There has been a significant amount of growth in soccer game attendance and media coverage since the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in South Africa was established in 1996. However, match attendance started to decline from the 2013 season. PSL teams need to do something to get the fans back into the stadiums. A stable fan base is of vital importance for a team’s competitive advantage since the growing commercialisation of sport. The South African PSL is no exception and teams need to comprehend the importance of loyal fans. Team identification is linked to higher game attendance and more fans that are loyal and, therefore, it is relevant to the PSL teams. Higher game attendance will increase the teams’ revenues through ticket sales. Highly identified fans are loyal fans and increase the likelihood of better sponsorship deals for a team. Higher levels of team identification with a team could be obtained through a unique brand personality. Brand personality is necessary for sport team managers in order to understand fans’ perception regarding a team brand. As such, managers will be able to better position the teams’ brand and reach the target market accordingly. In South Africa, members of the Generation Y cohort made up 38 percent of the country’s population in 2014 (Statistics South Africa, 2014:9), which in terms of its size, make this cohort a highly relevant market segment. Generation Y, specifically African Generation Y, represents an important current and future market segment for PSL teams. This study focuses on the student segment of the Generation Y cohort. Given that a tertiary qualification generally is associated with a higher future earning capacity and a greater role model status within a society, university students are likely to be of particular interest to marketers. The main purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of African Generation Y students’ perceived brand personality of South African PSL teams on their PSL team identification. The study used an adapted version of a team identification scale (Swanson et al., 2003) and sport brand personality scale (Braunstein & Ross, 2010) to measure the perceptions. The sampling frame for the study comprised the 26 public registered higher education institutions (HEIs) situated in South Africa. The study used one traditional university and one university of technology located in the Gauteng province. A non-probability convenience sample of 450 full time African Generation Y students was taken from the two HEIs. Of the questionnaires completed, 438 were usable. The statistical analysis of the collected data included exploratory factor analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis and independent sample t-tests. The findings suggested that Generation Y students exhibit a positive level of team identification towards their favourite team. Generation Y students perceived their favourite PSL team more hard working, confident, respected, skilled and successful. The results also suggest that the level of team identification with the PSL teams could be predicted by two dimensions (successfulness and ruggedness) of brand personality. Generation Y male and female students only differ regarding the perception of two of the brand personality dimensions (successfulness and sophistication). The findings of this study contribute to the limited literature available concerning the level of team identification and brand personality perceptions of sport teams in the South African context. The study shed light specifically on the level of team identification and brand personality perceptions of Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs. These were the top two teams identified by the respondents. These findings will assist these PSL teams to understand the brand personality perceptions of the team amongst African Generation Y fans better. The study also indicates some relationship between brand personality and team identification. The results suggest teams can use their brand personality to influence team identification amongst fans positively. These results can be used to assess and alter their current marketing strategies.

Organizations are seen as custodians of portfolio of projects and are increasingly delivering their businesses through multiple complex programs. To be successful in delivering their businesses, these organizations are required to build a project management capability within their structures. Projects today have become far more than solving of technical problems; they have become more of venues for mastering business and change. Project maturity is used as an indication of or a measurement of the organisation’s ability to use projects for different purposes. An organisational Project Management Maturity Assessment is an effective method for establishing a baseline and provides an impetus for organisational change. Project Management Maturity Models are regarded as effective tools for benchmarking and implementing improvements in organisational performance. In this Dissertation, a study in applying project management maturity model to review, assess, and analyze the degree of organizational project management maturity of one of the Professional Soccer clubs participating in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in South Africa is presented. The project management practices and capabilities of the PSL Soccer clubs are reflected. The purpose of this paper is to not only demonstrate the methodology and results of the assessment, but to also report on the outcome of the study and propose the necessary recommendations for improvement. The research was strictly focused on those Professional Soccer clubs which are participating in the South African PSL. For confidentiality purposes, the club in this dissertation is referred to as “The Club”. There has been no similar study that has been carried out in this field before. Therefore, this study aims to break new grounds in conducting a research of this kind in this specific sports field. The main research question posed in this study is: What is the level of organizational project management maturity of the South African PSL Soccer clubs? This research question is supported by five other sub-questions which are answered in a research chapter dealing with the synthesis and analysis of the research results. These research questions were motivated by the following reasons: Organizations are changing drastically in their fundamental ways of conducting business. This change is happening within a short period of time and at an accelerated pace. This change occurs both structurally, operationally, and culturally in response to factors such as globalization, new technology, competition, and the world economy that is various challenges in the marketplace. Organizations are also under pressure to improve on their performance in order to maintain high levels of competitiveness and continue to be successful in the global marketplace and therefore, consistent improvement on their projects or program delivery is required in order to attain competitive advantage and sustained growth. Therefore, considering the reasons presented above, the researcher found it necessary to evaluate the current levels of project management maturity in the PSL Soccer clubs. In order to achieve the study objectives two models were used as tools to assess the degree of The Club’s project management maturity and further highlighted a recommended path for improvement. Firstly, Organisational Project Management Maturity (OPM3) model, which is a standard developed under the stewardship of Project Management Institute (PMI), was used as the main model. Secondly, the Integrated Management Systems Incorporated’s (IMSI) project management assessment model was also used as a supporting model.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Submitted by Maicon Juliano Schmidt (maicons) on 2015-06-10T14:27:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Orlando Nitzke Palmeiro.pdf: 1206440 bytes, checksum: 16e2d43b01d8f6e01e298704e5f84908 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-10T14:27:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Orlando Nitzke Palmeiro.pdf: 1206440 bytes, checksum: 16e2d43b01d8f6e01e298704e5f84908 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-30 / Nenhuma / Esta dissertação teve por objetivo analisar os gargalos identificáveis no processo de armazenagem de um 3PL (third-party logistics), um operador logístico multinacional, para uma indústria química de grande porte. A pesquisa teve uma natureza qualitativa utilizando um estudo de caso único na Kuehne + Nagel. As fontes de evidência utilizadas foram entrevistas com membros da Kuehne + Nagel e da indústria química, análise documental e observação direta no armazém. De acordo com a análise, foi constatado que há oportunidades de melhoria tanto para a Kuehne + Nagel quanto para a indústria química. Os resultados apurados através da análise da operação de armazenagem da Kuehne + Nagel, identificaram problemas relacionados à alocação de materiais nas prateleiras (quanto às dimensões, pesos e movimentações dos itens), endereçamento de materiais não automatizados, área de separação (picking) não identificada, velocidade na remessa dos pedidos para separação e posterior embarque, equipamentos industriais de movimentação em quantidades insuficientes, acessibilidade interna aos procedimentos operacionais e automatização das operações internas de armazenagem. Essas divergências de processo serviram para orientar ações operacionais imediatas e futuras na organização, objetivando a melhoria no nível de serviço prestado. Ao final do estudo é proposto, com base nas oportunidades de melhorias e gargalos identificados, um 5W2H elencando as ações à serem tomadas. Após, estas ações são priorizadas através de uma Matriz GUT (Gravidade, Urgência e Tendência). / This work aimed to analyze the bottlenecks identified in the storage process of a 3PL (third-party logistics), a logistics multinational operator, for a large chemical industry. The research was a qualitative using a single case study at Kuehne + Nagel. The evidence sources used were interviews with Kuehne + Nagel members and the chemical industry, document analysis and direct observation in the warehouse. According to the analysis, it was found that there are opportunities for improvement both sides. The results obtained by analyzing the operation storage at Kuehne + Nagel identified problems related to the allocation of materials at bins (as the dimensions, weights and movement of the items), address no automated, material separation area (picking) unidentified , speed in the delivery of applications for separation and subsequent shipment, industrial handling equipment in insufficient quantities, internal accessibility to operations procedures and automation of internal storage operations. These process differences served to guide immediate and future operational activities in the organization, aiming to improve the level of service. At the end of the study is proposed, based on the opportunities identified improvements and bottlenecks, the 5W2H listing the actions to be taken. After these actions are prioritized through a GUT Matrix (Gravity, Urgency and Trend).

Si le développement durable continue à connaitre un véritable essor, sa déclinaison dans les opérations reste une mission complexe pour les entreprises. En particulier dans le secteur du transport et de la logistique qui peine à réduire ses impacts environnementaux et sociaux. Cette recherche se propose de confronter les fondements théoriques du développement durable aux pratiques d’un prestataire de services logistiques « PSL ». Il s’agit de comprendre le processus d’émergence d’une politique de développement durable dans une entreprise : la Responsabilité Sociale de l’Entreprise « RSE » et de participer au développement de certains projets qui mettent en lumière les tensions entre impacts environnementaux ou sociaux et impératif économique. Il en résulte une nouvelle approche pour rendre opérationnel le développement durable à l’aide des projets de conception, d’amélioration et d’optimisation liés au métier, à différents niveaux (stratégique, tactique et opérationnel) et sur des périmètres variables (transport, préparation et entreposage). Des modèles d’optimisation de type PLNE de localisation affectation des flux, de tournées de véhicule et d’analyse de données sur l’éco conduite ont été développés et appliqués dans l’entreprise à cette fin. Les différents cas étudiés dans cette thèse démontrent que pour certains types de projets, l’intérêt économique et la réponse aux exigences de la RSE évoluent dans le même sens. Pour d’autres, un compromis entre les axes économique, social et environnemental pourrait être une solution viable en attendant les progrès technologiques qui permettraient d’assurer des solutions durables. / Even though sustainable development continues to grow, it is difficult to implement in a company’s everyday operations. Particularly, the sector of transportation and logistics is struggling to reduce its environmental and social impacts. This research aims to compare the theoretical foundations of sustainable development to the practices of a Third Party Logistics Provider "3PL". It helps to understand the process of the emergence of a sustainable development policy in a business: Corporate Social Responsibility "CSR" and to participate in the development of projects that highlight the tensions between environmental or social impacts and the economic imperative. The result is a new approach to put into practice sustainable development through improvement and optimization projects related to the business at different levels (strategic, tactical and operational) and in several areas (transportation, handling and storage). Mix integer programming optimization model for platform location and flows assignment, vehicle routing and data analysis of eco-driving have been developed and applied in the company for this purpose. The cases studied in this thesis show that for some types of projects, economic interest and response to the requirements of CSR evolve in the same direction. For others, a compromise between the economic, social and environmental factors could be a good solution pending new technologies that would ensure sustainable solutions.

The development of a "good" information system relies heavily on the designer's (or project leader's) understanding of the system's boundaries and environment within the organization, and the ability to derive an appropriate model of the system. This report presents an overview of the systems appproach to organizational theory and information systems development, and examines one computer supported analysis and documentation tool, PSL/PSA. The report also shows that this tool, PSL/PSA, is not only able to represent such a systems view, but that it is also valuable as an aid, in terms of modeling, to other techniques which try to reach these goals. The examination of PSL/PSA is followed with two examples showing how it is applied to the BIAIT BICMX and Structured Analysis. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Este trabalho tem como finalidade desenvolver uma proposta de gestão de processos em projetos de serviços de intralogística, com base nas práticas de gerenciamento da metodologia do Project Management Institute (PMI), por meio do Guia PMBoK. Para tanto, desenvolveu-se um Plano de Gestão para Projetos Intralogísticos (PGPI), para integração de todas as áreas e processos dos projetos operacionais, de acordo com seus ciclos de vida, associado às características da prestação de serviço industrial. Trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratória, delimitada a empresas de grande porte. A metodologia aplicada à pesquisa foi quaseexperimental, devido ao seu caráter não-probabilístico; a coleta de dados foi feita por meio de entrevistas com executivos de seis indústrias, contratantes de serviços em logística; os entrevistados foram organizados em dois grupos, sendo três de empresas do segmento automobilístico em que o plano não havia sido aplicado, e três de empresas de segmentos diversos que tiveram sua aplicação. A partir do roteiro de entrevista, com base no sistema proposto, foram verificados os fatores relativos ao planejamento, implantação e execução das atividades de cada organização, bem como as possibilidades de aperfeiçoamentos e melhorias contínuas. Os resultados da pesquisa demonstraram a utilidade da aplicação de um processo sistêmico de gerenciamento de projeto voltado para o ambiente de serviços de logística industrial, permitindo o controle funcional e integração das atividades. / This study purpose the application of PMBok Guide as a structural tool in the management of intralogistic projects in great industries. A Plan of Management for Intralogistic Projects was developed (Plano de Gestão de Projetos Intralogísticos - PGPI), for integration of all the areas and processes of the operational projects, in accordance with its cycles of life, associate to the characteristics of the PLs. This is a investigative research, delimited by great companies. The methodology applied to the research was quasi-experimental, with not-probabilist character; the collection of data was made by interviews with executives of six great industries, contractors of services in logistic; the interviews had been organized in two group, being three were companies where the Plan had not been applied and three were companies where the Plan had been applied. From the interview script, it had been verified the relative factors to the planning, implantation and execution of the activities of each organization. The research results had demonstrated the utility of the process of management of project directed application toward the environment of services of logistic industrial, allowing the functional control and the integration of the activities.

No description available.

No description available.

Over recent decades, the public tendency toward using the structural composite lumber (SCL), a common composite of wood made of wood strands or veneers glued and compressed together, as structural members (especially the main load bearing members such as beams and columns) has risen considerably. In contrast to the fast-paced market growth of these products, development is slow. The experimental development is gradual and time-consuming and the computational development is even slower. The objective of this project is to introduce appropriate numerical models for limit state analysis of a certain type of SCL material called PSL. Parallel strand lumber (PSL), has mesostructures characterized by the presence of voids that renders the mesostructure highly heterogeneous. In addition to material phase aberrations such as grain angle variations and defects, void heterogeneities play an important role in determining the failure modes and strength of PSL. In this study, virtual void structures were defined to form part of the input to finite element analysis of PSL for the purpose of investigating the sensitivity of strength to the void structure. Assuming the wood phase to be homogeneous and orthotropic, the following 2D and 3D characteristics of voids were investigated: volume fraction, volume, alignment and moments of inertia of voids, as well as second moment properties, lineal path function and chord length functions of the two phase mesostructure. In addition, a method was developed to generate virtual voids in order to simulate PSL and investigate the possible effects of the void distribution on material strength. An experimental program along with a statistical survey was conducted to quantify the mentioned characteristics of the voids in two 133 mm * 133 mm * 610 mm 2.0 E Eastern Species PSL billets. As expected, most of the voids lie on the longitudinal direction of the specimen and have approximately an ellipsoidal shape. Based on this shape data, the characteristics of the ellipsoids which best t the voids were calculated. Using the statistical data of the fitted ellipsoids, a random field of virtual ellipsoid shaped voids to simulate the mesostructure of PSL was generated. In this study, the simulation of PSL material is based on two simplifying assumptions: 1) The wood phase is continuum, homogeneous and orthotropic. While in reality, the wood phase consists of glued wood strands that are heterogeneous due to their mechanical variability and only roughly orthotropic on a macro scale as a result of the varying fiber angle; 2) Voids are the mere source of uncertainty. The linear elastic analysis of carefully defined (in mesostructural aspect) PSL models can be the first step of mechanical study of the material. The effective modulus of elasticity of material in presence of voids and the distribution of conventional, principal and effective stresses considering the effect of volume fraction and shape of the voids are the target of this preliminary study. Linear elastic uniaxial analyses showed good mechanical consistency between the models including actual void shapes and the models including ellipsoidal void representations. Also, they showed that the stress mutliaxiality at the tip of the voids is negligible. The study of mechanics of PSL is incomplete unless the question of material anisotropy is taken into consideration. PSL is brittle in tension and ductile in compression. The material heterogeneity increases the complexity of the problem by affecting the stress distribution in the member. A detailed nonlinear approach has been proposed in order to investigate the mechanical behavior of PSL structural members under different uniaxial loading scenarios. This approach introduces proper constitutive models for the wood phase along with good void generation techniques. In other words, this approach suggests what models should be used for the continuum-assumed wood phase to simulate its brittle behavior in tension and ductile behavior in compression; and moreover, tests the applicability and accuracy of ellipsoidal void representation. The models are calibrated using the results of experiments on PSL material. Because of the brittle behavior, all wood products show significant mechanical dependency to the member's size under tensile loading. Once good constitutive model and mesostructural simulation is found for tensile loading, it is easy to make and analyze PSL models with different sizes and investigate the effect of size on mechanical behavior. The simulation results have been compared to the available results of a previously done experimental study.