Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-178). Available also in an electronic version from UMI Company.

Text in English, abstract in English and Afrikaans / Information is one of the most important resources in organizations today. The role of Marketing Information Systems (MKIS) is to facilitate the efficient and effective use of information in marketing decision-making. Service organizations are especially reliant on decision-support information, due to the complex nature of their environment. However, indications are that they are not utilizing information to their best benefit, despite the considerable advantages they might gain from it. In fact, it could be said that service organizations often seem to lack a culture of market orientation. In measuring the satisfaction with the quality of market intelligence, it becomes obvious that marketing decision-makers are generally dissatisfied with the results of MKIS. Some of the reasons are: • The 'disconnect' between information technology and marketing in organizations, which results in marketing decision-makers not getting information in the format they require, and feeling as if their requirements are not taken into account when MKIS are developed. • The lack of availability of usable customer and competitor data, which are regarded by marketing decision-makers as the most important categories of information. • The focus on generating data, but not adding value to it. Marketing decisionmakers have indicated that they require analysis, and not raw data. In order to bridge these problems, South African service organizations need to focus on the successful integration of MKIS into the organization. This requires an understanding of marketing decision-makers' requirements, closer cooperation between IT and marketing and the establishment of a culture of information sharing. / lnligting is een van die belangrikste hulpbronne van hedendaagse organisasies. Die rol van bemarkingsinligtingstelsels (BMIS) is die fasilitering van die doelmatige en effektiewe gebruik van inligting in bemarkingsbesluitneming. Diensorganisasies is veral afhanklik van besluitsondersteunende inligting, as gevolg van die komplekse aard van hulle omgewing. Tog is daar aanduidings dat hulle inligting nie tot die beste voordeel aanwend nie, ten spyte van die aansienlike voordeel wat hulle daaruit kan trek. In werklikheid kan dit gestel word dat diensorganisasies skynbaar nie 'n markgerigte kultuur het nie. In die meting van tevredenheid met die kwaliteit van markintelligensie blyk dit dat bemarkingsbesluitnemers in die algemeen ontevrede is met die resultate van BMIS. Sommige redes hiervoor: • Die gaping tussen inligtingstegnologie en bemarking in organisasies, wat daartoe lei dat bemarkingsbesluitnemers nie inligting ontvang in die formaat wat hulle vereis nie, en voel dat hulle behoeftes nie in ag geneem word wanneer BMIS ontwikkel word nie. • Die gebrek aan bruikbare inligting oor kliente en mededingers, wat deur benarkingsbesuitnemers beskou word as die belangrikste kategoriee van inligting. • Die fokus op die genereer van data, sonder om waarde daaraan toe te voeg. Bemarkingsbesluitnerners het aangedui dat hulle ontleding vereis en nie slegs 'rou' data nie. Ten einde hierdie probleme te oorbrug moet Suid-Afrikaanse diensorganisasies fokus op die suksesvolle integrasie van BMIS in die organisasie. Dit vereis begrip vir bemarkingsbesluitnemers se behoeftes, nader samewerking tussen inligtingstegnologie en bemarking en die daarstel van 'n kultuur van gedeelde inligting. / Business Management / D. Comm. (Business Management)

AFRIKAANS: Die 21 ste eeu word deur invloedryke dryfkrragte wat die landboubedryf tot nuwe dimensies dwing gekenmerk. Veranderende omstandighede vereis nuwe vaardighede in bestuur ten einde toenemende uitdagings aan te spreek. Die vermoë van die bestuurder was nog altyd 'n belangrike parameter in landbou. Bestuur se optrede bepaal die sukses of ondergang van enige ondememing, insluitende die boerdery-ondememing. Min studies fokus op die strategiese bestuur van die boerdery-onderneming. Strategiese bestuur is bykans 'n vergete hulpbron. Hierdie studie stel ondersoek in na strategiese bestuur in die boerdery-onderneming. Die fokus is op die sewe bestuurstake van strategiese bestuur: <ul> 1. Formuleer 'n visie en missie. 2. Stel doelwitte. 3. Analiseer die eksteme omgewing. 4. Analiseer die interne omgewing. 5. Formuleer 'n strategie. 6. Implementering en uitvoering van die strategie. 7. Evalueer die prestasie en inisieer regstellende optrede.<br></ul> Hierdie studie is hoofsaaklik onderneem om ondersoek in te stel na die mate waarin die kommersiele boer sy boerdery-onderneming strategies bestuur. Ondersoek word ook ingestel of die kommersiële boer oor voldoende kennis van strategiese bestuur beskik. Hierdie ondersoekende studie van strategiese bestuur in die boerdery-onderneming word deur 'n omvattende literatuurstudie sowel as 'n empiriese ondersoek gerugsteun. Die literatuur gee ' n oorsig oor die landboubedryf se interne omgewing en eksteme omgewing. Strategiese bestuur kom daama onder die soeklig. Vir die doel van hierdie ondersoek is vraelyste en persoonlike onderhoude in die empiriese studie gebruik. Respondente is persoonlik op die plase besoek. Tydens die voltooiing van die vraelyste het die respondente vrae aangaande strategiese bestuur beantwoord. In die persoonlike onderhoude is konsepte verhelder en die bestuursprobleem is gevolglik beter in die persoonlike onderhoude ondervang. Die opname is onder 70 kommersiële boere in die Loskopskema: Marble Hall-streek gedoen. Bevindings dui daarop dat bestuurders me willens en wetens 'n strategie formuleer me. Die strategie kom inkrementeel tot stand. Boere volg 'n meer informele en minder omvattende rigting in die formulering van 'n strategie. Moontlike oorsake vir 'n meer informele strategie is die onstabiele omgewing van die landboubedryf en 'n tekort aan kennis van strategiese bestuur. Daar word aanbeveel dat strategiese bestuur as 'n riglyn gebruik word om by die veranderende omgewing van die landboubedryf aan te pas. Bestuur van die ondememing moet beter beheer en ontwikkel word ten einde by nuwe strategiese rigtings wat ontstaan aan te pas. Die sukses van 'n onderneming word nie deur die implementering en uitvoering van 'n goeie strategie verseker me. Die verantwoordelikheid berus by die bestuur om by veranderende omstandighede aan te pas. 'n Verdedigende strategie moet ondemeem word om teenspoed die hoof te bied. Die logiese grond vir die gebruik van strategiese bestuur is gevolglik dat dit tot beter prestasie sal lei. ENGLISH: Powerful forces are propelling the agricultural industry toward new dimensions for the 21st Century. Changing circumstances in the agricultural sector require new skills to address these challenges. Managerial ability has always been regarded as an important parameter in agricultural production. Managerial behavior is the determining factor that causes a business, including a farm business, to prosper or fail. Few studies have focused on the strategic management of a farm business. Strategic management is almost a forgotten resource. This study is designed to appraise the background of strategic management in a farm business. The emphasis was placed on seven interrelated managerial tasks of strategic management: <ul> 1. Forming a strategic vision and mission. 2. Setting objectives. 3. Analyse the external environment. 4. Analyse the internal environment. S. Crafting a strategy. 5. Implementing and executing the chosen strategy. 6. Evaluating performance and initiating corrective adjustments.<br></ul> The study's main objective is to examine the degree to which the farm business is using a strategic management process effectively in managing its business. At the same time this study investigates if the commercial farmers have sufficient knowledge of the concept of strategic management. This study is investigative of strategic management and is backed by a comprehensive literature review and empirical study. The literature gives an overview of the internal environment and external environment of agriculture and the field of study strategic management is also introduced. The empirical study consists of a questionnaire and personal interviews. Each of the respondents was subsequently visited, and questionnaires were completed regarding aspects of strategic management. Depth and detail of information was secured by a personal interview. The survey involves 70 commercial farmers in the Loskop scheme: Marble Hall-region. Die results of the research indicate that managers do not follow a deliberate strategy but rather an emergency strategy. Strategic direction is not controlled through setting prior, widely shared intention and monitoring outcomes. A possible reason for this phenomenon is the instability of the agricultural environment and the lack of knowledge of strategic management. Recommendations are made on how managers must seek to provoke around the instability of the environment and pressing challenges by using strategic management as a guideline. Managers have to adopt a form of control and development that enables new strategic direction to emerge. Effective strategy combined with effective strategy execution doesn't guarantee the success of a company. It is the responsibility of a company's management to adjust to unexpectedly tough conditions by undertaking strategic defenses and business approaches that can overcome adversity. The rationale for using strategic management is therefore compelling: the better conceived a company's strategy and the more competently it is executed, the more likely it is that the company will be a standout performer and exhibit enviable business practices. / Dissertation (MCom (Business Management))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Business Management / unrestricted

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree of Technology: Marketing, Technikon Natal, 2002. / During the past 20 years, marketing in industrialized countries has evolved towards Relationship Marketing placing more attention on customer loyalty. To achieve this new objective, increased interest has been placed on delivering quality customer service. In parallel, the notion of quality has evolved toward total quality, now considering every aspect in the company. Following this evolution, new quality tools have been developed, such as the ISO 9000 standards. / M

M.Com. (International Accounting) / This study is conducted as a result of the increased focus on integrated reports (IRs), more specifically focusing on the current integrated reporting practices within the mining industry of South Africa. There has been a rapid increase in accountability pressures on companies due to financial crises across the globe, accounting and remuneration scandals, and suspicion about the social and environmental implications of businesses (Kolk, n.d.:2). Accountability is specifically discussed by the Integrated Reporting Committee of South Africa (SA IRC) as follows: Now, in the context of the global financial crisis and amidst increasing evidence that the current economic model is socially and environmentally unsustainable and that current reporting practice is not delivering, it is time for new and more effective forms of accountability (SA IRC, 2011:1). This form of accountability also flowed over into the mining industry in which the current reporting practice is not having a significant impact on the perception of the mining industry. The South African mining industry is also currently in crisis, and the market fears further disruption of mining output due to the uncooperative trade unions (Kantor, 2013). Current reporting practice is not highlighting these issues or the long-term impact thereof on the mining industry and individual companies. The two major obstacles that any mining company has to overcome are, firstly that the board of directors needs to report to a wide range of stakeholders with different needs and expectations, and secondly the directors have to report on the sustainability of the industry while managing the mining company’s risk and generating a return on shareholders’ and investors’ investments. Union leaders, investors, and shareholders do not currently share the opinion that the mining industry is in crisis as there are clear mismatches between what the union leaders demand, what the shareholders and government can offer, and what the industry can afford (Kantor, 2013). The mining companies’ extraction of scarce resources is not sustainable and this can have a direct and indirect impact on various stakeholders.

M.Sc. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Frequent and prolonged labour strike actions in the South African mining industry are widely acknowledged. These strikes continue to negatively impact on the socio-economic factors in the South African society and particularly the businesses. Studies have been conducted on the bargaining processes to ascertain proper engagement process to follow during conflict resolutions. However, the shortfall in these studies has been identification of appropriate models that reduces or totally eliminate the re-occurrence of frequent labour strikes. Understanding how the bargaining process, prior and during the bargaining process, can curb these labour strikes is therefore critical. Data from different bargaining experts were collated and analysed through a Delphi research tool. Results indicated that several steps need to be taken into accountant before and during the bargaining process. Such steps include continuous communication between stakeholders and the bargaining process’s leadership. While labour strikes are as a result of impasses, which inform strike actions, encountered during negotiations, results show that before impasses are encountered it is imperative to manage the bargaining processes prior the formal engagements. It was also established that the choice of the bargaining process i.e. choosing between centralization of decentralization of the bargaining process may not necessarily curb the frequency of strikes. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / zkgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Management in Public Policy University of the Witwatersrand School of Governance / The research explores the socio-economic causes of Medupi Power Station on Lephalale. The mineral-energy outlook of Lephalale is attractive to the global players whilst the Lephalale Local Municipality’s authority is proving to be limited over the area. The knowledge of the community is outshined by the global players eager to invest. The “positivist approach” in public policy leads some to consider markets as the most effective means for social decisions, hence a reliance on Eskom’s corporate investments to offset damages. The idea seamlessly adjoins the “post-positivist approach” which acknowledges the vital role of conflict and political actors in the public policy arena. Any policy process is an outcome of both the “positivist and the post-positivist approach” (Howlett, Ramesh & Perl (2009). Eskom’s corporate social responsibility/investment is inadequate to address the socio-economically and ecologically-subjugated communities, which occasionally resort to violent protest. A balance between profit and social needs is unavoidable. Leadership should ensure that the policies and practice safeguard the interest of future generations. This qualitative research employs documents and interviews to describe Medupi’s socio-economic factors on Lephalale. The Lephalale Local Municipality, political parties, and the Lephalale Library are key participants. / XL2019

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts / In this thesis I argue that with the move to postfordism and the adoption of postfordist production techniques, small businesses have become important components in an economy. I look specifically at Japan and the Third Italy where the small business sector has thrived in order to provide a comparative framework for the South Africa case study. The fieldwork component of the research looks into a specific subsector in the South African economy - that of the electronics industry, with a specific locus on the manufacture of security equipment. This subsector was evaluated in terms of how it relates to the ideal types of Japan and Italy, and whether postfordism is in any way present in this industry. The findings have been mixed. The subsector under consideration is dynamic and is moving into international markets where it is able to compete successfully. There are, however, several aspects that are lacking; most notable is the lack of coherent networks and industrial districts. Institutions that could play a role in assisting firms and facilitating the growth of networks are either still being set up, unable to assist the sector because of lack of knowledge or are focused on larger corporations. However, the growth of small businesses in the electronics industry, particularly the security equipment manufacturing, with very little support indicates that there are tremendous opportunities for this sector in the future. / Andrew Chakane 2020

Assignment (MComm)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A definite need exists for a measure which can be used to determine the degree of capital intensity of an enterprise. One of the main reasons why it is important to determine if an enterprise is capital or labour intensive is that the two types of enterprises react to changes in the economic environment in different ways. Some changes in the economic factors will have a totally different effect on a capital intensive enterprise than they would have on a labour intensive one. The degree of capital intensity of an enterprise can therefore be used to predict how it will react to economic changes, and it is therefore a valuable source of information for financial decision-making. The measurement of capital intensity, however, presents a major problem. A large number of different measures have been developed and used in the literature. These measures include the measures of total assets to revenue; property, plant and equipment to revenue; property, plant and equipment to total assets; depreciation as a percentage of revenue; as well as property, plant and equipment per employee. A number of measures are also based on value added figures, and these include salaries to revenue; value added per employee; property, plant and equipment to value added; and salaries to value added. In the literature most researchers provide no or little justification for their preferred measure of capital intensity. The main objective of the study is to determine an appropriate method to measure capital intensity. For this purpose the above-mentioned measures, which are generally used to determine capital intensity, are considered critically and evaluated by classifying enterprises listed in the Industrial Sector of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange during the period 1989 to 1996. During this period the South African economy experienced a decline, followed by an upswing in the economic cycle. Principal component analyses (PCA) are used to analyse the data. These analyses are carried out for each year separately as well as for the period as a whole. Biplots are used to provide a multidimensional graphic representation of the results. The results indicate that the five traditional measures of capital intensity which are not based on value added figures are all suitable to use as measures of capital intensity. Only one of the measures based on value added figures, however, are able to indicate capital intensity. The five traditional measures of capital intensity which are not based on value added figures, as well as the measure property, plant and equipment to value added, are therefore included in the principal component analyses. The principal component scores obtained from the first principal component are proposed as a composite measure of capital intensity. These principal component scores represent a linear combination of the six measures of capital intensity. The relative contributions of the various measures to this composite measure are also investigated, and it is found that all six the measures provide an important contribution. The results indicate that a number of enterprises listed in the Stores and Food sectors are relatively less capital intensive, while enterprises listed in the Building and Construction, Engineering, Steel and Allied, and Electronics sectors are relatively capital intensive. A visual evaluation of the results indicates that the proposed method IS able to distinguish between capital and less capital intensive enterprises. The results of the study provide researchers with a more efficient way of measuring capital intensity, and can be used to provide more information about the effect of changes in the economic cycle on the expected financial performance of enterprises. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Duidelike behoefte bestaan VIr 'n maatstaf wat gebruik kan word om die kapitaalintensiteit van 'n onderneming te bepaal. Een van die vernaamste redes waarom dit belangrik is om te bepaal of 'n onderneming kapitaal- of arbeidsintensief is, is die verskillende wyses waarop die twee tipes ondernemings gedurende 'n verandering in die ekonomiese siklus reageer. Sommige veranderinge in die ekonomiese faktore sal die teenoorgestelde effek op 'n kapitaalintensiewe onderneming hê as wat dit op 'n arbeidsintensiewe onderneming mag hê. 'n Onderneming se graad van kapitaalintensiteit kan dus gebruik word om te voorspel hoe die onderneming op ekonomiese veranderinge sal reageer, en is dus 'n belangrike bron van inligting by finansiële besluitneming. Die meting van kapitaalintensiteit is egter 'n belangrike probleem. 'n Groot aantal verskillende maatstawwe van kapitaalintensiteit is ontwikkel en word algemeen in die literatuur gebruik. Hierdie maatstawwe sluit totale bates tot inkomste; eiendom, aanleg en toerusting tot inkomste; eiendom, aanleg en toerusting tot totale bates; depresiasie as 'n persentasie van inkomste; asook eiendom, aanleg en toerusting tot aantal werknemers in. 'n Aantal maatstawwe wat op waarde toegevoeg gebaseer is, is ook ontwikkel, en sluit die maatstawwe salarisse tot inkomste; waarde toegevoeg per werknemer; eiendom, aanleg en toerusting tot waarde toegevoeg; asook salarisse tot waarde toegevoeg in. In die literatuur verskaf die meeste navorsers min of geen motivering vir die spesifieke maatstaf wat hul voorkeur geniet nie. Die primêre doelstelling van die studie is om 'n geskikte metode te vind om kapitaalintensiteit te meet. Ten einde hierdie doelstelling te bereik, word die bogenoemde maatstawwe, wat algemeen gebruik word as maatstawwe van kapitaalintensiteit, krities ondersoek en geëvalueer deur ondernemings wat genoteer is in die Industriële Sektor van die Johannesburgse Aandelebeurs gedurende die periode 1989 tot 1996 te klassifiseer. Gedurende hierdie periode het die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie 'n afname, gevolg deur 'n opswaai in die ekonomiese siklus beleef. Hoofkomponent analises word gebruik om die verskillende maatstawwe te evalueer. Die analises word individueel uitgevoer vir elke jaar, sowel as vir die periode as 'n geheel. Bi-stippings word gebruik om 'n meerdimensionele grafiese voorstelling van die resultate te verskaf. Die resultate toon dat die vyf tradisionele maatstawwe van kapitaalintensiteit wat nie op waarde toegevoeg gebaseer is nie almal geskik is om as maatstawwe van kapitaalintensiteit gebruik te word. Slegs een van die maatstawwe wat op waarde toegevoeg gebaseer is, is egter in staat om kapitaalintensiteit aan te toon. Die vyf tradisionele maatstawwe van kapitaalintensiteit, sowel as die maatstaf eiendom, aanleg en toerusting tot waarde toegevoeg, word derhalwe ingesluit in die hoofkomponent analises, en die hoofkomponenttellings wat verkry word uit die eerste hoofkomponent word as 'n saamgestelde maatstaf van kapitaalintensiteit voorgestel. Hierdie hoofkomponenttellings verteenwoordig 'n liniëre kombinasie van die ses maatstawwe van kapitaalintensiteit. Die relatiewe bydraes van die verskillende maatstawwe tot die saamgestelde maatstaf word ook ondersoek. Die resultate dui aan dat 'n aantalondernemings wat in die Winkels en Voedsel sektore genoteer is relatief minder kapitaalintensief is, terwyl ondernemings wat in die Boubedryf, Ingenieurswese, Staal en Bedrywe, asook die Elektronika sektore genoteer is, relatief kapitaalintensief is. 'n Visuele evaluasie van die resultate toon aan dat die voorgestelde maatstaf in staat is om tussen kapitaalintensiewe en minder kapitaalintensiewe ondernemings te onderskei. Die resultate van die studie stel navorsers in staat om 'n meer effektiewe meting van kapitaalintensiteit te verkry, en kan ook meer inligting verskaf oor die invloed van veranderinge in die ekonomiese siklus op die verwagte finansiële prestasie van ondernemings.