Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: After its introduction in 1993, the use of the NEC is still limited in the civil engineering industry of South Africa. The benefits of the NEC however appear to be promising. This research identifies the barriers of a NEC adoption. Moreover, in order to recommend strategies and measures to achieve a better NEC adoption, required success factors for a NEC implementation are investigated. Beneficial insights for South Africa are gained from the Dutch UAV-GC introduction experiences. A literature study is conducted to define the research needs and focus. Both contracts are analysed and compared. These findings are then used to validate the assumed advantages of the NEC by correlating them to the contract content. Subsequently, expert interviews are conducted in which the advantages, disadvantages, barriers for adoption and success factors for implementation of the NEC are explored. Interviews with seven South African experts also contained a short-questionnaire. The short-questionnaire gave a quantitative context as validation for the qualitative advantages. In addition, three interviews with Dutch experts were conducted. In this manner the Dutch UAVGC introduction experiences were explored. In the research synthesis, findings from the various sources are validated. This is achieved through a comparison of the different methods applied in the study. The barriers identified as the main cause of obstruction to the NEC adoption are a lack of knowledge, understanding, education, effective training courses and skills in procurement strategy, contract management and general project management. Furthermore, there is a resistance from industry because of the preference for the South African contract forms. Another resistance is from employers, due to the desire for some grey area in their contract form. Principal success factors necessary for the implementation of the NEC are education, training, promotion, and a proper understanding of the NEC as well as its philosophy and benefits. Consequently, a culture change towards collaborations would be necessary. In addition employers must apply and improve their procurement strategies. As a result, the NEC would be identified as their best tool for procurement. A helpful success factor, extracted from the Dutch experience, is the requirement for knowledge sharing between governmental bodies in order to guide innovations. For optimum industry performance by the more frequent use of the NEC, this research has resulted in the following recommendations: • The industry should not be afraid to question tradition and to initiate the required cultural change towards increasing collaboration • An in uential South African institute should take responsibility for the promotion, monitoring and training of the NEC • Educate students on the NEC and other contracts based on all possible procurement strategies • An adoption strategy should be applied for inexperienced NEC parties • NEC should be used as the stimulator for improvement of South African project management practices in construction projects • Organize regular knowledge sharing meetings between governmental departments to stimulate and improve innovations • Employers should improve their procurement practices. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na sy bekendstelling in 1993, is die gebruik van die NEC steeds beperk in die Suid- Afrikaanse ingenieursbedryf. Die voordele vir die gebruik daarvan blyk egter tog belowend te wees. Hierdie navorsing identifiseer die hindernisse wat gepaard gaan met die gebruik van die NEC in die bedryf. Die studie ondersoek ook die faktore wat 'n rol speel by die implementering van die NEC, om sodoende strategieë vir 'n meer omvattende gebruik van die NEC aan te beveel. Lesse om 'n nuwe kontrakdokument in die bedryf in te bring word geleer uit die Nederlandse ervaring met die UAV-GC. 'n Literatuurstudie is uitgevoer om die behoeftes en fokus van die navorsing te definieer. Beide kontrakvorms is geanaliseer en met mekaar vergelyk. Hierdie bevindinge is daarna gebruik om die voor- en nadele wat die NEC inhou te bevestig, deur dit te vergelyk met die inhoud van die kontrak. Onderhoude is gevolglik gevoer met industriedeelnemers waarin die voordele, nadele, hindernisse vir en die suksesfaktore vir die implementering van die NEC ondersoek is. Die sewe onderhoude wat met Suid-Afrikaanse deskundiges gevoer is, het elk 'n kort vraelys ingesluit. Die kort vraelys verleen 'n kwantitatiewe bevestiging van die bevindinge. Aansluitend is daar ook drie onderhoude met Nederlandse deskundiges gevoer. Op hierdie wyse is die Nederlandse ervarings ondersoek met die inlywing van die UAV-GC. In die navorsingsintese word die bevindinge van die verskillende bronne bevestig. Dit word bereik deur 'n vergelyking van die resultate van die verskillende metodes wat in die studie gebruik is. Hindernisse wat geïdentifiseer is as die hoof oorsaak vir die beperkte inlywing van die NEC in die bedryf, is die tekort aan kennis, begrip, opvoeding, effektiewe opleidingskursusse, vaardighede in aankoopstrategieë, tekort aan kennis oor kontrakbestuur en ook algemene projekbestuur. Boonop is daar teëstand van die bedryf weens die voorkeur vir Suid-Afrikaanse kontrakvorms. Verdere teëstand word verkry deur werkgewers vanweë die behoefte na grys area in hul kontrakte. Die belangrikste faktore wat benodig word vir die suksesvolle implementering van die NEC is opleiding, kennis en begrip van die NEC, asook begrip van sy filosofie en voordele. 'n Kultuur verandering, met die fokus op samewerking tussen partye, is noodsaaklik. Werkgewers moet verder hul aankoopstrategieë verbeter. 'n Nuttige faktor vir die suksesvolle inlywing van die NEC, verkry uit die Nederlandse ervaring, is die vereiste vir die uitruil van kennis onder staatsdepartemente om sodoende die veranderinge te lei. Om die gebruik van die NEC optimaal by die Suid-Afrikaanse ingenieursbedryf in te lei, het die navorsing tot die volgende gevolgtrekkings gelei: • Die bedryf moet nie huiwer om tradisie te bevraagteken nie. Dit is nodig dat kultuurveranderinge gemaak word om samewerking tussen partye te bewerkstellig • 'n Invloedryke Suid-Afrikaanse instituut moet verantwoordelikheid neem vir die bevordering, die monitering en opleiding vir die gebruik van die NEC • Studente moet opgelei word met blootstelling aan die NEC asook blootstelling aan 'n verskeidenheid van aankoopstrategieë • 'n Strategie moet ontwikkel word om partye wat onbekend is met die NEC daarvan bewus te maak • Die NEC moet gebruik word as bron wat die Suid-Afrikaanse projekbestuurs- en kontrakbestuuromgewings kan verbeter • Daar moet skakeling wees tussen staatsdepartemente om sodoende verandering te bevorder en te verbeter in aankoopstrategieë • Werkgewers moet hulle aankoopstrategieë en praktyke verbeter.

The South African economy desperately requires an injection from small manufacturing enterprises that are productive and highly organized - hence the need to identify suitable productivity measurement approaches for use in these enterprises. The following research question was formulated: Which productivity approach( es) is (are) generally most suitable for small manufacturing enterprises in the steel and engineering industry of South Africa? The following directions of research were identified: (1) A literature search revealed 12 productivity measurement approaches. The theory of each is discussed in detail. (2) An empirical search was performed to establish the requirements of industry. This process is fully discussed. The results of both the literature and empirical searches were used to develop a list of criteria. These criteria were compared with each of the approaches, and only three were found to conform to these requirements. The results of this comparison provided the answer to the research question. / Department of Business Management / M.Com (Business Management)

The South African economy desperately requires an injection from small manufacturing enterprises that are productive and highly organized - hence the need to identify suitable productivity measurement approaches for use in these enterprises. The following research question was formulated: Which productivity approach( es) is (are) generally most suitable for small manufacturing enterprises in the steel and engineering industry of South Africa? The following directions of research were identified: (1) A literature search revealed 12 productivity measurement approaches. The theory of each is discussed in detail. (2) An empirical search was performed to establish the requirements of industry. This process is fully discussed. The results of both the literature and empirical searches were used to develop a list of criteria. These criteria were compared with each of the approaches, and only three were found to conform to these requirements. The results of this comparison provided the answer to the research question. / Department of Business Management / M.Com (Business Management)