regards trading volumes are not yet apparent, the benefit is apparent and poor market conditions have prevented the benefit from becoming apparent. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

International business is much more complicated than domestic business because countries differ in many ways. Countries have different political systems economic systems. Cultural practices can vary dramatically from country to country, as the education and skill level of the population, and countries are at different stages of economic development. Moreover, development of multinational strategies involves consideration of threats, opportunities, key success factors, and strategy options and issues that do not appear when the analysis is restricted to operations within a single country. In particular, the evaluation of a market must take into account the political and economic risks associated with individual countries. Thus the external analysis becomes much more demanding. South Africa's trade and industrial policy has moved away from a highly protected, inward-looking economy towards an internationally competitive system that is able to capitalize on its comparative advantages. Enhancement of the competitiveness of industries on the domestic and international markets has consequently become a prime focus of the country's industrial policy. International trade in textiles and clothing is conducted on an immense scale. Textile and clothing producers were responsible for 9.3 per cent of world exports of manufacturers in 2001 . Barriers to entry for new firms and exporters are low, and consequently the degree of international competition is intense. Competitive advantage is very difficult to sustain for long periods of time. Newcomers speedily challenge successful exporters of basic products, and they must redirect their activities towards the production of higher value-added textiles and clothing in order to survive and prosper. Textile industry represents a main role in South Africa's economy. However, during the year of 2003 Department of Trade and industry has recorded 20,000 job losses due to significant increase in imports, largely from China, as well as a fairly noticeable decline in exports both facilitated by the strengthening of the Rand. South Mrica and Mauritius are the only countries in the region with established textile industries, but the cost of labour is relatively expensive and productivity is lower than in some competitor nations, such as China. The labour union - SA Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU) believes the root causes of the large-scale job losses was due to the South African government's rush to liberalise markets by cutting import tariffs in the mid- to late 1990s. During the 1980s the clothing and textile industry benefited from protectionist tariffs levied on imported goods. However, this changed when South Mrica signed the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT). The government agreed that clothing and textile tariffs would be reduced, but the union contends that they were cut more quickly and aggressively than the World Trade Organisation (WTO) had expected. The industry was not able to cope with that, and what followed were enormous job losses. Multi-national organizations from South Africa have a choice to extend their global reach, due to the government export incentive programme, the mature companies can diversify their firms to emerging market in order to exploit their technological advantages and invest internationally. If a firm's primary goal is to maximize their shareholder's value, then they and probably the economy are better off if they invest or export where they can earn the best return. As they do so, change in the global macro-environment further confounds the choices inherent in building a strategic organization. Some understanding of the organization's external and internal environment always drives strategy, as an international organizational better choice. In the most general sense, the long-run monetary benefits of doing business in South Mrica are a function of the size of the textile and clothing market, the present wealth (purchasing power) of consumers in the market, and the likely future wealth of consumers. Also the South Mrican multi national companies can have the opportunity to gain export market in USA, Canada, Europe and other trade countries in South Mrica. In order to achieve economic growth and competitiveness In South Mrica, it is recommend that the several issues cutting across the textile industrial sector need to be addressed through knowledge transfer, training, investment and management. Innovative technologies need to be developed to strengthen the competitiveness. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, 2004.

The purpose of this study is to provide a glimpse into the New Product Development (NPD) Process as it is being utilised within the context of the residential property development industry in South Africa. The main objective in undertaking this study was to gain an insight into a process that has so far not received much attention from the a,cademic world despite the fact that it is a process that has recently become an important creator of wealth for many South Africans. The case study research design was chosen, because it provides an ideal vehicle for conducting preliminary studies into a specific subject that has not received much attention before. The nature of the case study approach allows for much more in-depth and broader investigation than would be possible in a quantitative study. The specific case under review (SajDev (Pty) Ltd) was chosen, because of the company's involvement in the entire spectrum of the residential property development industry in South Africa. In addition, the company showed an openness and willingness to share its experiences and processes that is not usually found in this particular industry. Most importantly, the company offered the author the opportunity to work for them in order to gain the necessary first hand experience and knowledge that would be needed to do the study. The company also arranged for the author to gain access to all of their professional team members and to all of their internal documents in order to assist with the research. From a technical point of view, the study involved the following basic steps. First, a generic model of NPD was identified and unpacked. Next, the specific process used by SajDev was identified and analysed, after which specific recommendations were made on how the process could be improved. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.

" ... every related diversification is also fundamentally an unrelated one" (Mintzberg, 1991). Due to the cyclical nature of the demand for construction, quantity surveyors are forced to contend with large fluctuations in the demand for their services. This has prompted firms to consider diversifying into more lucrative ventures. This study explores the concept of diversification as a means to offset cyclical fluctuations, and to stimulate growth. The available literature emphasises the advantages of related diversification over unrelated diversification. It is argued that this creates synergy between the new business and the core one, thus leading tp competitive advantage. The study is based on BTKM, a medium sized Quantity Surveying practise. Growth opportunities in their core business have begun to decline, and the cyclical nature of demand for construction has led to uncertainty, which makes long term strategic planning difficult. A study of the company's skills and resource strengths shows that it is well positioned to capitalise on opportunities in related businesses. By virtue of their core competencies, Quantity Surveyors possess the ability to solve complex problems and challenges regarding the planning and management of facilities. Organisations have come to realise the importance of ensuring that their buildings, systems and services support core operations and contribute to achieving strategic objectives. This has led to the growth of a new field of endeavour - that of Facilities Management. This is a rapidly growing professional field that provides excellent prospects for suitably qualified personnel. This study explores the option of diversification into this field. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, (Durban) 2003.

The political processes with regards to black economic empowerment creates a very favourable business environment both for start-ups and already established black companies The service industry is the fastest growing industry around the world. In South Africa, the demand for technically skilled technicians in the information and communication industry is huge. III The challenge facing most black start-up is the sustainability of these companies in view of changing economic, political, social.and indeed technological environment. Franchising has been hailed as the best business growth strategy in many countries and particular for black owned small businesses in South Africa. The Franchise Association of South Africa is the authority with regards to franchising in South Africa. The Association has developed detailed and easy to follow guidelines towards franchising. Outsourcing non-core business activities enables a company to focus on its core business. Once a company focuses on its core business, it is then able to save on operational costs, focus on developing new products and offering better services. Both business-format-franchising and outsourcing are not perfectly suitable for Qinos ,and/or sustainable in the long run. The recommended strategic option is outsourcing with a mentoring programmed embedded in the strategy implementation, herein referred to as the hybrid strategy. The hybrid strategy suggests the creation of a network of subcontractors to whom Qinos shall out source some of its activities. The Subcontractors Network shall be a strategic alliance offield service providers in the ICT sector based in KwaZulu-Natal, initiated and mentored by Qinos. Qinos shall manage outsourced operations on behalf of companies that are outsourcing their field maintenance services, in the ICT sector, to these credible SMEs. The Subcontractors Network are small, owner-managed black owned companies that can provide the basic infrastructure for running a field maintenance service in the ICT sector. They have the competencies or are able to acquire the vendor-required competencies within a short period of time not exceeding six months. They provide world-class service quality, are profitable and sustainable. / Thesis (MBA)- University of Kwazulu-Natal, 2004.