A research report submitted to the Faculty of Science, School of Animal, Plant & Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Global Change Studies. Johannesburg, 2016 / This study examined the retail clothing industry of South Africa and the associated sustainability practices, with particular focus on supply chain management. This study was conducted in order to test the relationship between sustainable supply chains and profitability in the hope that it might provide incentives for managers to adopt sustainability into their supply chain operations. The study made use of a case study analysis through a collection of quantitative and qualitative data of the sample organisations’ integrated reports and financial results to determine if there was a correlation between sustainable business practices and long-term economic profitability. Interviews were also conducted with industry participants in order to gain further insight. The study found that organisations that showed the highest investment along all three pillars of sustainability also experienced the largest and most stable economic growth within the sample. Although this could not be validated due to the limited sample size, the results did infer a positive association between sustainable supply chain management and economic success. It was also found that investing into the social capital of an organisation did have the potential to improve the economic success of an organisation within the retail clothing industry of South Africa. This study identified sustainable supply chain management frameworks that could benefit organisations within this industry financially. Further research is required into this field but it can be inferred that the incorporation of sustainable supply chain management can lend itself towards economic success within the retail clothing industry of South Africa. / LG2017

Doctoral thesis submitted to the University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of the Doctor in Philosophy, December 2016 / Healy and Wahlen (1999:368) define earnings management as an event that “occurs when managers use judgement in financial reporting and in structuring transactions to alter financial reports to either mislead some stakeholders about the underlying economic performance of the company or to influence contractual outcomes that depend on reported accounting numbers.” Management’s intent to mislead users distinguishes accruals that signal managers’ inside information about future cash flows from earnings management which intends to misrepresent performance (Dechow and Skinner, 2000; Parfet, 2000). Earnings management is a very serious issue; if it is not detected it can result in large financial losses for investors and creditors. Earnings data is a fundamental input to valuing a firm’s shares and prospects. Erroneous assessments of future cash flows because of misleading information will result in invalid share valuations and incorrect lending decisions which can have negative consequences on capital markets. The severe negative consequences of earnings manipulation, if undetected, suggest that investors, auditors and regulatory bodies should be aware of the prevalence of earnings management in an economy, whether investors are able to detect and price suspected earnings management and the most efficient way to detect it. This thesis aims to answer two fundamental questions: Does earnings management exist in South Africa? Are investors in South Africa misled by earnings management? How to detect earnings manipulation is the predominant theme in earnings management literature. The majority of research has been conducted in advanced economies and has transformed from identifying discontinuities in earnings distributions and measuring discretionary accruals to sophisticated predictive models, such as the F-score (Dechow, Ge, Larson and Sloan, 2011). Yet, research into the subject is sparse in emerging markets and tends to replicate existing methodology. The objective of this thesis is to examine earnings management in the South African economy, with the specific aim of identifying a databank of suspected earnings management firms that can be used for further research. Because the number of firms that have been forced to restate earnings is small in this environment, this thesis resorts to identifying suspected earnings management firms using discontinuities in earnings distributions. South Africa is similar to other emerging economies in that it is characterised by concentrated ownership, weaker legal enforcement and a smaller stock exchange. The South African environment is dissimilar to emerging economies as the JSE is considered to be well regulated, accounting and auditing standards are world class and accounting transparency and disclosure are satisfactory (Leuz, Nanda, and Wysocki, 2003). The results of this thesis are relevant in an institutional and macroeconomic setting where incentives to manipulate earnings, enforcement, legal protection, rule of law and sample size may differ from those in developed economies. This thesis firstly, focuses on methodological issues that may be encountered by researchers in identifying discontinuities in earnings distributions in emerging economies and secondly, validates kernel density estimation, Lahr (2014), as a viable methodology to test for earnings management by comparing total accruals, discretionary accruals and working capital accruals between suspected earnings management and non-earnings management firms. Thirdly, deferred tax expense is considered as a predictor variable in place of discretionary accruals in detecting suspected earnings management firms. Finally, in order to investigate investors’ reaction to suspected earnings management this thesis investigates whether the market prices suspected earnings management firms differently from non-earnings management firms. Pre- selected researcher binwidths (Burgstahler and Dichev, 1997, Coulton, Taylor and Taylor, 2005, Glaum, Lichtblau, and Lindemann, 2004; Holland and Ramsay, 2003) prove to be unsuitable in this milieu. Consequently kernel density estimation Lahr (2014), which derives bandwidths from the empirical earnings distributions, is used to identify discontinuities and to concurrently investigate the effect of deflation on the location of discontinuities. Discontinuities are shown to exist in earnings levels and changes distributions and emerge around zero in earnings levels distributions where number of shares is the deflator. Two important results emerge from this analysis. Firstly, when kernel density estimation is used in levels distributions, there is evidence that deflating by market value of equity and total assets shifts the location of suspected earnings management firms to the second and third intervals to the right of zero. Scaling does not alter the location of suspected earnings management firms in earnings changes distributions. Secondly, in the earnings deflated by number of shares distribution there is evidence that the band of suspected earnings management firms contains the results of firms that have upwardly and downwardly manipulated earnings. The implication of these findings are that deflating by number of shares is probably the most efficient scalar and that if doubt exists, alternative deflators should, at least, be compared between profit and loss firms. In addition, in the presence of evidence of downwards earnings management, researchers should evaluate whether and how to identify firms that are suspected of having reduced earnings. Specifically in emerging market research, these results indicate that it is inappropriate to merely replicate distribution research based on researcher selected binwidths and that kernel density estimation is probably more efficient in identifying discontinuities as it gives researchers a much broader perspective on the location of discontinuities. Kernel density estimation is confirmed as a method to identify discontinuities in earnings levels and changes distributions by comparing total, discretionary and working capital accruals between suspected earnings management and non-earnings management firms. Evidence that discontinuities in earnings distributions may be attributable to earnings management activities is found where earnings levels and earnings changes are deflated by number of shares and market value of equity, both modified Jones and asymmetric BS discretionary accruals are significantly income increasing in suspected earnings management (EM) firms and income decreasing in non-EM firms. Scaling by total assets is not a suitable deflator in the South African context as it appears to affect the sign and statistical significance of the accruals metrics in the earnings levels before and after tax distributions. This result does not detract from the efficiency of kernel density estimation as it is attributable to the inefficiency of total accruals as a scalar in an emerging market environment. Furthermore, this research endorses Ball and Shivakumar’s (2006) (BS) finding that an asymmetric discretionary accruals model is more efficient in estimating discretionary accruals in all the distributions, irrespective of deflators. In addition, the results of this thesis show that, in an emerging economy, deferred tax is incrementally useful to modified- Jones and the asymmetric BS discretionary accruals in detecting earnings management. The implication of this result is useful to investors, auditors and regulators because deferred tax movements and its components are a visible and identifiable numbers in financial statements. Deferred tax expense can be used, instead of complicated discretionary accrual models, to identify evidence of earnings management. This means that the components of the deferred tax asset or liability accounts can be analysed to highlight unusual movements which may in turn, focus attention on unusual accruals. For researchers, this result has important implications. Kernel density estimation can be used to identify suspected earnings management firms which can be used to further research. The final chapter of this thesis explores whether investors price suspected earnings management and nonearnings management firms differently and finds that, in this South African sample, there is no difference in price levels or cumulative abnormal returns in suspected earnings management and non-earnings management firms. This result is in sharp contrast to Balsam, Bartov, and Marquardt (2002) and Baber, Shuping, and Sok-Hyong (2006) who report a negative association between unexpected discretionary accruals and cumulative abnormal returns and Keung, Lin, and Shih (2010) who find that investors react negatively to zero or small earnings surprises. To some extent the results of this section of the thesis supports the finding in Gavious (2007) that prices react to discretionary accruals only after the introduction of revised analysts’ forecasts.The finding in this thesis implies that investors in South Africa are unable to detect earnings management. This outcome should be viewed in the context of prior research that reports that the JSE may be inefficient (Bhana, 1995, 2005, 2010; Hoffman, 2012; Ward and Muller, 2012; Watson and Roussow, 2012) and may be attributed to the fact that there is no signal to investors that the quality of earnings may be questionable in the sample of suspected earnings management firms. All in all, the findings of this thesis indicate the existence of earnings management in listed companies in South Africa. / XL2018

M.Comm. (Financial Management) / Although general studies have been conducted on the agency problem, such studies have not focused on the relationship between executive remuneration and company performance. Many of the studies conducted abroad have focused on quantitative methods using regression analysis to understand the relationships between diverse financial performance measures and a variety of performance appraisal techniques. This study aims at establishing the relationship between executive remuneration and company financial performance on the basis of 20 of the largest companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Ltd (JSE). It has been observed that JSE-listed South African companies have almost a standard governance framework for determining salary structures of CEOs and directors. Furthermore it can be seen that most performance-linked payouts for CEO's and directors are based on measurement criteria established which are based on actual performance levels achieved. For this reason, it may be concluded that short-term targets are crucial to keeping a business going, to ensure positive cash flows, manage working capital, and achieve year-on-year growth of revenues and profits. However, to ensure survival and sustainability of the business in the changing global and local environments, long-term strategies should be formulated and various steps should be taken by CEOs, supported by other executive and non-executive directors. This research focuses on short-term goals and their influence on executive remuneration for CEOs and CFOs. The performance measures selected for this study were revenues, profits, share price and net asset value. These performance measures selected are supported by the relevant academic literature. The results of this study reveal that CEOs and CFOs have received lower remuneration in the form of bonuses as a result of companies not achieving their short-term goals.

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Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The earnings of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) depend entirely on their reinvestment rate of capital. A quicker reinvestment rate of capital would not be possible when debtor’s collection period and stockholding period is slow, nor will it be possible with a shorter creditor’s payment period. Therefore, working capital management is fundamental when it comes to the overall performance of small and medium enterprises. As a result, this study examines the impact of working capital management on the profitability of small and medium enterprises in South Africa. Working capital management has a direct relationship with profitability. The data selected in this study consists of all firms listed on AltX, which is a division of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, for the period 2000 to 2013. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to evaluate the data collected and the results concurred with the relationship found between working capital management and profitability. Specific variables such as the cash conversion cycle, debtors’ collection period, stockholding period and creditor’s payment period are all associated with the profitability of firms. The dependent variable is return on assets and is the measure of profitability in this study. Furthermore, the results of this study may provide significant insight for financial analysts, shareholders, creditors and managers.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Ongoing business sustainability today is one of the major issues facing the management of organizations. How to remain in the profit zone, that area where a company will be allowed to make high profit in its industry, is a constant challenge. Continued profitability in a fast changing industry, where the profit zone moves as competitors offer the same solutions, requires constant innovation, implementation of new ideas and heavy financial commitments. The key is to identify clear and rational business design choices that are responsive to customers and that will ensure profitability. This document will illustrate how the four major food retail companies in South Africa, and their visionary leaders, have reinvented their business designs in ways that kept or returned them to the profit zone. Shoprite's target market is the middle to lower income group. The company has built up core competencies within its business to serve this segment. There are currently a number of issues facing Shoprite's core market, and as a result the company is diversifying its income streams to be less dependant on a vulnerable target market. . The visionary leadership of Raymond Ackerman, who applied principles of customer sovereignty long before his peers, has resulted in one of the best-run companies in South Africa. Pick 'n Pay's ability lies within the middle to upper segment of the market. The company has built its business on one core element - the customer, and has adapted the company business design to meet the needs of the customer and capture value . .Spars' philosophy of giving the small retailer the power to compete with the larger retailer, who buys in bulk, has proved to be a successful formula and is threatening the traditional hierarchy. Owners who are in close contact to customers have the flexibility to align their businesses with the customer requirements. 'Woolworths has one of the strongest brands in the South African retail industry. However, the company has in recent years been in serious trouble having lost its way because it lost touch with its customers. Concentrating back on the core customers and building back confidence in its goods, have taken considerable focus. Each of the business designs are built on a deep understanding of what the customer needs are of the target market they serve and how they will be allowed to make a profit. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die grootste knelpunte vir organisasies vandag is volhoubare besigheidsbestuur. Die uitdaging is om in die area te bly waar die organisasie toegelaat sal word om hoë wins te maak. Voortgesette winsgewendheid in 'n industrie waar die wins area veskuif as gevolg van mededingers wat oplossings naboots, vereis voortdurende vernuwing en strawwe finansiële verpligtinge. Die sleutel is om duidelike en rasionele besigheidsontwerpbesluite te neem wat kliente behoeftes aanspreek en wat na 'n wins sal lei. Hierdie dokument beskryf hoe die vier groot voedselhandelaars en hulle leiers hul besighede herontwerp het sodat hulle winsgewend kan bly. Shoprite se teiken mark is die middel - tot lae inkomste groep. Die firma het kern bevoegdhede binne sy besigheid ontwikkel om hierdie segment te bedien. Shoprite diversifeer huidiglik sy inkomste stroom as gevolg van die kwesbaarheid van sy teiken mark. Pick 'n Pay word as een van Suid Afrika se beste bestuurde firmas beskou. Die sukses word toegeskryf aan die leierskap van Raymond Ackerman wat die beginsels van kliënte soewereiniteit lank voor sy portuurgroep geïmplimenteer het. Pick 'n Pay se fokus is die middel - tot hoë inkomste groep. Die firma is op een kern element gebou, die kliënt, en sy besigheids ontwerp is aangepas om die behoeftes van die kliënt te bevredig. Spar se filosofie is om die kleiner handelaar in 'n posisie te stel om met die groot handelaar, wat in grootrnaat aankoop, te kan meeding. Die groei wat Spar toon bedreig die traditionele hiërargie en bewys die sukses van hierdie formule. Winkel eienaars wat noue kontak met kliënte het, kan hulle besighede aanpas om in kliënte se behoeftes te voorsien. Woolworths het een van die sterkste handelsmerke in die Suid Afrikaanse handels industrie. Die firma was in die laaste paar jaar in groot moeilikheid omdat hy tred verloor het met sy kliënte. Deur weer te konsentreer op die kern kliënt en om vertroue op te bou in sy goedere het beduidende fokus vereis. Elk van die besigheids ontwerpe is gebou op 'n intieme begrip van die behoeftes van die teiken mark wat bedien word en hoe die firma toegelaat sal word om 'n wins te maak.

Abstract in English, Zulu and Sepedi / The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of capital structure on the profitability of the Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank). Both theoretical and empirical literature were reviewed in order to guide the empirical investigation of this study. In particular, the theories of financial intermediation, credit creation and fractional reserve formed the basis of this study. The capital structure theories that were examined included the pecking order theory, trade-off theory and Modigliani-Miller leverage irrelevance theory. In the literature, it was observed that profitable companies prefer using internal funds over debt or equity. To test the stated hypothesis that there is no relationship between capital structure and bank profitability, a quantitative research design with a case study approach was used, with the Land Bank as the unit of analysis. Using time series data for the period 1982 to 2015, multiple regression using the ordinary least squares method was applied to test the specified models. Preliminary data analysis was performed using trend analysis, descriptive statistics and Pearson bivariate correlation analysis. The study demonstrated that the relationship between capital structure and bank profitability was positive and statistically significant at a 95% confidence level when using only equity. However, inclusion of debt in the capital structure showed that capital structure, proxied by the debt-to-equity ratio, resulted in a negative relationship between capital structure and bank profitability, albeit statistically insignificant. It was concluded that the Land Bank requires an injection of equity to improve its performance. Alternative low-cost sources of funding to debt should be considered. The results of the study have policy implications for the Land Bank, regulators and potential investors. / Injongo yalolu cwaningo kwabe kuwukucubungula nokuthola umthelela wesimozimali sebhizinisi ekungeneni kwenzuzo eBhange Lokuthuthukiswa Komhlaba Nezolimo laseNingizimu Afrika (iBhange Lomhlaba). Kokubili, imibhalo yethiyori kanye nemibhalo esuselwe emaqinisweni abonakalayo naphathekayo, yabuyekezwa ukuze ihole futhi ilawule uphenyo olugxile emaqinisweni abonakalayo naphathekayo oluqondene nalolu cwaningo. Amathiyori ayisisekelo salolu cwaningo, ikakhulukazi, kwaba yi-financial intermediation, credit creation kanye ne-fractional reserve. Lawo mathiyori esimozimali sebhizinisi acutshungulwa abandakanya i-pecking order theory, trade-off theory kanye ne-Modigliani-Miller leverage irrelevance theory. Emibhalweni eyacutshungulwa, kwabonakala ukuthi izinkampani ezinenzuzo zincamela ukusebenzisa izimali zangaphakathi kunokusebenzisa isikweletu noma izabelokulingana (equity). Ngenhloso yokuhlola ihayiphothesisi ethuliwe yokuthi abukho ubudlelwano phakathi kwesimozimali sebhizinisi kanye nokungena kwenzuzo ebhange, kwasetshenziswa idizayini yocwaningo olukhwantithethivu ehambisana nendlela yokusebenzisa ucwaningo lwesigameko egxile ekuhlaziyweni kweBhange Lomhlaba. Ngokusebenzisa i-time series data yesikhathi esisukela kowe-1982 kuyofinyelela kowezi-2015, kwalandelwa i-multiple regression ngokusebenzisa i-ordinary least squares method ukuhlola amamodeli achaziwe. Uhlaziyo lwedatha olwandulelayo lwenziwa ngokusebenzisa uhlaziyo lwezimonkambiso (trend analysis), izibalomanani ezichazayo (descriptive statistics) kanye ne-Pearson bivariate correlation analysis. Ucwaningo lwabonisa ukuthi bukhona ubudlelwano obuphawulekayo phakathi kwesimozimali sebhizinisi kanye nokungena kwenzuzo ebhange futhi idatha yabonisa ukuthembakala okusezingeni elingama-95% uma kusetshenziswa izabelokulingana kuphela. Kodwa-ke ukufakwa kwesikweletu kwisimozimali sebhizinisi kwabonisa ukuthi isimozimali sebhizinisi, ngokusekelwa yizinga-silinganiso phakathi kwesikweletu nezabelokulinganisa, kwaholela ekutheni bungabi khona ubudlelwano obuphawulekayo phakathi kwesimozimali sebhizinisi kanye nokungena kwenzuzo ebhange, nakuba idatha mayelana nalokhu yabonisa ukungathembakali okuthile. Kwafinyelelwa esiphethweni sokuthi iBhange Lomhlaba lidinga ukuthi kufakwe izabelokulingana ngenhloso yokwenza ngcono ukusebenza kwalo. Kumele kwenziwe imizamo yokuthola eminye imithombo yezimali ehlukile futhi engambi eqolo. Imiphumela yocwaningo inemithelela ethile ephathelene nezinqubomgomo eqondene neBhange Lomhlaba, abalawuli kanye nalabo okungenzeka babe nesifiso sokutshala izimali. / Morero wa thutelo ye e be e le go laetša khuetšo ya matlotlo a kgwebo go bokgoni bja go hwetša dipoelo bja Panka ya Tlhabollo ya Naga le tša Temo ya Afrika Borwa (Land Bank). Dingwalo tša ditlhalošo tša diteori le tšeo dithutelo tša peleng di di hweditšeng di sekasekilwe go fa tlhahlo go dipoelo tša dinyakišišo tšeo di dirilwego peleng tša thutelo ye. Gabotsebotse, diteori tša mokgwa wa dipanka wa go tšea tšhelete ye e bolokilwego tša e adimiša, mokgwa wa dipanka wa go hlola dikadimo ka bontši le tsheketšo ya palophatlo ya tšhelete di bopile motheo wa thutelo ye. Diteori tša matlotlo a kgwebo tšeo di lekotšwego di akareditše teori ya mokgwa wa go kgetha methopo ya kadimo ya ditšhelete, teori ya go lekanyetša ditheko le ditefelokholego le teori ya Modigliani-Miller ya go re mokgwa wa go diriša tšhelete ye e adimilwego go bona dipoelo ga o ame boleng bja khamphani. Ka go dingwalo, go lemogilwe gore dikhamphani tše di ka hwetšago dipoelo di kgetha go diriša matlole a ka gare go ena le dikoloto goba bokaalo bjo bo šalago ka morago ga go ntšha dikoloto Go leka kakanyo ye e filwego ya gore ga go na tswalano gare ga matlotlo a kgwebo le bokgoni bja panka bja go hwetša dipoelo, tlhako ya nyakišišo ya go hwetša dikarabo go batho ka bontši ka mokgwatebelelo wa nyakišišo ye e dirilwego ka ga tiragalo e dirišitšwe, ka Land Bank bjalo ka yuniti ya tshekatsheko. Ka go diriša datha go ya ka tatelano ye e itšeng ya nako ya paka ya 1982 go iša go 2015, tlhahlobo ya tswalano gare ga mabaka a mabedi goba go feta ka go diriša mokgwa wa go fokotša palo ya disekwere e dirišitšwe go leka mehlala ye e šupilwego. Tshekatsheko ya datha ya mathomo e phethagaditšwe ka go diriša tshekatsheko ya taolelopele ya seo se tla diregago ka ditšhelete, mokgwa wa go sekaseka dipalopalo le tshekatsheko ya Pearson ya dipalo tše pedi go bona tswalano ya tšona. Thutelo e laeditše gore tswalano gare ga matlotlo a kgwebo le bokgoni bja panka go hwetša dipoelo go bile le ditlamorago tše botse le dipoelo tše di ka bago nnete ka kemo ya kgonthišo ya 95% ge go dirišwa fela bokaalo bjo bo šalago ka morago ga go ntšha dikoloto. Le ge go le bjalo, kakaretšo ya sekoloto ka go matlotlo a kgwebo go bontšhitše gore matlotlo a kgwebo, ao a laeditšwego ka tekanyo ya palomoka ya dikoloto go bokaalo bjo bo šalago ka morago ga go ntšha dikoloto, e hlotše tswalano ye e sa letelwago gare ga matlotlo a kgwebo le bokgoni bja panka go hwetša dipoelo, le ge e ka ba dipoelo tše di ka bago nnete. Go phethilwe ka go re Land Bank e nyaka koketšo ya bokaalo bjo bo šalago ka morago ga go ntšha dikoloto go kaonafatša tiro ye e swanetšwego go dirwa. Methopo ye mengwe ya tswala ya fase go dikoloto e swanetšwe go lebelelwa. Dipoelo tša thutelo di na le ditlamorago tša Molaotshepetšo wa Land Bank, balaodi le babeeletši ba ka moso. / Finance, Risk Management and Banking / M. Com. (Finance)