Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / The South African clothing and textile industry has historically benefited from import substitution industrialisation which protected the industry through tariff and non-tariff barriers from foreign competition. Factors such as the impact of globalisation, our accession to the World Trade Organisation and the associated effects on trade liberalisation changed South Africa‟s trade policy to move towards export lead growth at the threshold of South Africa‟s democracy, which paved the way for increased imports from foreign countries. The opening up of the South African economy to foreign competition negatively impacted on the competitiveness of these industries. The clothing and textile industry has been plagued by various challenges, amongst others, cheap imports especially from China (often illegal), South Africa‟s accelerated tariff reduction programme and currency fluctuations (especially the appreciation of the Rand), which culminated in factory closures and huge job losses. South Africa has since 1994 developed unstructured and uncoordinated sectoral responses to these challenges in the absence of a comprehensive industrial policy. The government‟s response to deal with the challenges facing the clothing and textile industry was to re-impose protectionist measures via import quotas on certain categories of products from China. These measures were intended to protect the industry and provide it with breathing space to reposition itself and regain its competitiveness, retain existing jobs and create additional jobs. The quest to regain global competitiveness should be founded on a combination of measures (e.g. the legislative and institutional environment, infrastructure, skilled workforce, innovation and networking) designed to satisfy consumer tastes and preferences that aims to improve the potential for growth in the medium to long-term. The objective of this research report was to assess whether the introduction of import quotas on Chinese goods positively contributed to the South African clothing and textile industry in regaining a measure of competitiveness and growth. The basis of the study is informed by a series of personal interviews with the key industry stakeholders which focused on examining the state of the industry, especially the impact of import quotas of certain categories of Chinese goods. The results revealed that the impact of import quotas on Chinese goods failed to provide any significant benefits to the clothing and textile industry since: (i) although there was a reduction in imports from China into South Africa in the quota categories, importers merely sourced their products from other low cost countries (e.g. Pakistan, Vietnam, Mauritius); (ii) there was no significant increase in local output and purchases; and (iii) there was no significant reduction in the number of jobs lost and none created during this period. These results although supported by business and other academic literature are contested by both labour and government. One conclusion was that a comprehensive approach should be pursued to arrest the challenges faced by the clothing and textile industry to reposition itself within the global environment to regain its competitiveness. This requires the active participation of all industry stakeholders and the implementation of appropriate strategies and tactics which is sequenced and coordinated to enhance their collective outcomes.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Clear Blue International (pty) Ltd (CBI) is a swimming pool construction company that is in need of a high performance swimming pool pump in order to offer a competitive tender for the construction of an intricate swimming pool at a prestigious resort. There is one supplier of this particular pump in South Africa and due to their sole distributorship and the pump's technical specifications, it is sold at a very expensive price. The result being that CBI can't offer a competitive tender by this means, instead they need to source the pump from another source at a lower price. It was decided to develop a project plan to facilitate the importation process, which is the outcome of this study. A thorough analysis of project management is conducted and incorporated into the importation process. The study takes into consideration the intricacy of the importation process and how this can be facilitated by project management that will lead to success for CBI. CBI recognises that in order to stand out in a highly competitive industry they need to re-invent themselves by new and innovative means in order to stand out from the rest. Project management has proven to be the means by which they can add value to their corporate image. This study provides a useful template that can be of benefit to other importers that wish to use project management and it can be adjusted accordingly to a particular commodity and importers requirements. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Clear Blue International (Edms) Bpk (CBI) is 'n swembad konstruksie-maatskappy. Hulle benodig 'n hoe verrigting pomp met die oog op 'n mededingende tender vir die bou van 'n ingewikkelde swembad-konstruksie by 'n toonaangewende oord. Daar is huidiglik net een verskaffer van hierdie spesifieke pomp in Suid-Afrika en vanwee hulle alleen-verspreiding, plus die pomp se spesifieke tegniese spesifikasies, word dit teen 'n baie hoe prys verkoop. CBI kan tans nie 'n mededingende tender verskaf nie en wil daarom die pomp eers teen 'n laer prys vanuit 'n ander oord bekom. Die besluit was dus om 'n projek-plan te inisieer om die invoer-proses te vergemaklik, wat die resultaat van hierdie studie is. 'n Deeglike analise van projek bestuur is aangevoer en by die invoer-proses geinkorporeer. Hierdie studie neem ook die ingewikkeldheid van die invoer-proses in ag en hoe projek bestuur dit kan vergemaklik en sodoende kan bydra tot die sukses vir CBI. CBI besef dat, om uit te staan in 'n hoogs mededingende industrie, hulle hulself moet vernuwe op 'n innoverende wyse. Projek bestuur is bewys as die metode waarby hulle hul korporatiewe beeld kan verhoog. Die studie verskaf 'n waardevolle profielvorm waarby ander invoerders wat projek bestuur wil implementeer, ook kan baat vind. Dit kan aangepas word volgens spesifieke handelsartikels en invoer-voorskrifte.

M.Com. (Financial Economics) / The main objective of this mini dissertation is to examine the effect of exchange rate volatility on international trade. The finding of this mini dissertation is however that the impact of exchange rate volatility on international trade could be either positive or negative depending on various reasons that will be discussed when the arguments of the theorists that have either found a positive, negative and sometimes indeterminate effect of exchange rate volatility on international trade are discussed. The focus of this mini dissertation will be on the manufacturing trade between the Republic of South Africa with the United States and China. The need for an analysis of exchange rate volatility on international trade arises from the fact that firstly no consensus has been reached on the true effect of exchange rate volatility on international trade and secondly knowledge of what the true effect of exchange rate volatility is on international trade could assist in drafting the appropriate policies at government level. The finding of this mini dissertation represents a challenge for policy recommendations as it reflects the fact that various industries, sectors and subsectors of the economy of the Republic of South Africa are impacted differently by the volatility of the Rand/Yuan and Rand/Dollar exchange rates, respectively, therefore any policy that is drawn up to improve international trade needs to be done on an individual basis for each industry, sector and subsector respectively taking into account the various dynamics and characteristics of each. Firstly in the literature review a detailed discussion of both sides of the exchange rate volatility debate will be outlined. It would be shown why there is a lack of consensus when it comes to the issue of what effect exchange rate volatility has on international trade. On the one hand the argument of those suggest that exchange rate volatility hampers international trade or has a negative effect on international trade, such as Sekantsi, (2008); Onafowora and Owoye, (2008); Chit, (2010); Vergil, (2008); Arize et al, (2000); Arize and Malindretos, (2002); Klaasen, (2004) and Doganlar, (2002), will be reviewed. The argument of those that say that in fact exchange rate volatility has no impact on international trade, such as Raddatz, (2008); Frankel, (2007); Arize and Malindretos, (2002); Arize et al, (2000); Klaasen, (2004); Chowdhury, (1993) and Hassan and Sukar, (1999), will also be reviewed. This discussion and the results that arise from exploring this debate have very important implications on the recommendations that are passed on to government to be considered when drafting policies, such as the New Growth Path (NGP). Secondly when the background of the manufacturing industry in South Africa is discussed, all the initiatives and policies such as the NGP that government has planned and put in place in order to rejuvenate the manufacturing industry will be outlined. The impact of exchange rate volatility on international trade has a direct impact on these policies. Recommendations regarding how best enhance the policies to rejuvenate the manufacturing industry cannot be possibly made when consensus about the impact of exchange rate volatility has not be reached. For this reason it was it imperative that the true impact of exchange rate volatility on international trade be made clear.