This thesis project explores the use of, and interactive qualities in deliverables made by a design bureau in the area of service design/strategic design. The purpose of the project is to contribute to the understanding of how the end result of a service design project is used in an organisation. The research questions are aimed at understanding the current use and how to increase the usability in the deliverables, making them a more productive tool for the client organisation. The research results are based on interviews and are as such empirical in nature. The design phase is split in two tracks, one prototyping a more interactive design deliverable, and one investigating the design scope and problem further through a research by design approach and making a concept for a solution. The outcome of the first track shows a possibility to use interaction design to improve aspects of the design deliverable in the area of increasing empathy. Findings from the second track addresses an underlying problem found in the research phase, namely the disconnect between user-purpose-format, and the designed concept reflects on possible solutions. The outcome of the project shows that there are possibilities for changing the view of the artefact from purely a summation of the work that was done to an agent for change in order to make it more functional.

Given that a construction site is both temporary and unique, the outcome of every construction project is dependent upon having all of the proper resources delivered to the site at the appropriate time. Although this is common knowledge in the construction industry, late deliverables to the site continue to be a major impediment to project success. In order to better understand late deliverables and their impacts on performance, the Construction Industry Institute, in collaboration with the Construction Users Roundtable, commissioned Research Team (RT) 300 to investigate how various types of late deliverables affect the cost, schedule, quality, safety, and organizational performance of industrial construction projects. Using case studies, industry surveys and questionnaires, existing literature, and internal team expertise, RT 300 developed two research thrusts: investigate how the industry understands, manages, and is affected by late deliverables, and document and give visibility to the true risks and impacts associated with late deliverables. When examining how late deliverables affect the construction industry, RT 300 found that (1) there is limited understanding of the full range of late deliverables and their far-reaching impacts, (2) the most common late deliverables tend to have the most severe impacts on projects, (3) project teams are typically reactionary when managing late deliverables, (4) project stakeholders have varying perceptions of the risks and impacts associated with late deliverables, and (5) proactively managing late deliverables and impacts is key for improvement in the industry. With these findings and the second research thrust in mind, RT 300 created a database tool, the Late Deliverable Risk Catalog (LDRC), to document common types of late deliverables, give visibility to the full range of impacts, and help project teams recognize risks, improve alignment, and proactively manage late deliverables and mitigate the impacts. RT 300 has also developed implementation recommendations for the LDRC, prevention recommendations for the highest risk deliverables, and lessons learned in managing late deliverables. Altogether, this research can help improve the understanding of late deliverables and resulting impacts and risks in order to improve project delivery, productivity, and predictability as well as enhance safety, quality, and organizational and individual performance. / text

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Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The economic downturn in South Africa since mid 2008 has transformed the motor vehicle industry into a seriously competitive marketplace. Both large and small dealerships are finding their volumes and margins under increasing pressure. Sandown Motor Holdings (Pty) Ltd has a new vision to become the finest motor group in the world. An openness to ideas and to the external environment in the learning organisation means that it can excel by exceeding customer expectations and benchmarking against the best in the class (Clarke & Clegg, 2000:5). In this light, Sandown Motor Holdings needs to adopt certain strategies, policies and practices that allows for the implementation of new ideas and quick reactions to changes in the external environment. They need to know what customer expectations are and then exceed them to enable Sandown Motors to make this vision a reality. This research report analyses the external and internal environment of Sandown Motor Holdings (Pty) Ltd in the Western Cape in an attempt to gain insight into the realities facing the company. The report becomes more focused on Mercedes-Benz Claremont as a dealership and its pre-owned vehicle sales department as the key department which serves as an outlet for trade-in pressures, but also as a profit centre which needs to be developed. Much work is done around market segmentation, product profiling and trading policies that would positively influence both pre-owned and new vehicle sales. The pre-owned strategy that emerges also highlights the necessity for an e-commerce strategy to serve as another platform from which to trade even more pre-owned vehicles. This strategy specifically aims to establish an online auction system open to traders only. The report concludes by taking a look at the new vehicle sales department. The approach taken is customer centric and relies heavily on the customer experience as a source of competitive advantage over competitors. Processes and performance indicators are reviewed and an action plan is compiled and put in place. A detailed twelve-month marketing plan is also developed and is included as an appendix. The author believes these strategies are crucial for short-term profitability, long-term survival and the satisfaction of all stakeholders. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ekonomiese afplatting in Suid-Afrika sedert die middel van 2008 het die motor-industrie in ‘n streng kompeterende arena omskep. Beide groot- en kleinhandelaars ondervind toenemende druk op hulle volumes en winsmarges. Sandown Motor Holdings (Pty) Ltd het ‘n nuwe visie om die beste motorgroep ter wêreld te word. ‘n Openheid teenoor idees oor die eksterne omgewing in die leergierige organisasie, beteken dat dit kan presteer deur kliënteverwagtinge te oortref en hulself te kan meet teen die beste in die klas (Clarke & Clegg, 2000:5). In die lig hiervan moet Sandown Motor Holdings sekere strategieë, beleidsrigtings en praktyke aanvaar wat die implementering van nuwe idees en vinnige reaksie op veranderinge in die eksterne omgewing moontlik maak. Hulle moet weet wat die kliënte se verwagtinge is en dit dan oortref ten einde Sandown Motors se visie ‘n realiteit te maak. Hierdie navorsingsverslag analiseer die eksterne en interne omgewing van Sandown Motor Holdings (Pty) Ltd in die Wes-Kaap in ‘n poging om insig te verkry in die realiteite wat die maatskappy in die gesig staar. Die verslag fokus op Mercedes-Benz Claremont as ‘n alleenstaande handelaarskap en sy Gebruikte-Voertuie Verkoopsafdeling as die sleuteldepartement wat dien as ‘n uitlaat vir inruil druk, maar ook as ‘n winssentrum wat verder ontwikkel moet word. Baie werk is gedoen rondom marksegmentasie, produkprofiele en handelsbeleid wat positiewe impak op beide nuwe en gebruikte verkope sal hê. Die gebruikte-voertuig strategie wat hieruit spruit beklemtoon verder die behoefte aan ‘n webgebaseerde strategie wat as ‘n verdere afsetpunt kan dien vir nog meer gebruikte-voertuie verkope. Hierdie strategie is spesifiek gemik op die daarstel van ‘n op-tyd aanlyn veilingstelsel, uitsluitlik vir die gebruik van motorhandelaars. Die verslag sluit af deur te kyk na die Nuwe-Voertuig Verkoopsafdeling. Die benadering wat gevolg word is kliëntgesentreerd en berus op die kliënt se ervaring as ‘n bron van kompeterende voordeel bo die kompetisie. Prosesse en indikators om prestasie te meet word hersien en die nodige aksieplan word opgestel en toegepas. ‘n Gedetaileerde twaalf-maande bemarkingsplan is ook ontwikkel en word ingesluit in die aanhangsels. Die skrywer glo hierdie strategieë is krities vir korttermyn winsgewendheid, langtermyn oorlewing en die bevrediging van alle belanghebbendes.

Owner companies should consider all elements of Document Management during a project’s life cycle, identify shortcomings and address them successfully to ensure successful completion of projects and ultimately to also ensure legal compliance as stipulated by contractual agreements. Proper governance during the execution of projects involves, amongst others, the establishment of structures and processes, with appropriate checks and balances built into these structures and processes, to enable all stakeholders to be in a position to have access to relevant documentation. Executing projects makes a huge demand on the flow and management of project related documentation through the different phases of these projects. The research, as documented in this dissertation, investigates and evaluates whether Sasol Technology, as the project execution agent for the Sasol Business Units, has efficient governing Document Management processes and procedures in place to support the successful execution of capital projects. Sasol Technology uses a stage gate model, associated with project life cycles, as a systematic approach for the execution of capital projects. Document Management is a new business function that was established in 2008. Not all the functions involved in the life cycle of project execution are fully aligned with the central function managing documentation. There is thus a need for a fully integrated Document Management System, involving all the functions of Sasol which are involved during the different phases of project execution. The literature study analyses existing world best document management and records management practices and procedures and points out that meticulous and strict document and records management practices form the backbone of organisational authentic evidence compliance. The research design method that was chosen to authenticate the research question is an Exploratory Qualitative Approach, combined with a Descriptive Approach. Results are obtained from a combination of three methods. Published and available existing data of how documents are managed in Sasol was gathered and secondary findings are established. Focused and structured interviews were then conducted with experienced team members from the different functions involved in project execution and lastly, e-mail administrated questionnaires were developed and distributed to relevant project team members within Sasol Technology to assess the current system and to determine additional requirements for an enhanced Document Management System, specifically applicable to owner companies in the project execution environment. Whereas the scrutiny of the secondary sources provides a background and the progress iii made with regard to setting requirements for a standardised Document Management System for the execution of projects in the Sasol Technology and some of the other Sasol Business Units, the primary data findings indicate how the project team members perceive the existing Sasol Technology Document Management System to be. Key findings include, that documentation life cycle management is not fully developed and needs to be addressed in the Sasol Technology project execution environment. Furthermore, integration of the documentation management of the various departments, functions and structures in Sasol will enable better and improved management of project documentation. The specific output of this dissertation is the recommendation of an improved Document Management System to allow the different functions within Sasol Technology and some other Sasol Business Units to have access to an integrated system, included in it all relevant documentation requirements during the life cycle of projects. An added deliverable is a framework of requirements to be included in a document management philosophy, not only for Sasol, but also for other owner companies during project execution. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The safety record of most petrochemical industries in the world and Nigeria in particle, has not been able to come down to the maximum allowable range of 0 - 0.1 percent of tolerance on recordable injuries, due to increasing failure rates of equipment within the plant. Investigations on the maintenance audit carried out on the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) revealed that 85 percent of such failures are directly linked to improper adaptability of an effective maintenance management strategy and plan within the petrochemical industries in Nigeria. Equally, the growth and continuous operation of any plant depends to a large extent on the maintenance of the equipment that refines the Crude Oil and natural Gas. As such, various maintenance management systems have been used over the years for the actualisation of the above purpose but with minimal success. This is evident in the fact that the level of maintenance performance of most Nigerian Petroleum Companies is always on the corrective maintenance model, which indirectly implies that the plant normally breaks down before maintenance management is applied. A critical look at the deficiency of improper adaptability of these maintenance management plans have conspicuously manifested in five major categories of maintenance failures which includes the following; * Failure of safety critical equipment due to lack of maintenance * Human error during maintenance * Static or spark discharge during maintenance in an intrinsically unsafe zone * Incompetence of maintenance staff, and * Poor communication between maintenance and production staff. These gaps as identified in this research must be corrected in the Nigerian Gas Industry if meaningful progress is to be made. Gas – To – Liquid technology is a very complex technology and with natural gas as the basic raw material, the technology not only looks intimidating but also is full of potential hazards. People are naturally afraid of the complex nature of gas in a confined environment (because of its highly combustible nature), its gaseous state makes it more complex for it to be kept under control and at the same time be moved from one form to another at different temperatures and pressures. The maintenance audit carried out on the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) revealed some major loopholes in the maintenance management strategies adopted in the country. The audit reveals that the degree of adherence to conditions attached towards the maintenance management strategy of this equipment (in this case Gas field equipment) was too poor. Based on the above, this research is meant to improve the existing maintenance management strategy, by developing a Maintenance Management Strategy (MMS) that will be suitable for gas field equipment in the Escravos Gas–To– Liquid (EGTL) plant, planned to be commissioned in Nigeria early 2011. The need to research the above mentioned Maintenance Strategy became imperative due to the fact that the rate at which most of the petrochemical plants in the world are being gutted by fire, mainly due to poor maintenance management systems is alarming. This research work proffered solutions that will reduce or completely eliminate the highlighted problems above. This was based on investigations and analysis carried out in the chosen research area. Models were developed for the actualization of this Improved Maintenance Management Strategy (IMMS), so that the desired safe operability of the gas field equipment in the Escravos Gas–To– Liquid (EGTL) plant will be achieved without maintenance failure of any kind. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Owner companies should consider all elements of Document Management during a project’s life cycle, identify shortcomings and address them successfully to ensure successful completion of projects and ultimately to also ensure legal compliance as stipulated by contractual agreements. Proper governance during the execution of projects involves, amongst others, the establishment of structures and processes, with appropriate checks and balances built into these structures and processes, to enable all stakeholders to be in a position to have access to relevant documentation. Executing projects makes a huge demand on the flow and management of project related documentation through the different phases of these projects. The research, as documented in this dissertation, investigates and evaluates whether Sasol Technology, as the project execution agent for the Sasol Business Units, has efficient governing Document Management processes and procedures in place to support the successful execution of capital projects. Sasol Technology uses a stage gate model, associated with project life cycles, as a systematic approach for the execution of capital projects. Document Management is a new business function that was established in 2008. Not all the functions involved in the life cycle of project execution are fully aligned with the central function managing documentation. There is thus a need for a fully integrated Document Management System, involving all the functions of Sasol which are involved during the different phases of project execution. The literature study analyses existing world best document management and records management practices and procedures and points out that meticulous and strict document and records management practices form the backbone of organisational authentic evidence compliance. The research design method that was chosen to authenticate the research question is an Exploratory Qualitative Approach, combined with a Descriptive Approach. Results are obtained from a combination of three methods. Published and available existing data of how documents are managed in Sasol was gathered and secondary findings are established. Focused and structured interviews were then conducted with experienced team members from the different functions involved in project execution and lastly, e-mail administrated questionnaires were developed and distributed to relevant project team members within Sasol Technology to assess the current system and to determine additional requirements for an enhanced Document Management System, specifically applicable to owner companies in the project execution environment. Whereas the scrutiny of the secondary sources provides a background and the progress iii made with regard to setting requirements for a standardised Document Management System for the execution of projects in the Sasol Technology and some of the other Sasol Business Units, the primary data findings indicate how the project team members perceive the existing Sasol Technology Document Management System to be. Key findings include, that documentation life cycle management is not fully developed and needs to be addressed in the Sasol Technology project execution environment. Furthermore, integration of the documentation management of the various departments, functions and structures in Sasol will enable better and improved management of project documentation. The specific output of this dissertation is the recommendation of an improved Document Management System to allow the different functions within Sasol Technology and some other Sasol Business Units to have access to an integrated system, included in it all relevant documentation requirements during the life cycle of projects. An added deliverable is a framework of requirements to be included in a document management philosophy, not only for Sasol, but also for other owner companies during project execution. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The safety record of most petrochemical industries in the world and Nigeria in particle, has not been able to come down to the maximum allowable range of 0 - 0.1 percent of tolerance on recordable injuries, due to increasing failure rates of equipment within the plant. Investigations on the maintenance audit carried out on the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) revealed that 85 percent of such failures are directly linked to improper adaptability of an effective maintenance management strategy and plan within the petrochemical industries in Nigeria. Equally, the growth and continuous operation of any plant depends to a large extent on the maintenance of the equipment that refines the Crude Oil and natural Gas. As such, various maintenance management systems have been used over the years for the actualisation of the above purpose but with minimal success. This is evident in the fact that the level of maintenance performance of most Nigerian Petroleum Companies is always on the corrective maintenance model, which indirectly implies that the plant normally breaks down before maintenance management is applied. A critical look at the deficiency of improper adaptability of these maintenance management plans have conspicuously manifested in five major categories of maintenance failures which includes the following; * Failure of safety critical equipment due to lack of maintenance * Human error during maintenance * Static or spark discharge during maintenance in an intrinsically unsafe zone * Incompetence of maintenance staff, and * Poor communication between maintenance and production staff. These gaps as identified in this research must be corrected in the Nigerian Gas Industry if meaningful progress is to be made. Gas – To – Liquid technology is a very complex technology and with natural gas as the basic raw material, the technology not only looks intimidating but also is full of potential hazards. People are naturally afraid of the complex nature of gas in a confined environment (because of its highly combustible nature), its gaseous state makes it more complex for it to be kept under control and at the same time be moved from one form to another at different temperatures and pressures. The maintenance audit carried out on the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) revealed some major loopholes in the maintenance management strategies adopted in the country. The audit reveals that the degree of adherence to conditions attached towards the maintenance management strategy of this equipment (in this case Gas field equipment) was too poor. Based on the above, this research is meant to improve the existing maintenance management strategy, by developing a Maintenance Management Strategy (MMS) that will be suitable for gas field equipment in the Escravos Gas–To– Liquid (EGTL) plant, planned to be commissioned in Nigeria early 2011. The need to research the above mentioned Maintenance Strategy became imperative due to the fact that the rate at which most of the petrochemical plants in the world are being gutted by fire, mainly due to poor maintenance management systems is alarming. This research work proffered solutions that will reduce or completely eliminate the highlighted problems above. This was based on investigations and analysis carried out in the chosen research area. Models were developed for the actualization of this Improved Maintenance Management Strategy (IMMS), so that the desired safe operability of the gas field equipment in the Escravos Gas–To– Liquid (EGTL) plant will be achieved without maintenance failure of any kind. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

我國興櫃股票之交易方式係由推薦證券商（即興櫃股票之造市商）之報價主導交易進行，屬於報價驅動（Quote-driven）之交易方式，與我國上櫃股票採取「等價交易」及上市股票採取「競價交易」等均屬委託單驅動（Order-driven）之交易方式迥然不同。 按我國證券交易法第155條第2項準用同條第1項規定之適用結果，「於證券商營業處所買賣有價證券」者，仍應有第1項所揭反市場操縱條款之適用。惟有關興櫃股票交易在成交對象之選擇、成交順序、成交價格決定，乃至於成交後之給付結算作業方式等，均與我國現行上市（櫃）股票之交易及交割方式具有明顯之差異，致應如何適用證券交易法反市場操縱條款之規定，乃成疑義。 本文鑒於興櫃股票市場規模已呈穩定成長之勢，不難想像興櫃股票交易與市場操縱行為之間終將有擦出爭議火花之時，故以比較法學研究之觀點，歸納並分析興櫃股票與上市（櫃）股票交易方式之差異及其癥結所在。另蒐集瀏覽世界各國主要證券市場之交易規制，包括美國OTCBB市場、歐陸Alternext市場及英國AIM市場，分析其他採用報價驅動交易模式之先進市場當中有關造市商義務之規範，以掌握造市商義務之核心意涵。進而以造市商義務範圍及報價驅動市場之交易特徵為基礎，逐一檢測興櫃股票適用我國證券交易法所揭「違約不交割」、「相對委託」、「連續交易」、「沖洗買賣」、「散布流言或不實資料」及「其他直接或間接操縱市場」等各款反市場操縱條款規定可能引發之爭議，並提出本文意見。 / The trading mechanism of Taiwan Emerging Stock is based on quote-driven model, which is very different from the order-driven model of the Taiwan OTC securities market and Taiwan Stock Exchange market. By the Taiwan Securities and Exchange Act Article 155 paragraph 2 permitted that paragraph 1, the anti-market manipulation provisions, shall apply mutatis mutandis to securities transactions conducted on the over-the-counter markets. However, lots of Taiwan Emerging stock trading rules such as allowing the participants to choose their counterparty, the matching sequence rules, the price decision rules, and even the rules of payment and settlement practices after transaction, all have significantly differences between those of Taiwan Emerging stock market and listed stock market. Therefore, how should Taiwan Emerging stock apply to the Securities Exchange Act under the terms of the anti-market manipulation is into doubt. Taiwan Emerging stock market has shown a steady growth trend, hence, it is easy to imagine that Taiwan Emerging stock trading and market manipulation issues will eventually rise to controversy. This thesis is to study from the point of view of comparative law, by means of analyzing the emerging stock markets of the advanced countries, including the U.S. OTCBB market, the European Alternext market and the UK AIM market, to conclude the crux of the difference between the quote-driven and order-driven market models. Then, to understand the characteristics and core obligation of the market maker under quote-driven market model, furthermore, to detect the disputes may lead for adapting the anti-manipulation provisions to Taiwan Emerging stock, including the terms of "breach of contract non-deliverable", "improper matched orders ", "continuous trading", "wash sale", "spreading rumors or false information" and other direct or indirect behavior of manipulation". And this thesis proposed its discovery at the end.