Increased international trade has sparked a debate on the need to coordinate dispersedactivities in Global Value Chains, linking production to end consumers. Implementationof standards has in the literature on Global Value Chains been suggested as a wayto coordinate a value chain. We have investigated the value chain of shrimp andprawns production in Bangladesh, in order to analyze if standards placed by the EUhave proven a successful way to coordinate the value chain. The implementation ofstandards has been studied to capture the coordination in the value chain. A singlecase study was conducted with interviews from a sample of actors in direct or closeconnection to the production of shrimp and prawns in Bangladesh. The focus of thestudy has been on the perspectives of the individuals and if and how standards areimplemented successfully in a social context. The attempt has been to bridgeunderstandings of implementation of standards together with knowledge of the complexnature of Global Value Chains. The results show that there are multiple challengesto successful implementation of standards. Hurdles can especially be linked tothe ability to follow standards where lack of human- and financial resources havebeen found. In addition, the will to follow standards can have an impact when traditionalmethods stand in the way and immediate financial incentives are not in place.

Research show that customer patterns in the textile industry are changing and the degree of personalization of products is getting more important to meet personal needs and preferences. Mass customization is a strategy named to create higher customer value by customizing products through a close interaction during the design and production process, high production flexibility and efficient logistics. The lack of research on the implementation of mass customization strategies and an identified gap between customer expectations and perception (customer value) of these types of products, are the incentives to conduct this research. The thesis has the purpose of identifying the drivers of customer value of mass customized garments and assess the value chain of the company Brohall & Son from a perspective of mass customization as a strategy, and from the results draw conclusions of customer value aligned with the implementation mass customization strategies. In order to perform the research a quantitative approach, doing a customer value analysis through a self-completion questionnaire, was conducted. Attributes of price, quality, fit, service and delivery capacity were investigated to get an understanding of what drives value for the customers. In addition a qualitative method was used, doing interviews with the CEO of Brohall & Son to gain a deeper understanding of their operations and value chain. The results show that quality, fit, delivery capacity and service are the most important attributes of customer value. Price is the least important attribute and also the least correlated/dependent variable to the rest of the attributes, showing a high willingness to pay for the garments. The analysis of the value chain indicates some areas of improvements regarding logistics, design process and production process. Solutions are brought up to get the value chain to get more aligned with the strategies of mass customization.

This dissertation examines the role of climate science in ensuring environmental stability. It traces the career of the climatologist Charles Warren Thornthwaite, beginning with his work as a population geographer for the Social Science Research Council in the early 1930s and ending in the early 1960s with his work as an independent consultant for the military, agribusiness firms, and international organizations. I argue that Thornthwaite's approach to environmental stability began as an effort to create "holistic" stability, one characterized by a relative continuity of the relationships of people to the land they inhabited, and evolved into approach that favored "mechanistic" stability, one characterized by the interaction and exchange discrete environmental factors--energy, water, crops, etc. / History of Science

It is recognised by society that freshwater resources play a major role in economic development and in maintaining life supporting ecosystems services. Transboundary river basins cover about 45% of the earth’s land surface and their governance is therefore of critical importance. Transboundary freshwater resources are considered a common-pool resource. Collective action is therefore needed in order to supply both public and private goods from these resources but is yet in short supply. This thesis intends to analyse a complementary framework to the common Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach with the objective of enhancing investments in collective action to address this dilemma. Results indicate that transboundary water resources management in itself can be identified as a regional public good. The results also indicate that IWRM has been promoted as a standard management concept; often without first having identified and agreed the objectives of the intended multiple uses of water. Outcomes related to IWRM at the transboundary scale are therefore difficult to identify and evidence points towards continued water quality degradation at a global scale and development opportunities not achieved. Two different tools for how to assess the generation of benefits from cooperation are presented in this thesis including an institutional assessment framework adapted to transboundary institutions. Together these steps make up an outcome-driven approach that clarifies the value of water in all management and development stages. Through such an outcome-driven approach, water issues can provide the incentives necessary in order to identify cooperative paths and thus become important factors in negotiations to establish effective regional governance regimes. This would take the broader political, economic and geographical context into consideration thus supporting a process towards more integration of interests between countries.

Despite the trillions of dollars spent over the past decades on foreign aid 80% of humanity still lives on less than $10 dollars a day. There is an alarming need to deliver quality healthcare services and products to developing countries. The healthcare industry for developing countries is estimated to be $202 million and growing exponentially. However, intrinsic obstacles have prevented companies from fully deploying solutions in these countries. With the emergence of Citizen-Sector Organizations companies now have an alley to create High Value Chains enabling companies to deliver solutions to developing countries. Thereby, increasing shareholder value and increasing the living conditions of global citizens. As citizens of developing countries have better health care they are better equipped to succeed economically and consume other services and products the company has to offer. This paper discusses how an engineering manager can increase shareholder value by aligning corporate responsibility with the company’s strategic goals by leveraging High Value Chains. Specifically this paper discusses how open source methodologies can be utilized to improve healthcare in developing countries while increasing shareholder value. / text

As a result of globalisation, firms across both developed and developing countries are experiencing increased competition. Globalisation has both positive and negative consequences for firms, and the net effect may depend on the manner in which the country where a firm is located participates in the global market. Both the global commodity chain (GCC) and global value chain (GVC) approaches assess countries' integration (either successfully or unsuccessfully) into the global market. The international floriculture industry is one that is constantly changing and has a highly competitive environment. These challenges require that its participants be successfully integrated into the market and constantly improve their competitive positions. The South African floriculture industry has become more integrated into the global market since it opened up its economy in 1994. Both revenue and employment in this industry have increased since then. However, South Africa remains fairly uncompetitive compared with its African counterparts. The overall aim of this study was to assess the impact of the global floriculture industry on both the competitiveness of the South African floriculture industry and its integration into the global market. The GCC and GVC approaches were used in this assessment. The literature study provided background to these approaches in the context of globalisation. A detailed description was further given to the attributes and challenges of the global floriculture arena, together with a delineation of the South African floriculture industry. The empirical study was conducted through a mail-based questionnaire, which was mailed to the members of the South African Flower Export Council. The response rate of the survey was 59 per cent and can be considered high for a mail-based questionnaire. The responses were analysed according to the elements of the GVC and GCC approaches. This enabled an analysis of the global chains that the exporters form part of. Hence, it identified the role players and variables within these chains that influence the ultimate income of the floriculture industry. From the empirical findings it was possible to determine the South African export floriculture industry's strengths and weaknesses. The conclusion drawn was that the South African floriculture industry functions successful internationally, according to the elements of the GCC and GVC approaches. However, the industry does not participate to its full potential in the global market and lacks competitiveness. These findings supported the assumptions in the literature study. Once the South African floriculture exporters become more export-oriented (i.e. shift their focus from the domestic to the international market), the industry's competitiveness will enhance. Becoming further integrated into the global market by increasing both the volumes and values of their exports can do this. Ultimately the exporters will be able to move into better and more competitive global chains (i.e. export more directly). / Thesis (M.Com. (International Commerce))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

The purpose of this research was to quantify what value could be gained from cutting solid wood products from old-growth western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) logs that are used to produce pulp in British Columbia. These logs represent a significant portion of the resource and increasing their value recovery would be beneficial to the forest industry. One hundred and sixteen logs were sampled from the coastal and interior regions of British Columbia. Dimension and quality attributes were measured to enable estimates of gross and merchantable volume. Logs deemed likely to yield lumber were sawn with the aim of maximizing value recovery. The nominal dimension and grade of all lumber recovered was recorded. Margins and breakpoints at which sawing became profitable were calculated. Models to predict the volume of lumber and proportion of Clear grade lumber recovered (“C Industrial” grade at the interior mill, “D Select” grade at the coastal mill) were developed. Lumber recovery, especially Clear grade lumber, was significantly higher from logs from the coastal site. At current market prices, cutting lumber from these logs was profitable, with the highest margins achieved when chips were produced from the milling residue. It was not profitable to recover lumber from the interior logs regardless of whether chips were produced. The disparity between locations was attributed to differences between the logs, the sawmilling equipment, the sawyers’ motivations and the lumber grades. Between 60% and 67% of coastal logs and 13% to 21% of interior logs returned a profit, depending on whether chips were produced. Models were developed to better identify these logs using observable attributes. A linear model described the total volume of lumber recovered. Significant predictor variables in the model were the gross log volume, the average width of the sound collar and the stage of butt/heart rot at the large end. A second model predicted the proportion of Clear grade lumber. Regional models were developed to account for different Clear lumber grades between sawmills. Significant predictor variables were knot frequency, diameter at the large end, volume, length, taper and the width of the sound collar at the large end.

The area of the research comprises the field of virtualization as specified to the field of three-dimensional user interfaces (3D UIs). It is an approach of applying the field of motion-sensing technology to potential areas of apparel value chains focusing on design. The background of this thesis is the industry’s established 3D design and development process and new digital tools that enable embodied interaction. So far companies are still working with a limited 3D design approach, which requires several non-value-adding activities, e.g. technical sketching and pattern creation, before a product can be virtually simulated and evaluated. As the current fashion industry’s human-computer interaction (HCI) applications have non-embodied interaction technologies, which deny natural hand movements, it was evaluated, if motion-sensing technology can enable the feeling of natural handcrafting. The purpose of the project was to investigate the designer’s attitude towards motion-sensing technology as a design tool and the potential of embodied HCI in design and development processes of apparel value chains. Enabling the designer the feeling of handcrafting in a 3D world opens a new area of research within the use of 3D fashion design tools. Moreover the thesis expected to prove the desire towards embodied interaction during the apparel design and development processes and the designer’s openness to try out new things. To fulfill the purpose, the motion-sensing technology tool Leap Motion was used as a practical device, which enables embodied interaction in design applications. A team of various designers was used to conduct a practical experiment, combined with interviews and observations. The experiment has been analysed on the designer’s attitude towards the use of a motion-sensing technology tool within the design field and possible implications on the design and development phases of apparel value chains. The results show, that the designers supported embodied interaction and experienced the use of motion-sensing technology as an enhancing and powerful tool. However, it has become clear that the designers experienced the usage of free-handed motion-sensing technology as not natural or intuitive and rather prefer tangible tools. Presupposing a crucial improvement of the technology, different ways of substituting current design activities like enabling the draping process on a virtual basis could enhance the value chain regarding speed, flexibility and waste. This would enable earlier entry into the evaluation stage of virtual simulated prototypes while directly starting the design and development process in 3D and reducing several iterations of non-value adding activities.

As a result of globalisation, firms across both developed and developing countries are experiencing increased competition. Globalisation has both positive and negative consequences for firms, and the net effect may depend on the manner in which the country where a firm is located participates in the global market. Both the global commodity chain (GCC) and global value chain (GVC) approaches assess countries' integration (either successfully or unsuccessfully) into the global market. The international floriculture industry is one that is constantly changing and has a highly competitive environment. These challenges require that its participants be successfully integrated into the market and constantly improve their competitive positions. The South African floriculture industry has become more integrated into the global market since it opened up its economy in 1994. Both revenue and employment in this industry have increased since then. However, South Africa remains fairly uncompetitive compared with its African counterparts. The overall aim of this study was to assess the impact of the global floriculture industry on both the competitiveness of the South African floriculture industry and its integration into the global market. The GCC and GVC approaches were used in this assessment. The literature study provided background to these approaches in the context of globalisation. A detailed description was further given to the attributes and challenges of the global floriculture arena, together with a delineation of the South African floriculture industry. The empirical study was conducted through a mail-based questionnaire, which was mailed to the members of the South African Flower Export Council. The response rate of the survey was 59 per cent and can be considered high for a mail-based questionnaire. The responses were analysed according to the elements of the GVC and GCC approaches. This enabled an analysis of the global chains that the exporters form part of. Hence, it identified the role players and variables within these chains that influence the ultimate income of the floriculture industry. From the empirical findings it was possible to determine the South African export floriculture industry's strengths and weaknesses. The conclusion drawn was that the South African floriculture industry functions successful internationally, according to the elements of the GCC and GVC approaches. However, the industry does not participate to its full potential in the global market and lacks competitiveness. These findings supported the assumptions in the literature study. Once the South African floriculture exporters become more export-oriented (i.e. shift their focus from the domestic to the international market), the industry's competitiveness will enhance. Becoming further integrated into the global market by increasing both the volumes and values of their exports can do this. Ultimately the exporters will be able to move into better and more competitive global chains (i.e. export more directly). / Thesis (M.Com. (International Commerce))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

No business can effectively be managed without the proper management and information that reflects and creates the milieu it operates in. Business performance management creates the framework in which a structured approach can be followed in setting the scene for a predictive and controllable environment. Business intelligence creates the information structures; information relationships and a reflection of the value chain of the business. By combining the two methodologies it creates a total business solution that harmonises all aspects of value creation in an objective manner. The aim of this study is to conduct a thorough theoretical study on the relevant aspects involved in business performance management and business intelligence, and to assess the relationship of business performance management and business intelligence within the South African natural resource' mining and manufacturing sector. The various processes of business performance management and business intelligence are discussed in the literature study. During the literature research several approaches to business performance management implementations and the pros and cons of business performance management are discussed. A broad look at business intelligence is done, with key focus on delivering of information. / Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.