Submitted by LILLIAM HERMINIA OTERO PUJOL null (lilyotero9@gmail.com) on 2016-11-28T21:57:59Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese doc final imprimir.pdf: 2138152 bytes, checksum: c43deb7e0af0e5b3bc9ecc977bc5c4cd (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Felipe Augusto Arakaki (arakaki@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-12-02T11:44:40Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 oteropujol_lh_dr_jabo.pdf: 2138152 bytes, checksum: c43deb7e0af0e5b3bc9ecc977bc5c4cd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-02T11:44:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 oteropujol_lh_dr_jabo.pdf: 2138152 bytes, checksum: c43deb7e0af0e5b3bc9ecc977bc5c4cd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-11-22 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Objetivou-se com este estudo identificar as principais plantas daninhas, determinar os períodos de interferência e os efeitos da comunidade infestante no acúmulo de macronutrientes na cultura do pimentão cultivar ‘Dahra’. Os estudos foram conduzidos no município de Jaboticabal, SP, em dois anos de cultivo (2014/2015 e 2015/2016). Os tratamentos consistiram de 11 períodos crescentes de controle e de convivência com as plantas daninhas a partir do transplantio: (0-14, 0-28, 0-42, 0-56, 0-70, 0-84, 0-98, 0-112, 0-126, 0-140 e 0-154). Nestes foram realizados os estudos fitossociológicos e avaliação da produtividade para determinar os períodos de interferência. Também foram implantados dois tratamentos nos quais se avaliou o acúmulo de massa seca e macronutrientes durante o ciclo da cultura com e sem convivência com as plantas daninhas. As principais plantas daninhas responsáveis pela interferência na cultura do pimentão foram Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn., Digitaria nuda Schumach e Nicandra physaloides L. Pers. por apresentar alta biomassa e densidade relativa. A interferência das plantas daninhas provocou perdas na produtividade de frutos de 85,22% (2014/2015) e 86,2% (2015/2016). Constatou-se que para os anos agrícolas 2014/2015 e 2015/2016, o período anterior à interferência (PAI) aconteceu aos 0 a 17 e 0 a 11 DAT, e o período total de prevenção à interferência (PTPI) aos 71 e 89 DAT, respectivamente. A presença das plantas daninhas causou redução no acúmulo de massa seca da ordem de 84,35% e 81,68% para 2014/2015 e 2015/2016, respectivamente. Foram observados reduções dos acúmulos de macronutrientes na ordem de 70,13±4,85% no cultivvo de 2014/2015 e 82,91±6,23% no de 2015/2016. A ordem de acúmulos de nutrientes pelas plantas de pimentão foi K> N> Ca> Mg> S> P para ambos os anos de cultivo. As espécies Eleusine indica, Nicandra physaloides e Digitaria nuda apresentaram maior potencial de interferência, reduzindo a produtividade, massa seca e acúmulo de nutrientes do pimentão cultivar Dahra em percentuais superiores a 50%. / The aim of this study was to identify the main weeds, determine the periods of interference and the effects of the weed community in the accumulation of macronutrients in sweet pepper cultivar 'Dahra'. The studies were carried out in Jaboticabal, SP, in two crop years (2014/2015 and 2015/2016). Treatments consisted of 11 increasing periods of control and interaction with the weeds from transplanting: (0-14, 0-28, 0-42, 0-56, 0-70, 0-84, 0-98, 0 -112, 0-126, 0-140 and 0- 154). These were carried out the phytosociological studies and evaluation of productivity to determine the periods of interference. They were also deployed two treatments that evaluated the dry mass and macronutrients during the crop cycle with and without interaction with the weeds. The main weeds responsible for interference in sweet pepper were Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn., Digitaria nuda Schumach and Nicandra physaloides L. Pers. due to high biomass and relative density. The weed interference caused losses in fruit yield of 85.22% (2014/2015) and 86.2% (2015/2016). It was found that for the agricultural years 2014/2015 and 2015/2016, the period before interference (PAI) happened to 0-17 and 0-11 DAT, and the total period of interference prevention (TPIC) after 71 and 89 DAT, respectively. Weeds caused a reduction in dry mass of approximately 84.35% and 81.68% for 2014/2015 and 2015/2016, respectively. The accumulation of macronutrients reductions were observed in the order of 70.13 ± 4.85% in cultivvo 2014/2015 and 82.91 ± 6.23% in 2015/2016. The accumulation of nutrients of chili plants was K> N> Ca> Mg> S> P for both crop years. The species Eleusine indica, Nicandra physaloides and Digitaria nuda showed the greatest potential for interference, reducing productivity, dry matter accumulation and nutrients in sweet pepper cultivar Dahra with percentage higher than 50%. / PEC-PG: 14774-12-7

Thesis (DTech (Marketing))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009. / Many South African businesses experience a lack of competitiveness against a background of increasing globalised competition. One of the reasons for the lack of competitiveness in South African businesses is as a result of a lack of innovation. In response, many scholars have concluded that design can contribute to the competitiveness of a company. Distinguished and refereed business journals have published articles that claim design can have value. One of the causes of the lack of innovation could be that managers do not use design as widely as it might be. Some say that it is mainly as a result of a poor understanding of the benefits of design. This prompted the research question: How can the competitiveness of businesses be improved through the application of product design as a knowledge creation management tool? This question was investigated by a combination of a literature survey, construction of a conceptual model, a questionnaire survey, a focus group discussion and a curriculum content analysis. Through a literature study evidence was presented that design could contribute to innovation, which could add a competitive edge and could lead to commercial success, provided it is managed properly. Unfortunately, managers do not use design as widely as it might be as a result of a poor understanding of the contribution of design. This raises the question, how can the understanding of design be improved? An alternative to the traditional views was presented whereby product design can be used as a knowledge creation management tool. In this regard, a framework was proposed, which indicated product design as both a user and a producer of knowledge. This framework could assist managers to acquire a sufficient understanding of design. The next step is to ask what managers should understand about design in order to use it as a knowledge creation management tool. A questionnaire survey managed to distinguish, in a statistically significant manner, between certain items that were indicated by the respondents as important for managers to understand and other items that the respondents felt were unimportant. In general, the items that were design specific, such as conceptualisation and the psychology of creativity, were indicated as unimportant and the items close to managing a business, such as the writing of a creative brief and the risk factors, were indicated as important for managers to know. Two focus group discussions agreed in the main with the results of the questionnaire survey, but with one exception. One group felt that managers should have a basic understanding of the whole design process. Another aspect of importance was that the manager should trust the designer. The groups also suggested a number of topics that should be included in a curriculum on a basic understanding of product design for management students.

The first essay provides an introduction into the literature of spatial competition models and studies their predictions on the degree of horizontal product differentiation. For this purpose a selection of articles, mainly from the game theoretical strand of the literature, is re-examined in which each model extends and modifies basic parameters of the original model of Hotelling (1929). The literature survey emphasizes that markets consisting of intersecting roads represent a particular fruitful subject of future research. The nature of competition in this market setting is different compared to the linear city exemplified by the importance of asymmetrical location patterns. Consequently, the strategic interaction, firms' profit-maximizing behavior and potential equilibrium outcomes under sequential entry in a market with intersecting roads remain to be an interesting field to study. The second essay addresses this research gap and based on the work of Anderson (1987) studies a two-stage market entry game in a spatially extended Hotelling's duopoly. Particularly, the effect of a demand dependent centrality bonus Z distributed in the middle of the linear city is examined on the reaction functions of an incumbent firm and the strategic entry decision of an entrant firm. A solution is provided for an entry accommodating scenario where both players optimize profits over their strategic variables and the center Z is taken by the incumbent firm. The results further suggest that the entrant is not capable of capturing Z. In addition, the model implies a lower degree of product differentiation as Z increases. A comparison with the literature shows that these results are well in line with Anderson's model for Z = 0. In a business strategy view the outcome supports the thesis of Gelman & Salop (1983), coined by the term 'judo economics', since the entrant earns highest profits by committing himself to a distant location and charging a comparatively lower price than the incumbent. The third essay analyzes the price distribution of diesel in the Austrian retail gasoline market and tests predictions of the impact of the fraction of informed and uninformed consumers on the mean price and price variance. Further, introducing two measures of spatial competition, the relation of local competition between stations and the mean and variance are examined. In a pooled cross-section analysis a two step approach is followed. Initially, price levels are estimated with respect to the influence of competition, search costs, stations' location and further station-specific characteristics. Controlling for these observable price characteristics, the residuals are used in the second step to investigate the behavior of the price variance. In addition to OLS, to account for spatial spillover effects a Spatial Error Model (SEM) is applied to estimate the price function. Additionally, tests on model specification and robustness checks using different weighting matrices, search cost proxies and dispersion measures are carried out. The results reveal a negative (positive) correlation between the fraction of informed (uninformed) consumers and the mean price. Further, price variance shows an inverse U-shape with the fraction of informed consumers. Thus, the variance initially increases as the proportion of informed consumers increases and starts to decline after the share of informed exceeds a threshold of roughly 43%. These findings are in line with predictions of classical search models, most notably Stahl (1989), and empirically support the meaning of consumer search in the context of oligopolistic pricing. Further, the mean price decreases as competition intensifies whereas the Price variance increases under increased entry competition (Janssen & Moraga-Gonzalez (2004), Carlson & McAfee (1983)). This suggests stations' tendency to focus more strongly on the lower price segment as competition increases.

This Diploma{\crq}s thesis deals with analysis of promotion product and its distribution with regard to competition. The thesis has been created on the basis of the PROGRESS sportswear Company request, which produces and sells functional sportswear. The tools of the promotional mix, the cities, and the brands for the survey were selected by the PROGRESS sportswear Company. The necessary information has been collected through surveys in the selected cities. The data regarding promotion have been ascertained by question-forms, interviews and from additional information sources. Based on the results of the study, the PROGRESS sportswear Company will be provided with potentional actions that should lead to the increased knowledge of the PROGRESS sportswear Company products.

Non seulement, les prix de transfert peuvent être directement à l’origine d’une atteinte au droit de la concurrence mais ils peuvent également révéler, de manière indirecte, des manquements au droit de la concurrence. Autrement dit, selon les cas de figure, un prix de transfert pourra soit être le support direct d’une pratique sanctionnée par le droit de la concurrence, soit participer indirectement à la démonstration de l’existence d’une infraction au droit de la concurrence. Les analyses réalisées dans le cadre de cette thèse permettent d’examiner ces différentes hypothèses afin que les entreprises et les autorités administratives appréhendent au mieux l’impact des prix de transfert dans la caractérisation des infractions au droit de la concurrence. / Setting transfer prices is a strategic issue for companies, especially since tax regulation is very strict on this matter. Therefore, companies are more focused on tax consequences than other issues that may arise from transfer pricing. However, beyond the tax aspects, transfer pricing may have consequences in competition law.Transfer prices can be, not only, directly responsible for competition law infringements, but they may also indirectly reveal breaches of competition law. In other words, depending on the case, a transfer price can either be the directly be sanctioned by competition law or can indirectly participate in the demonstration of the existence of a competition law infringement. The analyses carried out in this thesis make it possible to examine these various hypotheses so that companies and administrative authorities can better understand the impact of transfer prices in the characterization of competition law infringements.

Le secteur des télécommunications est devenu très important pour notre société, car, non seulement permet-il de mettre en relation des personnes se trouvant à des bouts opposés dans le monde, mais il contribue également à la croissance de notre productivité. Afin de bénéficier au maximum de ce secteur, il est indispensable de bien comprendre son fonctionnement. Le but de cette thèse est justement de contribuer à sa meilleure compréhension. Elle vise en particulier des questions relatives à son environnement concurrentiel. Un premier volet se concentre sur la concurrence entre les services de télécommunication : les services fixes et mobiles. En effet, des évolutions contradictoires sont observées depuis quelque temps. D'abord, le nombre de consommateurs qui n'utilisent que leur mobile pour satisfaire leurs besoins en télécommunications ne cesse d'augmenter. Ensuite, le nombre de souscription d'offres groupées, regroupant des services fixes et mobiles, connaît également une hausse importante. Se pose alors la question, traitée dans le premier chapitre, concernant la rentabilité de cette pratique pour les opérateurs de télécommunications, ainsi que l'impact sur le bien-être social lié à cette stratégie. Un modèle théorique, intégrant à la fois la différenciation horizontale, la substitution fixe-mobile et les préférences hétérogènes des consommateurs, permet de conclure que les opérateurs risquent de subir des pertes de profits, alors que les consommateurs profitent de cette pratique. Par ailleurs, le gain des consommateurs est plus grand que la réduction de profits des opérateurs, de façon à ce que le welfare social augmente. La substitution fixe-mobile est également au cœur du deuxième chapitre qui cherche à déterminer les caractéristiques socio-démographiques d'environ 20.000 utilisateurs français expliquant le mieux leur choix en matière de souscription soit à une offre mobile en tant que service unique, soit à une offre groupée ou encore à plusieurs services séparément. Le résultat principal est que les utilisateurs «mobile-only» semblent avoir une contrainte de budget plus serrée que les utilisateurs «multi-services». Par ailleurs, l'étude fait apparaître un avantage pour l'opérateur historique quand il s'agit de souscrire une offre groupée.Le deuxième volet de cette thèse traite de la concurrence entre entreprises. En particulier, le troisième chapitre propose d'analyser l'impact de l'interaction entre la réglementation sectorielle (notamment la régulation de prix) et le droit de la concurrence (notamment, l'interdiction de la pratique dite de «ciseau tarifaire») sur l'équilibre dans une industrie de réseau. Le débat sur ce sujet a engendré des points de vue diamétralement opposés, spécialement entre les USA et l'Europe : alors que ces deux outils sont considérés comme substituts outre-Atlantique, ils sont des compléments dans la conception européenne. La question est donc évidente: laquelle de ces deux doctrines a le moins d'impact sur l'efficacité du marché ? Une analyse théorique permet de montrer que le prix de détail pratiqué par une firme verticalement intégrée, propriétaire du réseau physique et qui, contre paiement d'une «charge d'accès», laisse son concurrent accéder à son réseau, peut ne pas respecter le droit de la concurrence sans qu'il y ait une intention anticoncurrentielle. Par ailleurs, l'application du droit de la concurrence en combinaison avec la réglementation des prix (notamment, la charge d'accès) mène à une inefficacité du marché représentée par une hausse des prix de détails, néfaste non-seulement pour le consommateur, mais aussi pour le welfare social. Cette thèse conclut en rappelant l'importance d'une compréhension approfondie du fonctionnement du secteur des télécommunications. Parce que les évolutions reconnues dans ce secteur ne sont pas anodines, des analyses théoriques et empiriques sont nécessaires afin que chacun puisse bénéficier des apports de ce secteur. / The telecommunications sector has becomes very important for today's society, as it allows people at either end of the world to communicate, as well as it contributes to the growth of our productivity. In order to fully benefit from this sector, a deep understanding of its functioning is indispensable.The aim of this thesis is to contribute to its better comprehension by focusing in particular on questions relative to the competition in this sector.This thesis concentrates first on the competition between fixed and mobile telecommunications services. Indeed, contradictory evolutions are observed. First, the number of consumers relying only on their mobile so as to satisfy their need in telecommunications increases steadily. Second, the number of subscriptions of bundled offers, regrouping fixed and mobile services, has also increased in an impressive manner. The question, treated in the first chapter, is thus to know whether the practice of bundling is profitable for telecommunications operators, as well as the impacts on social welfare induced by this strategy.A theoretical model, integrating horizontal differentiation, Fixed-Mobile substitution and heterogeneous consumer preferences, allows to conclude that operators are likely to lose profits when bundling their services, whereas consumers are clear winners. Furthermore, the increase of consumer surplus more than compensates the firms' profit losses, such that social welfare increases.Fixed-Mobile substitution is also at the core of the second chapter. Its aim is to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of about 20.000 French users that explain best the users' choice of subscribing either to only a mobile offer, to a bundled offer or to several services separately.The main result is that “mobile-only” consumers seem to have a stronger budget constraint than “multi-service” users. Moreover, the study provides evidence for an “incumbency advantage” when it comes to subscribing to a bundled offer.The thesis then turns to competition between firms. More specifically, the third and last chapter offers an analysis of the impact on the equilibrium in a network industry induced by the interaction of sector regulation (notably, price regulation) and competition law (notably, the prohibition of the so-called “margin squeeze”). The debate on this subject has induced two widely opposed points of view, in particular between the US and Europe: whereas the US considers both tools to be substitutes, they are used as complements in Europe. The underlying question is thus evident: which doctrine has the least impact on the market efficiency?A theoretical analysis allows first to show that the retail price set by a vertically integrated firm, that owns the physical network and grants its downstream competitor access to it against the payment of an “access charge”, may not comply with competition law without any anticompetitive intention. Moreover, applying competition law in combination with sector regulation (notably, regulation the level of the access charge) leads to market inefficiency, characterized by an increase of retail prices, which is detrimental to consumer surplus and social welfare.The thesis concludes by reminding the importance of a deep understanding of the functioning of the telecommunications sector. Since the evolutions in this sector are not harmless, many theoretical and empirical analyses are need, so that every one can profit from the contribution of this sector.

This research is a study of the level of maturity of the Competitive Intelligence (CI) function within a South African retail bank. In particular it focussed on the level of maturity of the CI function as evidenced in the various elements of its CI function, namely the key information needs of CI users, CI deliverables and capabilities, analytical products, relationship with management, sources of information, personnel their skills and training as well as the period of time the CI function has been operational. The results indicated that the CI function as a whole was at a Mid-Level of maturity, with the underlying elements of the CI functions surveyed and the literature review being supportive of this finding. / Prof. A.S.A. du Toit

The research problem addressed in this study is to determine the potential of selling and marketing consumer goods by Multinational Enterprises (MNE) within the African markets. The mode of entry, the timing of entry, the different modes of entry, selection of the entry mode, the political and economic risks, core competencies of the company and strategic alliance was researched. To achieve this, research was executed on the above areas of importance using relevant literature in which an understanding of the international markets and their options of modes of entry were highlighted. In this way one is able to understand the importance of the international markets and the concerns of doing business in Africa in order to select the entry mode that could best suit the company and the country or countries in Africa. The literature study was then used to develop a questionnaire to test the degree to which managers in MNE in South Africa (SA) and Central East Africa (CEA) concur with regard to the decisions, risks, procedure, modes of entry and selection of modes of entry into Africa. The empirical results obtained indicate a strong concurrence with the analysis of the modes of entry into CEA market for an MNE. The analysis of the literature study, Chapter 2 and 3, gives business a good understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the problems and opportunities associated with the entry decisions into CEA. Many other companies are entering the African markets from other parts of the world and SA has also been seen as a launching pad into Africa. The analysis will give companies the edge in seeing the problems and opportunities in African markets and the way forward when deciding to enter.

The research problem addressed in this study was to determine what the main factors are that contribute to the competitive advantage of the catalytic converter industry cluster in the Eastern Cape. To achieve this objective theoretical models of competitive advantage and literature of industry clustering were identified. For the models on competitive advantage, Porter’s diamond was used for national competitive advantage and Porter’s model on the competitive environment, which affects the competitive advantage of a region. Other theories on competitive advantage of cities and regions were identified, leading up to the theory on the cluster approach. The literature mentioned was broken down and analysed using literature, from knowledgeable people in the automotive industry in the Eastern Cape, identified during the study. A questionnaire was developed to test the degree to which the catalytic converter industry cluster in the Eastern Cape is in agreement with the literature study. The empirical study obtained a strong concurrence with the literature study on national competitive advantage and the theory of clusters. This resulted in a strategy for the catalytic converter industry cluster to sustain competitive advantage and remain globally competitive.

Magister Scientiae (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology) - MSc (Biodiv and Cons Biol) / The objective of this thesis was to elucidate intra- and interspecific variability in the distribution patterns and diet of the two most common demersal catsharks taken as by-catch by the commercial trawling industry targeting the two Cape hake species off the West and South coasts of South Africa. Samples and data were collected during routine demersal hake biomass surveys conducted by DAFF, with distribution data collected from 1994 to 2015 and stomach content and stable isotope data collected from 2014 to 2015. On examination of the distribution data, Holohalaelurus regani was found to be more abundant on the West Coast and Scyliorhinus capensis was found to be more abundant on the South Coast. Both catsharks were observed to display size-based segregations, with catshark size increasing with depth in both species. Differences in the distribution patterns of male and female H. regani were also noted, with female catsharks inhabiting inshore areas and male catsharks inhabiting offshore areas. The two catsharks appeared to display high levels of dietary overlap, with individuals feeding on the most abundant crustaceans and cephalopods caught as by-catch in the trawl on each coast.