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The strategic role of the Procurement function in manufacturing firms has received increased attention in the literature over the past two decades. Before the 1970s, the supply environment was seen to be stable for most firms, with no particular strategic opportunities or threats. Procurement was treated as an administrative or service function. The oil crisis in the early 1970s changed the situation, bringing in its wake acute inflation and material shortages. The 1980s saw a revolution in manufacturing with the advent of JIT, increased automation and global operations. Theoretical researchers saw the potential for a proactive and strategic role for the Procurement function. This was, however, not reflected in empirical research, which failed to find consistent evidence of firms considering Procurement as strategic. This thesis addresses the gap between precept and practice evident in the literature. A major criticism of the empirical literature is the treatment of the strategic (value) activities on the supply side and the activities of the Procurement department as synonymous. This thesis questioned that view and made a distinction between the two activities. A theoredcal framework was built up from the literature to identify the contexts in which Supply considerations would be strategic. Propositions were generated which allowed for strategic Supply activities both through the Procurement department as well as outside it. The empirical work looked at 25 UK manufacturing firms through the case study approach. The cases were scrutinised for evidence of strategic activities on the supply side, as well as the strategic importance of the Procurement department. The results confirmed that (1) Supply considerations were strategic for a majority of firms. (2) Strategic consideration of Supply depended on a number of contingent variables.(3) Strategic Supply activities were not necessarily reflected in the strategic importance given to the Procurement department.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 289-293).

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Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Developing economies are greatly influenced by changing factors of globalisation, trading pattems of industrialised countries and currency fluctuations. Trade reform is expected to play a critical role in creating competitive advantages among developing countries. However, liberalisation of developing countries has not always given the expected result. Too often, mullilateral organisations lecture developing countries on the merits of good governance, building dynamic institutions and greater openness to trade and foreign direct investments (FDI). The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that if Sub-Saharan Africa's institutional capacity were raised to the level of developed countries, per capita GDP would be raised by 150 percent. The rich world's trade protectionism and inadequate FDI inflows are blocking poor nations' efforts to integrate within the global economy. Currently, protectionist barriers set up by developed countries disrupt global economic market adjustments. Extending liberalisation to trade in all commodities would almost double world gains and would benefit developing countries in particular. To sustain development through liberalisation, nations need to reform themselves domestically and all nations must be given reasonably free market access. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ontwikkelende ekonomiee word grootliks beinvloed deur die veranderende omstandighede met betrekking tot globalisasie. Handelshervorming sal na verwagting 'n kritieke rol speel om 'n kompeterende voordeel te skep vir ontwikkelende lande. Nogtans het die liberalisering van sommige van hierdie lande nie die verwagte resultaat gelewer nie. Dit gebeur gereeld dat multilaterale organisasies ontwikkelende lande voorskryf oor die meriete van goeie bestuur, die ophou van dinamiese instellings en 'n meer ontvanklike houding teenoor buitelandse handel en beleggings. Die Internasionale Monetere Fonds (IMF) skat dat as die institusionele kapasiteit van Suid van die Sahara Afrika tot op die vlak van ontwikkelde lande verhoog word, die bruto binnelandse produk (BBP) per capita met 150 persent sal styg. Maar die ryk wereld se handelsbeskerming en die onvoldoende toevloei van buitelandse direkte investering, blokkeer arm nasies se pogings om die wereldekonomie te betree. Tans ontwrig die beskermende maatreels in ontwikkelde lande die vermoe van die wereldwye ekonomiese mark om aan te pas. Deur liberalisering ten opsigte van alle handelsgoedere uit te brei, kan die wereld-winste bykans verdubbel word. Ontwikkelende lande sal veral hierby baat vind. Om ontwikkeling deur liberalisering te bevorder, moet nasies binnelands hervorm en alle nasies moet redelike vrye toegang tot die wereldmark gebied word.

Daniel Conk 5 January 2012 Thesis Abstract This thesis is an empirical research on the impact that preferential trade agreements have on the welfare of individuals and nation-states. As the number of preferential trade agreements has been growing steadily, the on-going clash between regionalism and multilateralism will be a key topic throughout the research. Fair trade movements have been becoming more popular over the fast few years as some organizations have strived to raise consumers awareness regarding the great disparities among the profit margins of the producers or farmers in developing countries in comparison to those of the merchants and distributors in developed countries. Even though quantitative data will be used in order to portray the growing economic inequalities present in today s world, arguments will also be supported on grounds of ethics and morals relating to social justice.

Master of Arts / Department of Economics / Peri da Silva / This paper examines temporary trade barrier (TTB) implementation by 13 Latin American economies on a bilateral basis from 2000-2009 considering market power and import shocks. Additionally, we augment our analysis by including the effect of the presence or absence of tariff water on TTB implementation. We find evidence that market power and tariff water play an integral role in TTB implementation while import shocks do not. Using a probit model we estimate that a one standard deviation increase in market power and the absence of tariff water indicator increase the probability that a country imposes an antidumping tariff by 71 and 20 percent respectively, evaluated at their means. Interestingly, we do not find that import shocks have a significant impact on TTB implementation.

O tema referente ao aumento das exportações vem ganhando importância para o comércio exterior brasileiro. Desde 2003 as exportações brasileiras têm apresentado resultados recordes e o saldo da balança comercial acompanha este resultado. Entretanto, as exportações brasileiras tornam-se inexpressivas se comparadas às exportações que ocorrem no mundo, pois elas representam somente pouco mais de 1% das exportações mundiais. Um dos fatores responsáveis por este resultado seria a incidência de barreiras comerciais aos produtos brasileiros exportados, uma vez que estas barreiras aumentam os custos das transações envolvidos nos processos de exportações e são capazes de torná-los inviáveis. Assim, este trabalho possui como objetivo principal utilizar a abordagem da nova economia institucional (NEI) para analisar o desempenho de alguns dos principais produtos da pauta exportadora brasileira considerando a incidência de barreiras comerciais européias sobre eles. Para atingir este objetivo, faz-se necessário levantar as barreiras comerciais impostas pela União Européia, principal parceiro comercial do Brasil, aos produtos brasileiros e mostrar quais os possíveis reflexos que estas barreiras representam ao comportamento do comércio exterior brasileiro. / The subject that refers to the increase of the exports has been becoming an important issue to the brazilian international business. The brazilian exports have been showing an excellent performance since 2003 and the balance of trade imitates this result. However, the brazilian exports become insignificant when are compared to all exports that occur in the world, because they represent only around 1% of the global exports. One of the factors responsible for this result is the incidence of international trade barriers on brazilian exports, because these barriers increase the transaction costs involved in the export process and can discourage business. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to use the new institutional economics approach to analyze the performance of some of the most important products exported by Brazil considering the incidence of european trade barriers on them. To reach this aim, it is needed to show the trade barriers imposed by the European Union on brazilian exports and point the possible reflexes that these barriers represent to the brazilian international business. European Union represents the most important business partner of Brazil.