This thesis is concerned with the development of small scale contractors in developing countries. The global trend towards privatisation has led to an increasing interest in the use of the private sector for the construction of buildings and infrastructure. In developing countries large projects are typically undertaken by large foreign contractors however, there are few small scale contractors to undertake small construction projects or maintenance work. The first stage of the study investigated three issues pertinent to the small scale contracting sector: 1. The problems experienced by small scale contractors and the inter-relationship of these problems 2. Contractor development projects to identify their support mechanisms and assess their level of success 3. A review of the construction industry framework in developed and developing countries to highlight the problems caused by their different structures. The second stage of the study proposes the use of a Contractor Support Agency as the most appropriate support mechanism for the development of the indigenous contracting sector and outlines the roles and activities that should be undertaken by the agency. The Contractor Support Agency model is reviewed by experts in the sector and the analysis of the results presented in the thesis. The thesis concludes that the proposed model is broadly correct and discusses small modifications that can be made to enhance its suitability in a range of different situations.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2009. / Härtill 3 uppsatser.

Production Networks of Automobile Industry as a Factor of Regional Development in Czechia Abstract Thesis "Production Networks of automotive industry as a factor of regional development in Czechia" deals with linking economic globalization, global production networks and regional development. The main purpose is to analyze the relationship between regional development and the Czech automotive industry, depending on the position of automotive firms in global production networks. The work focuses on three areas: quantitative analysis of the automobile supplier sector, the spatial heterogenity of firms located in different positions in global production networks and formulating typology of regional development potential. The methodology employs 37 indicators for inter-regional comparisons. Based on comparative analysis, I identified a typology of regions according to their regional develompent potential. Keywords: automotive industry, global production networks, regional development

The experience from the period between world wars shows us, that providing right treatment of given potential it is possible to keep up with the world - class level.Directive way of managing the economy did not work properly with strong and weak sides of the industry and tried to push it within barriers that do not correspond it's long term development. Finally in 90's the Czech industry was given a second chance to learn from it's mistakes. How did it dispose with it? The totalitarian regime was very thorough at following it's own theories and so it decimated the industry. Also the business culture after 40 years suffered. Before there was too much state supervision, during the transformation it disapeared. New - born business sector had to rely on it's own strength and under the given conditions it did well. Yet strong competition on foreign markets unmuffled some of the shortcomings in the Czech export-oriented industry. Considering the necessity to strenghten the competitiveness, government was obliged to pay more attention to industrial policy.

M.Tech. Business Administration. Business School. / The implementation of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) of 2002, effective as from 1 April 2004, presented a huge challenge as its implementation gave rise to concerns expressed by various key stakeholders. It also fuelled perceptions that South Africa may have sacrificed its competitiveness. In an attempt to manage these challenges the Mining Industry Growth Development and Employment Task Team (MIGDETT) was instituted in December 2008 by the mining industry in South Africa. During the MIGDETT process stakeholders concluded unanimously that transformation and growth are mutually inclusive concepts. Against this background, the objective of this study was to assess the implementation of the MPRDA Act using well researched mineral investment and competitiveness guidelines including Michael Porter's framework.

No description available.

Utvecklingen inom industribranschen sker snabbt där maskiner, processer och fabriker blir både mer komplexa och mer avancerade. Industribranschen ställer höga krav på de som ska arbeta inom industrin och det ställer nya krav på yrkeslärarna som ska utbilda den framtida arbetskraften. Detta innebär att yrkeslärare behöver kontinuerlig fortbildning och yrkeskompetensutveckling för att vara up to date med sitt grundyrke och sin yrkesidentitet. Syftet med studien var att beskriva yrkeslärares erfarenheter av och möjligheten till yrkeskompetensutveckling inom sitt yrkesområde på industritekniska programmet inriktning produkt och maskinteknik. En kvalitativ forskningsansats användes utifrån semistrukturerade intervjuer (n=4) med yrkeslärare på industritekniska programmet. Intervjuerna analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys. De fyra informanterna jobbade på tre olika skolor varav två av skolorna bedrivs i helt kommunal regi medan den tredje bedrivs ute hos ett företag på uppdrag av kommunen. I resultatet framkom tre huvudkategorier av yrkeslärares erfarenheter av yrkeskompetensutveckling; Behov av yrkeskompetensutveckling, Främjande faktorer för yrkeskompetensutveckling samt Hindrande faktorer för yrkeskompetensutveckling. I studien framkommer att yrkeskompetensutveckling är viktigt utifrån den förändring som sker inom industribranschen. Möjligheter till yrkeskompetenutveckling sker genom exempelvis utbildningar eller externa aktörer men yrkeslärarna upplevde även hinder till densamma då skolorna oftast anordnar kompetensutveckling som ska passa alla lärare på hela skolan eller på grund av för stram ekonomi. / Developments in the industrial industry are cutting fast. Machines, processes and factories are becoming both more complex and more advanced. The industry places high demands on those who will work in the industry and it places new demands on the vocational teachers who will train the future workforce. This means that vocational teachers need continuous training and vocational skills development to be up to date with their basic profession and professional identity. The aim was to describe vocational teachers' experiences of and the possibility of continuing professional development within their professional area in the industrial engineering program focusing on product and mechanical engineering. A qualitative research approach was used based on semi-structured interviews (n=4) with vocational teachers on the engineering program. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The four informants worked at three different schools, two of which are run entirely municipally, while the third is conducted at a company on behalf of the municipality. In the result, three main categories emerged; Need for continuing professional development, Promoting factors for continuing professional development and obstacles for continuing professional development. The study shows that vocational skills development is important based on the change that is taking place in the industrial industry. Opportunities for professional development are made through, for example, education or external actors, but vocational teachers also experience obstacles to the same as schools usually arrange competence development that should suit all teachers throughout the school or due to tight finances.

Innovation, digitalization, technology disruption, fast to market are commonly used terms in the technology industry. However, in today’s world, these terms are used to define the state of art of the automotive industry. The onset of innovative vehicle models and the technology-driven vehicle manufacturing in the automotive industry offers many opportunities and an equivalent amount of challenges. Therefore, how an organization reacts to the ongoing technology discontinuities and how an organization transforms its business model to adapt to the changes to sustain in the industry are becoming significant factors in evaluating its strategic value and determining its success. This doctoral research titled ‘Technology-Based Transformation in Automotive Supply Chain – Role of Organizational Development aims to investigate the critical factors of technology-based transformation in the automotive industry using the automotive supply chain as the research set-up to demonstrate the ongoing transformation. This doctoral research further strives to conceptualize an organizational development framework that seamlessly enables organizations to manage technology-based transformation.