M.Comm. / The goal of this study is to investigate the causes for conflict within the distribution channel currently used by a major manufacturer and exporter of steel products. This manufacturer is currently using six South African based agents. These agents are responsible for the marketing of the manufacturer's products in foreign markets. This channel of indirect exports was chosen due to the lack of a proper infra-structure within the export division of the manufacturer. Conflict between manufacturer and agents can cause foreign end-users to get a distorted image of the manufacturer and its products. Therefore it is necessary to investigate the causes for conflict. Plans can then be made to identify what can be done to switch a conflict situation to a situation of co-operation within the distribution channel. The first part of this study provides a theoretical framework, based on literature from many sources, on the different international distribution channels that are available. Special attention is given to indirect exports and the different forms that are available. Thereafter the causes of conflict and co-operation in the channel are discussed, as well as the different types of conflict and how to manage conflict. The second part of the study is practical, with interviews being held with the six agents to get their view on what causes conflict between them and the manufacturer. Thereafter the personnel of the manufacturer is interviewed to get their perception of the cause of conflict. The two different views are combined in order to make recommendations and conclusions regarding the causes of conflict within the distribution channel. The major cause of conflict in this channel is due to poor communication between the manufacturer and agents. This, problem can only be resolved if most of the information flow is computerised. This will ensure that 'information is reliable and on time. If this can be achieved, conflict situations can be switched to a situation of co-operation.

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With the phenomenon of internationalization gaining in importance, it is crucial for companies to be aware of what the internationalization process involves. An important part of the process is selecting optimal entry modes for foreign target markets. The objective of this research has been to develop guidelines to aid in such a selection. A theoretical decision model was first developed based on existing research literature. The literature, however, did not adequately address the influence of company objectives on the entry-mode selection process. To overcome this deficiency, the theoretical model was super-imposed with real-world data gathered via interviews with industry personnel actively involved in the entry-mode decision making process. This yielded the final decision framework. This framework approaches the selection process in three steps--1) elimination of unfeasible entry modes, 2) selection of objective and factor concordant entry modes, and 3) selection of the optimal entry mode for a given target market. / Master of Science

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTARCT: The Law on the Marketing of Agricultural Produce (no 47 of 1996) introduced a new era in the marketing of deciduous fruit. Previously the producer was obliged by statute to deliver his deciduous fruit to Unifruco, the sole agent of the Deciduous Fruit Board, for exports to the overseas markets. In this era of statutory marketing control the producer could only take decisions about his product up to the point where it left the farm gate. In the deregulated marketing environment, the producer can now, however, control the marketing of his products until it reaches the end consumer abroad. The purpose of this thesis is to identify the factors, processes, opportunities and possible pitfalls with which the individual producer now has to contend, and to describe them qualitatively in order to enable him to decide how he will market his products in the environment of a deregulated market. In order to make a decision, the producer must have a vision and goals to achieve. The different facets in formulating these are discussed. The different decisionmaking phases that are employed interactively, to facilitate the making of a marketing decision, are investigated and clearly stated. These phases include the preparatory phase, the investigation of the distribution channel, as well as that of agents, the different marketing alternatives and eventually the actual taking of interactive marketing decisions. It has become quite clear, through the research done, that in future, the sustainability of every producer of deciduous fruit will be determined by his ability to make informed marketing decisions, and to adapt to the new marketing environment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMMING: Die Wet op die Bemarking van Landbouprodukte (No 4 7 van 1996) het 'n nuwe era in die bemarking van sagtevrugte ingelei. In die verlede was die produsent statuter verplig om sy sagtevrugte aan Unifruco, alleenagent van die Sagtevrugteraad, te !ewer vir uitvoer na die buiteland. Die produsent het in die era van statutere bemarkingsbeheer dus slegs besluite ten opsigte van sy produk geneem tot waar dit die plaashek verlaat. In die gedereguleerde bemarkingsomgewing kan die produsent egter nou self besluite neem oor die bemarking van sy produk tot waar dit in die buiteland die hande van die eindverbruiker bereik. Die doel van die tesis is om die faktore, prosesse, geleenthede en moontlike slaggate waarmee die individuele produsent nou te kampe het, te identifiseer en kwalitatief te beskryften einde horn in staat te stel om te besluit hoe hy sy vrugte in die gedereguleerde bemarkingsomgewing kan bemark. Vir di.e neem van besluite is dit noodsaaklik dat 'n produsent 'n missie en doelstellings het. Die verskillende fasette by die opstel daarvan word bespreek. Die verskillende besluitnemingsfases wat interaktief aangewend word om die bemarkingsbesluit te neem, word ondersoek en uitgespel. Dit sluit in die voorbereidingsfase, die ondersoek van die distribusiekanaal, die ondersoek na agente, die verskillende bemarkingsalternatiewe en dan die neem van die interaktiewe bemarkingsbesluite. Uit die ondersoek is dit duidelik dat elke sagtevrugteprodusent se volhoubaarheid in die toekoms bepaal sal word deur sy vermoe om ingeligte bemarkingsbesluite te kan neem en dus by die nuwe sagtevrugtebemarkingsomgewing aan te pas.

This dissertation presents export decision-making information meant to complement the array of information available to wood furniture manufacturers, relevant government agencies, and marketers. It utilizes data obtained from a literature search as well as from a national survey of 947 wood household-furniture manufacturers in the U.S. and 310 manufacturers in Malaysia. Personal interviews were also carried out to support as well as to add depth to the quantitative data. This report includes a detailed look at the global export market opportunities for wood household furniture. For U.S. manufacturers, potential markets are its NAFTA partners - Saudi Arabia, the European Union, and the Pacific Rim countries. However, U.S. companies need to focus more on exporting and not be totally dependent on the domestic markets. As for Malaysian manufacturers, the U.S. will remain as the largest market for their products. However, this may change with the competition that Malaysia faces with other Asian nations such as China, Indonesia, and Thailand. Furthermore, Malaysia, a tropical wood producing country, may lose its market share if U.S. consumers start to demand environmentally friendly wood furniture products. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / Some digitised pages may appear illegible due to the condition of the original hard copy / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The international surplus of wine and the strong Rand resulted in tremendous pressure on wine organizations to stay relevant and profitable. The biggest challenge for South African wine organizations are to keep a market oriented focus and manage the value chain costeffectively. This study was undertaken to investigate the structures of value chains used by South African export organizations as well as the way that these organizations function in this environment. To succeed in this goal questionnaires were sent to South African export organizations. Information was analyzed to investigate the positioning and trading terms that were generally used. The structure of value chains was determined as well as the participation of export organizations in demand chains. Data was analyzed to determine if the type of organization and the volume of export had an influence on the positioning of the organization, trading terms and the structure of the value chain. Most export organizations, exported less than 5 000 cases of wine each year and could be classified as small and medium enterprises. The type of organization had an influence on the payment terms as well as the positioning of the products in the market. The country of import mainly influenced the structure of the value chain. Ordering systems were not ideally suited to provide in the changing demand of consumers and a lack in the use of information technology to manage the value chain was apparent. A significant number of organizations were not actively involved in stimulating the consumer to buy their products. Therefore South African wine export organizations are still highly fragmented and do not succeed in managing the value chain as an integrated system. Improved market research should be done before the positioning of products with the focus on profit margins instead of price segments. Information technology should be utilized to reach higher service levels in the value chain and contribute in exceeding the buyer's expectations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige ooraanbod van wyn op die wêreldmark, tesame met 'n sterk rand, plaas wynprodusente onder geweldige druk om winsgewend en relevant te bly. Die grootste uitdagings vir Suid-Afrikaanse wynondernemings is om waardekettings markgefokus te kry en koste effektief te bestuur. Hierdie studie is onderneem om ondersoek in te stel na die waardekettingstrukture wat gewild is by Suid-Afrikaanse uitvoerondernemings en die wyse waarop die ondernemings daarin funksioneer. Om in hierdie doel te slaag is vraelyste na Suid-Afrikaanse uitvoerondernemings gestuur. Die inligting is verwerk om die posisionering en handelsterme wat ondernemings gebruik te ondersoek. Die struktuur van waardekettings wat na die uitvoerbestemmings gebruik word is bepaal asook die betrokkenheid van uitvoerondernemings by vraagkettings. Data is so ge-orden om te bepaal of die tipe onderneming en die volume botteluitvoere 'n invloed het op die posisionering, handelsterme en die struktuur van waardekettings. Die meeste uitvoerondernemings voer minder as 5 000 kiste per jaar uit en kan as klein en medium organisasies geklassifiseer word. Die tipe onderneming het 'n invloed gehad op betalingsterme wat beding word asook op die pryssegmente waarin wyne geposisioneer word. Die struktuur van waardekettings is hoofsaaklik beïnvloed deur die land waarheen uitgevoer word. Bestel- en versendingsisteme word nie optimaal bestuur nie en die aanwending van inligtingstegnologie om die waardeketting te bestuur kry nie baie aandag nie. Heelwat ondernemings was ook nie aktief betrokke om die verbruiker te stimuleer om sy produkte te koop nie. Suid-Afrikaanse uitvoerondernemings is dus nog baie gefragmenteerd en slaag nie daarin om die waardeketting as 'n geïntegreerde proses te bestuur nie. Beter marknavorsing behoort gedoen te word wanneer wyne posisioneer word met die fokus op winsmarges eerder as pryssegmente. Die beskibare inligtingstegnologie behoort aangewend te word om hoër diensvlakke in die waardeketting te handhaaf en so die verbruiker se verwagtinge te oortref.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The agro-food sector is swiftly moving towards an internationally interconnected system with a large variety of complex relationships, due to year-round supply, product differentiation and developments in information technologies, with the aim of enhancing competitiveness. In this context, vertical linking in the agro-food business especially, vertical coordination has gained attention. A case study approach is used to analyse two fruit supply chains -the table grape and citrus fruit chain. The study uses a transaction cost approach to analyse the supply chain of the fruit industry in South Africa. Transaction cost analysis (TCA) represents one possible approach to understanding and evaluating supply chain management and has the potential to be combined in an interdisciplinary setting with the insights provided by the marketing, logistics and organisational behaviour literatures. By means of literature study, constructs are identified that help explain the choices made, with regard to governance structures and the sources of competitiveness of supply chains. The question of governance structures is addressed in transaction cost economics (TCE) where asset specificity is of major importance. The sources of competitiveness are addressed both in the literature study and from discussions undertaken with key industry representatives. The empirical application of the TCE theory helped demonstrate the extent to which the exporter has adapted to changes in the global environment. The study revealed that for both supply chains, the role-players overcompensate to minimise their risk. Hence vertical integration rather than outsourcing takes precedence. Bilateral contracting and strategic alliances should be given priority to enhance effective communication, commitment and collective decision-making. This growing recognition of the competitive advantage that can be gained through improving coordination in the supply chain is the starting point for SCM initiatives and, these are important signals that in the long run will determine the sustainability and competitiveness of the industry. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die landbou-voedsel sektor is vinnig besig om na 'n internasionale interafhanklike stelsel met 'n groat verskeidenheid van ingewikkelde verhoudings te beweeg, as gevolg van heel-jaar aanbod, produk differensiasie en ontwikkeling in tegnologie, met die doel om meer mededingend te wees. In hierdie konteks geniet vertikale skakelinge in die landbou-voedsel bedryf, en veral vertikale koordinasie, baie aandag. 'n Gevalle studie benadering is gevolg om twee vrugte waardekettings te analiseer -die tafeldruiwe en sitrus ketting. Die studie maak gebruik van 'n transaksie koste benadering om die waardeketting van die Suid-Afrikaanse vrugte bedryf te analiseer. Transaksie koste analiese (TKA) verteenwoordig een moontlike benadering om waardekettingbestuur te verstaan en te evalueer. Dit het oak die potensiaal om gekombineer te word in 'n interdissiplinere omgewing met insigte wat deur bemarking, logistiek en organisatoriese gedrags literatuur verskaf word. Konstruksies is met behulp van literatuur studies ge"identifiseer wat help om die keuses wat gemaak is met betrekking tot bestuurstrukture en die bran van mededingendheid van waardekettings. Die kwessie van bestuurstrukture word aangespreek deur transaksie koste ekonomie (TKE) waarin bate-spesifiekheid van groat belang is. Die bran van mededingendheid is aangespreek deur beide literatuur te bestudeer en deur besprekings met sleutel-figure in die bedryf. Die empiriese toepassing van die TKE teorie help om die mate waarin die uitvoerder aangepas het tot veranderinge in die globale omgewing aan te toon. Die studie bewys dat firmas in beide waardekettings oorkompenseer vir transaksie koste deur vertikale integrasie in plaas van kontrakte. Bilaterale kontrakterings en strategiese vennootskappe moet prioriteit geniet om effektiewe kommunikasie, verpligtinge en kollektiewe besluitneming te verbeter. Die groeiende erkenning wat gegee word aan mededingende voordeel wat gewen kan word deur koordinasie in die waardeketting te verbeter is die begin punt vir ketting initiatiewe en, dit is belangrike seine wat die volhoubaarheid en mededingendheid van die bedryf in die lang termyn sal bepaal.

Study project (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Deregulation of the South African (SA) fruit export industry in 1997 has caused fragmentation in the supply chain, leading to significant inefficiencies. This sub-optimal performance of the supply chain has made it difficult to respond to increasingly stringent market requirements. One of the biggest challenges is legal and trade related traceability requirements. Traceability of all fruit exported to the European Union will be regulated from 1 Jan 2005 and to the United States of America from 12 December 2003, affecting more than 80% of SA fruit exports. Trading partners are also starting to demand certain global standards for traceability purposes. The SA fruit export industry is not providing a sufficient level of traceability at supply chain level and cannot afford the risk of not having an effective traceability system, based on common procedures and standards, in case of a food safety incident. Apart from the need to meet traceability requirements, the inefficiencies in the SA supply chain; the cost pressure from legal and trade related traceability requirements; and the pressure on high volume commodities (due to the general oversupply of fruit world-wide), have created a need for additional efficiencies in the supply chain. The consumer packaged goods industry has developed e-commerce building blocks based on global standards that offer automated traceability of fruit exports as well as significant benefits impacting the bottom line by ten to fifteen percent for companies of all sizes. These building blocks are available to the SA fruit export industry and would enable the industry to have traceability in place, as well as provide significant efficiency benefits. Further, by being an early adopter of these building blocks, the industry would be able to achieve a strategic advantage over its southern hemisphere competitors. Enough cohesion, willing participants and supportive thinking seem to exist to create the critical mass for the implementation of such an automated traceability system. The study concludes that automated traceability is feasible for the SA fruit export industry. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Deregulering van die Suid-Afrikaanse vrugte uitvoer industrie in 1997 het fragmentering van inligting en standaarde veroorsaak wat gelei het tot ondoeltreffendheid in die verskaffingsketting. Die onderprestering van die verskaffingsketting maak dit moeilik vir die industrie om te reageer op die toenemende vereistes van uitvoer markte. Een van die grootste uitdagings is wetgewende en handelsverwante vereistes van naspoorbaarheid. Naspoorbaarheid van alle vrugte uitvoere na die Europese Unie en die Verenigde State van Amerika sal onderskeidelik vanaf 1 Januarie 2005 en 16 Desember 2003 gereguleer word, wat meer as 80% van alle SA uitvoere sal beïnvloed. Handelsvennote begin ook om sekere globale standaarde te vereis. Die SA vrugte uitvoer industrie voorsien nie 'n genoegsame vlak van naspoorbaarheid in die verskaffingsketting nie en kan nie die risiko bekostig om, in die geval van 'n voedselveiligheidsvoorval, nie 'n effektiewe naspoorbaarheidstelsel (gebaseer op gemeenskaplike prosedures en standaarde) in plek te hê nie. Afgesien van die behoefte om naspoorbaarheidvereistes na te kom, het die ondoeltreffendheid in die SA vrugte uitvoerketting; die druk van wetgewende en handelsverwante naspoorbaarheidkostes; en die druk op hoë volume vrugte (as gevolg van die algemene ooraanbod van vrugte wêreldwyd); die behoefte laat ontstaan vir addisionele doeltreffendheid in die verskaffingsketting. Die verbruikers verpakkingsgoedere industrie het e-handel boustene ontwikkel gebaseer op globale standaarde wat ge-outomatiseerde naspoorbaarheid, asook potensiële doeltreffendheidsvoordele, van tien tot vyftien persent op winste, verseker vir maatskappy van alle groottes. Die boustene is beskikbaar vir die SA vrugte uitvoer industrie en sal die industrie in staat stelom naspoorbaarheidvereistes na te kom, asook aansienlik meer doeltreffendheid te verseker. Verder, 'n vroeë aanvaarding van die boustene, sal die industrie in staat stelom 'n strategiese voordeel te hê bo suidelike halfrond mededingers. Genoeg kohesie, gewillige deelnemers, en ondersteunende denke bleik beskikbaar te wees om die kritiese massa te bereik vir die implementering van só 'n ge-outomatiseerde naspoorbaarheidsisteem. Die gevolgtrekking van die studie IS dat die SA vrugte uitvoer industrie vatbaar is vir ge-outomatiseerde naspoorbaarheid.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The sharp decline in the brandy market since 1997, together with a world wide focus towards the production and marketing of quality wines and brand building, as driven by changing market preferences, served as a wake-up call to South African producers to adjust their strategy to accommodate this international trend. Given the stagnant nature of the domestic market for high price wines in South Africa, growth prospects through the investment in marketing and brand building of higher price wines is very limited in South Africa, and South African wine producers wishing to pursue growth is left with no other option but to embark on an overseas marketing initiative. A large amount of cellars wishing to start focusing on the marketing of their wines outside the borders of South Africa don't possess the knowledge and skills to tackle such an initiative. This study project aims to assist the prospective wine exporter in the process of initiating and executing a strategic export initiative. Specific focus is placed on the importance of the optimisation of the total value chain. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die skerp afname in die brandewyn mark sedert 1997, tesame met 'n wêreldwye fokus op die produksie en bemarking van kwaliteit wyne en die bou van handelsmerke, soos gedryf deur veranderde mark voorkeure, het gedien as bewusmaking vir Suid-Afrikaanse produsente om hul strategieë aan te pas om hierdie internasionale tendens te akkommodeer. Gegewe die stagnante karakter van die binnelandse mark vir hoë prys wyne in Suid-Afrika, is groei vooruitsigte deur die belegging in bemarking en die bou van handelsmerke van hoër prys wyne baie beperk in Suid-Afrika, en Suid- Afrikaanse wyn produsente wat groei wil nastreef, word gelaat met geen ander opsie as om 'n oorsese bemarkings inisiatief te onderneem nie. 'n Groot aantal kelders wat wil begin fokus op die bemarking van hul wyne buite die grense van Suid-Afrika beskik nie oor die kennis en vaardighede om so 'n inisiatief aan te pak nie. Hierdie studieprojek streef daarna om die voornemende wynuitvoerder behulpsaam te wees in die proses van inisiëring en uitvoering van 'n strategiese uitvoer inisiatief. Spesifieke fokus word geplaas op die belangrikheid van die optimalisering van die totale waardeketting.