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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Southern California, 1971. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 265-281).

Thesis (M. S.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Dr. Timothy S. Chapin., Florida State University, College of Social Science, Dept. of Urban and Regional Planning. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 19, 2005). Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 97 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

In an ever-changing environment, it has become difficult for organisation to create and maintain a competitive advantage. Nowhere is it more evident than in the manufacturing industry. For organisations to be successful, it is imperative for them to have a clear and well-defined strategy. This strategy should be viewed as the steering mechanism of the organisation. With the ever-increasing demands of customers, organisations have been forced to be agile in order to adapt to sudden changes. Now more than ever, technology can be used as a powerful tool. For organisations to be profitable and grow, they need to have a management team that is competent to manage the organisation in turbulent times. To ensure a competitive advantage, management must be able to predict the future needs of the organisation. The use of technology forecasting and technology audits can assist management in addressing this process. Most organisations are technology intensive and deliver products or services. The research attempts to determine a strategy for the successful implementation and management of technology in a manufacturing organisation. It also tries to establish the impact of technology auditing on the competitive advantage of the organisation. A comprehensive technological audit questionnaire was used in conducting an audit at Valor Fruit Processors (Pty) Ltd. It must be emphasised that this model is a generic model and should be customised to suit each particular organisation.

A cogeneration system using a noncondensing steam turbine to simultaneously provide electricity and process steam to a citrus plant was modeled in order to assess the source energy savings and the economic implications with the employment of this type system under conditions of time varying plant energy demand. Average monthly energy demand data from on citrus plant was analyzed. It was determined that the important parameter, in addition to a minimum demand level, for assessing economic acceptability is the demand thermal to electric ratio. One set of steam conditions will not necessarily provide the maximum source energy savings and at the same time be the most economically beneficial. The values of the economic criteria will remain relatively constant over a range of rated turbine capacities for each set of steam conditions.

The South African citrus fruit industry faces enormous challenges in the global markets, such as an increasing demand for higher quality citrus fruits, as well as increasing fierce competition from the southern hemisphere citrus producing countries. Its long history of global integration makes it highly sensitive to international developments, as well as domestic ones. The purpose of the study is to investigate the competitiveness of the South African citrus fruit industry relative to its southern hemisphere competitors – namely, Argentina, Australia, Uruguay, Chile and Peru. Both local and international literature on the citrus fruit industries was used as part of the analysis. In addition to this, a variety of methods and techniques were applied. These included the three well-recognised indices which were used to calculate the competitive indices of various citrus fruit product categories – namely, the Balassa Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA#) index, the Net Export index (NXi) and the Relative Revealed Comparative Trade Advantage (RTA) index. Time series data on South African and southern hemisphere major producing countries’ citrus fruit imports and exports were used to calculate the competitiveness indices using Excel spreadsheets. A structured questionnaire was also used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data of expert views from key industry stakeholders. Data collected were analysed using Excel spreadsheets and the Porter methodology. The competitiveness analysis of this study clearly pointed out that the South African citrus fruit industry reveals more competitive advantage in some citrus fruit products than its southern hemisphere counterparts. The results of the RCA#, NXi and RTA indices analyses clearly showed that the domestic industry has a stronger and relatively higher revealed competitive advantage in three citrus fruit product categories – namely, oranges, grapefruit and grapefruit juice than its southern hemisphere competitors. However, its orange competitiveness decreases when moving from primary orange to orange juice. This means that the value-adding opportunities are still lacking in the orange sub-sector. One possible reason for this could be the high rates of return recorded for farm-level applications of technology for most primary orange commodities. This study identified the availability of skilled employees, quality of unskilled labour, cost of doing business in the industry, services from financial institution, electricity supply, land reform and some other government policies, such as trade policy, labour policy, BEE policy iv and tax system as the major factors impeding the competitiveness of the industry. The list also included the current climatic conditions, high incidences of HIV/AIDS and crime, economic instability and the cost of technology and infrastructure in the industry. Despite the challenges mentioned above, quality of skilled labour; general level of development and quality of infrastructure and technology in the industry; quality of soils; the availability of scientific research institutions and the collaboration of the industry with these institutions; availability and quality of local suppliers of primary inputs; and market information flow were found to have a positive influence on the competitiveness of the industry. In order for the industry to enhance its competitiveness, a number of recommendations and strategies are suggested at the end of this study. / Agriculture and  Animal Health / M.Sc. (Agriculture)

The South African citrus fruit industry faces enormous challenges in the global markets, such as an increasing demand for higher quality citrus fruits, as well as increasing fierce competition from the southern hemisphere citrus producing countries. Its long history of global integration makes it highly sensitive to international developments, as well as domestic ones. The purpose of the study is to investigate the competitiveness of the South African citrus fruit industry relative to its southern hemisphere competitors – namely, Argentina, Australia, Uruguay, Chile and Peru. Both local and international literature on the citrus fruit industries was used as part of the analysis. In addition to this, a variety of methods and techniques were applied. These included the three well-recognised indices which were used to calculate the competitive indices of various citrus fruit product categories – namely, the Balassa Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA#) index, the Net Export index (NXi) and the Relative Revealed Comparative Trade Advantage (RTA) index. Time series data on South African and southern hemisphere major producing countries’ citrus fruit imports and exports were used to calculate the competitiveness indices using Excel spreadsheets. A structured questionnaire was also used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data of expert views from key industry stakeholders. Data collected were analysed using Excel spreadsheets and the Porter methodology. The competitiveness analysis of this study clearly pointed out that the South African citrus fruit industry reveals more competitive advantage in some citrus fruit products than its southern hemisphere counterparts. The results of the RCA#, NXi and RTA indices analyses clearly showed that the domestic industry has a stronger and relatively higher revealed competitive advantage in three citrus fruit product categories – namely, oranges, grapefruit and grapefruit juice than its southern hemisphere competitors. However, its orange competitiveness decreases when moving from primary orange to orange juice. This means that the value-adding opportunities are still lacking in the orange sub-sector. One possible reason for this could be the high rates of return recorded for farm-level applications of technology for most primary orange commodities. This study identified the availability of skilled employees, quality of unskilled labour, cost of doing business in the industry, services from financial institution, electricity supply, land reform and some other government policies, such as trade policy, labour policy, BEE policy iv and tax system as the major factors impeding the competitiveness of the industry. The list also included the current climatic conditions, high incidences of HIV/AIDS and crime, economic instability and the cost of technology and infrastructure in the industry. Despite the challenges mentioned above, quality of skilled labour; general level of development and quality of infrastructure and technology in the industry; quality of soils; the availability of scientific research institutions and the collaboration of the industry with these institutions; availability and quality of local suppliers of primary inputs; and market information flow were found to have a positive influence on the competitiveness of the industry. In order for the industry to enhance its competitiveness, a number of recommendations and strategies are suggested at the end of this study. / Agriculture and  Animal Health / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

This research assisted the Yuma, Arizona citrus orchard manager in his strategic planning for achieving a low-cost position in a focused segment of the citrus industry. Citrus growers in the Yuma district are faced with major changes in their competitive environment and must adopt new strategic plans in order to continue to compete effectively in what has recently become a global industry. Since the planning horizon for new citrus orchards is in excess of 20 years, a long range planning model was developed to aid in evaluating alternative operating strategies. This research established the interrelatedness of water, nitrogen, and phosphorous relative to the yields of Valenica Oranges, Lisbon Lemons, and Redblush Grapefruit on Rough Lemon, Sour Orange, and Troyer rootstocks. A computer simulation model was used to evaluate optimal operating policies for a variety of resource prices and market conditions. The methodology utilized in development of the simulation model was unique in that it emulates individual tree performance from the time of planting until maturation. Four operating strategies were investigated and the profit maximizing and cost minimizing strategies were found to be significant. Evaluation of market selling prices indicated that the profit maximizing strategy was optimal except at very low market prices where the cost minimization strategy was optimal. Price sensitivity for water and fertilizer resources was investigated. Operating strategies were not affected by water price increases over the foreseeable future, however, price changes in nitrogen and phosphorous were found to affect the optimal operating strategy primarily through the substitution of manure in the system. Existing horticultural practices in the Yuma growing area were confirmed by the research. Additional optimal operating strategies were suggested relative to market prices. The long run policy decision making process for orchard managers was enhanced.