Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Santa Cruz, 1999. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 214-219).

Abstract: The theory of value capture is simple to understand and easy to sell, promising self-fulfilling virtuous cycles of value generation, capture, and redistribution. Countless studies document value creation attributable to public interventions, providing guidance on the type and extent of potential benefits. Scholars too have set forth parameters for optimal value capture conditions and caution against common pitfalls to keep in mind when designing value capture plans. But even when utilizing the best advice, equitable redistribution of benefits rarely occurs in neoliberal economies, leaving municipalities struggling to meet the myriad of social needs and provide basic services for all their inhabitants. Invariably, capitalistic real estate states seek to financialize public assets for private gain. Nowhere is this more apparent in New York City today than in the outcomes thus far of one of the largest public-private developments in New York history at Hudson Yards. This dissertation documents the failure of the value capture scheme put in place at Hudson Yards which neither captured fair market value for the public, nor extracted much public benefit. The scheme aimed to leverage vast tracts of publicly-owned land above operational rail yards at the Far West Side of Manhattan. Instead, public action under the guise of public purpose catalyzed the private financialization of a finite public asset, through the seemingly benign but inherently complex public policy tool of value capture finance. In particular, this dissertation tells the detailed development story of Hudson Yards, where developers reap huge rewards for their risks while the public still waits for what was promised — an all too familiar story.

Public authorities supplement routine government functions by building infrastructure, maintaining bridges, building stadiums and convention centers, managing public housing, and running mass transit systems. These special purpose governments are a fixture of urban development and service delivery. Drawing on a framework informed by theories of public authorities and intergovernmental politics, this study examines how statewide public authorities interact with localities and what the implications are for intergovernmental politics and local democratic planning. This research focuses on a state public authority in New York State responsible for economic development: the Empire State Development Corporation. Through archival analysis, interviews, legislative review, and document and project analysis, I show that when a public authority carries out economic development, it can facilitate local economic development planning by overcoming local political inertia, or it can hinder a locality’s planning efforts by substituting statewide economic development interests for local interests. In both cases, there is a negative effect on local democratic processes. By overriding local laws, acting in isolation from the public and the legislature, and allowing the businesses community special access to the public authority, the public authority subverts deliberative and inclusive democratic processes. This study concludes by suggesting ways that public authorities can take up democratic planning principles.

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No description available.

Study project (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The objective of this research was to determine how to strategically position Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) in the market. The idea was born out of the writer's view that the Corporation was losing its market share at the expense of its competitors. The study found that although Botswana is an ideal investment location for foreign direct investment, it is the unfortunate political developments in the region which scare investors away, hence detrimental to the BDC business. It was also discovered that in the financial services industry, in which the Corporation participates, cut-throat competition prevails. Companies in this sector are using quality, efficiencies and competences to competitively position themselves. Those companies which are doing well in these perspectives will attract a larger share of the market. Various models were discovered and recommended for BDC to employ in order to match its strategies and resources to remain competitive in the market. Recommendations which cover a broad spectrum of operations were suggested. These recommendations were brought up with the belief that they will create synergies in the Corporation. The research field merits continuous scrutiny and can also be extended to BDC subsidiaries. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: geen opsomming

Mini-study project (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) has been undertaken by many organisations with the hope of dramatically improving their competitive position. In most cases however, this undertaking has been a failure. For the success of the BPR, organisational and people issues are of critical importance and cannot be overlooked, as often is the case. Many organisations have not recognised the fundamental need of fully addressing the "soft people issues" during their re-engineering exercises. The ability of the Management team and Management Consultants to filter through these soft issues is of critical importance to the success of the BPR. This study discusses leadership as the first topical issue. Within the parenthesis of LNDC, it then explores the leadership skills required by management of this institution. Leadership is intensely studied from the traits models, situational, consistency models to the transformational leadership styles. Change leadership forms an important basis of the discussions. Organisational culture is one important aspect that has to be considered during change initiative. Crafting and creating appropriate organisational culture forms the centrepiece of leaders' consideration during organisational change. The ability of a leader to create shared values within the organisation leads to building a strong corporate culture that distinguishes between organisations. The McKinsey's seven S model provides a firm framework for most changing organisations. This model illustrates how the soft, yet important issues powerfully impact the BPR process. All of these namely, strategy, structure, systems, style, skills, staff and shared values, are equally important and if any one of them is not properly aligned with the rest, the whole change process may become a failure. This model impacts all seven S's of the organisational dimension and is driven by strategy. Communication on the other hand forms another important element of the discussions. This study shows that without proper communication during organisational change, the whole change process can become a complete failure. The ability of a leader to disseminate intended information appropriately to the employees requires one to have skills and communication methods that are applicable to that particular organisational setting. After undertaking a survey at the LNDC, the researcher concluded that management, at this corporation lacks leadership skills necessary for managing change in an organisation. Recommendations have been made suggesting that the either the CEO be replaced or trained in leadership skills. This would help the organisation to successfully implement the intended change process. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: geen opsomming

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this research was to investigate the challenges to effective strategy implementation at the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC). Strategic planning is argued to have overshadowed the area of actual strategic implementation. Organisations put a lot of effort into drafting good plans, but do not put equal effort into their realisation. It was assumed that there is a big gap between strategic planning and implementation. This is what drove the researcher to go into the field and explore the situation at the ZMDC in greater depth in a bid to bridge the gap through research on the subject matter. Literature on strategy and strategy implementation was analysed critically. The research was guided by the post-positivism research philosophy. This research paradigm enabled the use of qualitative methods, which facilitated the interaction with respondents. The case study research design was adopted, as the research sought to discover the impediments to strategy implementation and the best way forward in turning the strategies on paper into action. The major findings were that there indeed were loopholes in strategy implementation at the ZMDC. The challenges to the strategy implementation process at the ZMDC were noted to be poor delegation, lack of training and development, poor ethical values, limited resources, low motivation of employees, poor communication and coordination, lack of control and poor teamwork. The organisation was noted to have deficient communication processes, which contributed to the challenges facing strategy implementation. The findings brought to light the fact that strategic planning starts with the executive management, hence the need for their commitment to owning the entire process of strategic planning and execution. The study revealed limited involvement of staff in the initial stages of developing strategy. In order to enhance the implementation of strategies, it was recommended that motivational leadership at the ZMDC had to be ensured. Leadership, ownership and drive are required to compete effectively and to deliver growth. Management should adopt the „Strategy into Action‟ planning approach, charting a course through performance factors, linking strategic thrusts to projects, as well as departmental and individual activity, with the ultimate goal being to enable the ZMDC to effectively translate strategic goals into results in a clear and inclusive process. To turn strategic desires into action that drives results, the ZMDC leaders need to develop strategic thrusts and broad-based action plans, putting the vision to light, and picturing to everyone what would be viewed as strategic success and what it takes to achieve and measure the desired outcomes. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om ondersoek in te stel na die uitdagings vir doeltreffende strategie-implementering by die Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC). Daar word aangevoer dat strategiese beplanning wesenlike strategiese implementering oorskadu. Organisasies werk hard aan die opstel van goeie planne, maar werk nie ewe hard aan die verwesenliking daarvan nie. Die aanname is gemaak dat daar ʼn groot gaping tussen strategiese beplanning en implementering is. Dit het die navorser aangemoedig om die situasie by ZMDC prakties en op diepgaande wyse te ondersoek ten einde hierdie gaping deur navorsing oor die onderwerp te oorbrug. Die literatuur oor strategie en strategie-implementering is krities ontleed. Die navorsing is gerig deur ʼn post-positivisme-navorsingsfilosofie. Hierdie navorsingsparadigma het die gebruik van kwalitatiewe metodes moontlik gemaak, wat interaksie met die respondente in die hand gewerk het. ʼn Gevallestudie-navorsingsontwerp is gebruik, aangesien die doel van die navorsing was om die struikelblokke tot strategie-implementering en die beste pad vorentoe om strategie op papier in aksie oor te skakel, te bepaal. Die vernaamste bevindings was dat daar wel skuiwergate in strategie-implementering by ZMDC is. Die uitdagings rakende die strategie-implementeringsproses by ZMDC is geïdentifiseer as swak delegering, gebrek aan opleiding en ontwikkeling, swak etiese waardes, beperkte hulpbronne, lae motivering van werknemers, swak kommunikasie en koördinering, gebrek aan beheer en swak spanwerk. Daar is gemerk dat die organisasie gebrekkige kommunikasieprosesse het, wat tot die uitdagings vir strategie-implementering bydra. Die bevindings het aan die lig gebring dat strategiese beplanning by die uitvoerende bestuur begin, en dus is hul toewyding tot eienaarskap van die algehele strategiese beplannings- en uitvoeringsproses noodsaaklik. Die studie het beperkte betrokkenheid van personeel by die aanvanklike fases van strategie-ontwikkeling getoon. Ten einde die implementering van strategieë te bevorder, is die aanbeveling om motiveringsleierskap by ZMDC te verseker. Leierskap, eienaarskap en dryfkrag is nodig om doeltreffend mee te ding en te groei. Die bestuur moet die beplanningsbenadering van „Strategie in Aksie‟ aanneem, wat die weg deur prestasiefaktore aantoon en strategiese dryfkragte aan projekte asook aan departementele en individuele aktiwiteit koppel. Die uiteindelike doelwit is om ZMDC in staat te stel om strategiese doelwitte doeltreffend in ʼn duidelike en insluitende proses in resultate om te skakel. Ten einde strategiese strewes in aksie wat resultate lewer om te skakel, moet ZMDC se leiers strategiese dryfkragte en breedgebaseerde aksieplanne ontwikkel, waardeur die visie duidelik gemaak word en almal duidelikheid het oor wat as strategiese sukses beskou word en wat dit verg om die gewenste uitkomste te bereik en te meet.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 1987. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: No abstract available / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / South African companies, as well as international companies using South Africa as a base, that have reached an appropriate size, track record and capacity to consider expanding abroad often look at business opportunities in their neighbouring countries, specifically those that are members of the Southern African Development Corporation (SADC). The markets and business environment of the 15 members in the Community differ substantially amongst themselves, but each has some characteristics and business potential to recommend it to the expansion seeking SA corporation. This paper provides an exhaustive analysis of the SADC's economic environment and characteristics. As such, it makes sense for a South African company that produces high-technology products or services and sells in the business-to-business market space to explore markets in geographical proximity to itself. The existence of the SADC region as a trade block, its associated objectives to improve regional inter-trade and regional socio-economic stability and established infrastructure motivates the focus of this study. It is envisaged that further study could be suggested to identify and develop methods to ascertain market feasibility that could be applied to other countries in Africa and in the world market. According to Thompson (2006b: 1), a business feasibility study can be defined as “a controlled process for identifying problems and opportunities, determining objectives, describing situations, defining successful outcomes and asssesing the range of costs and benefits associated with several alternatives for solving a problem.” The identification, extraction, presentation and consolidation of lessons learnt could benefit new market entrants by identifying possible pitfalls before they embark on a market entry campaign. The study delves into the intricacies of doing business in emerging economies, doing business in Africa and doing business in SADC countries. The external and internal forces that could prove instrumental and decisive in the success of an organisation that seeks to measure market feasibility is examined, thus identifying key warning signs or hazards that would hamper feasibility before embarking on costly business plans and marketing campaigns. The study develops a proposed decision support matrix to determine market feasibility. This matrix could prove useful as a preliminary investigation tool for companies active in the sector and exploring the different geographical markets in question to base an initial business decision on, prior to investing in a business plan or more focused business intelligence.