No description available.

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

South Africa's automotive industry has become an increasingly important contributor to the country's gross domestic product, largely through the strong growth in the motor vehicle and component exporting sector. The South African Motor Industry is ranked 20th in the world in terms of vehicle production. It is responsible for an estimated 80% of Africa's vehicle productivity and makes 0.85% of the world's vehicles. In this study, the automotive industry in South Africa is investigated, how it was influenced during the recession which started at the end of 2008 and went through the 2009 period, what effect it had on the market as well as the influence on sales during that period. In the literature section, the 4P's of the marketing mix are explained and discussed as well as how it influences the automotive industry. The purpose of this study is to see specifically how the Klerksdorp dealerships were influenced by the recession and what decisions they had undertaken to tackle the problems that they encountered. This study also investigates what influences the marketing mix had on the different dealerships in Klerksdorp area. From the empirical study done, the conclusion is that the dealerships in Klerksdorp were struggling through the economic crisis. As far as the product was concerned, the different dealerships concentrated on the best selling lines during the recession period. Very few dealerships adjusted their prices and very few offered extras that were already included in the price. With the promotion, it was actually established that the dealerships did not actually put any extra effort in order to promote their vehicles. Four out of nine dealerships decreased their promotion expenditure, while the other five kept it at the same level. None of the dealerships has increased their promotional spending during the time of recession. Finally, the recommendations to the dealerships, as how to improve the marketing and sales through the correct use of the marketing mix, especially through the use of promotion in the Klerksdorp dealerships were made. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

South Africa's automotive industry has become an increasingly important contributor to the country's gross domestic product, largely through the strong growth in the motor vehicle and component exporting sector. The South African Motor Industry is ranked 20th in the world in terms of vehicle production. It is responsible for an estimated 80% of Africa's vehicle productivity and makes 0.85% of the world's vehicles. In this study, the automotive industry in South Africa is investigated, how it was influenced during the recession which started at the end of 2008 and went through the 2009 period, what effect it had on the market as well as the influence on sales during that period. In the literature section, the 4P's of the marketing mix are explained and discussed as well as how it influences the automotive industry. The purpose of this study is to see specifically how the Klerksdorp dealerships were influenced by the recession and what decisions they had undertaken to tackle the problems that they encountered. This study also investigates what influences the marketing mix had on the different dealerships in Klerksdorp area. From the empirical study done, the conclusion is that the dealerships in Klerksdorp were struggling through the economic crisis. As far as the product was concerned, the different dealerships concentrated on the best selling lines during the recession period. Very few dealerships adjusted their prices and very few offered extras that were already included in the price. With the promotion, it was actually established that the dealerships did not actually put any extra effort in order to promote their vehicles. Four out of nine dealerships decreased their promotion expenditure, while the other five kept it at the same level. None of the dealerships has increased their promotional spending during the time of recession. Finally, the recommendations to the dealerships, as how to improve the marketing and sales through the correct use of the marketing mix, especially through the use of promotion in the Klerksdorp dealerships were made. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Maryland, College Park, 2008. / Adviser: Matthias Ruth. Includes bibliographical references.

Mathematical and computer modelling have been playing an increasingly important role in the Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) process. Simulation offers great advantages in the development and analysis phase of products and offers a faster, better and more cost effective way than using physical prototypes alone. The ever increasing demand for new and improved products in the vehicle industry has decreased the time available for the development of new vehicles, but at the same time the demands on quality, reliability and mass that are set for the vehicle are becoming ever more stringent. These requirements have lead to the investigation of procedures and methodologies such as virtual prototyping that will reduce the development time of new vehicles without inhibiting the quality of the vehicle. In order to perform effective and reliable simulations in the CAE process, accurate simulation models of the vehicle and its associated systems, subsystems and components are required. In the vehicle dynamics context simulation models of the tyres, suspension, springs, damper, etc, are needed. This study will look at creating a validated model of a leaf spring suspension system used on commercial vehicles. The primary goal set for the model is to be able to predict the forces at the points where the suspension system is attached to the vehicle chassis as the model is to be used in full vehicle durability simulations. The component which will receive a considerable amount of attention in this study is the leaf spring. Leaf springs have been used in vehicle suspensions for many years. Even though leaf springs are frequently used in practice they still hold great challenges in creating accurate mathematical models. It is needless to say that an accurate model of a leaf spring is required if accurate full vehicle models are to be created. As all simulation models in this study are required to be validated against experimental measurements a thorough experimental characterisation of the suspension system of interest, as well as two different leaf springs, are performed. In order to measure the forces between the suspension attachment points and the chassis, two six component load cells were developed, calibrated, verified and validated. This study will primarily focus on the modelling of a multi-leaf spring as well as a parabolic leaf spring. The study starts with a literature study into the various existing modelling techniques for leaf springs. A novel leaf spring model, which is based on a macro modelling view point similar to that used for modelling material behaviour, is developed. One of the modelling techniques found in the literature, i.e. neural networks, is also used to model the leaf spring. The use of neural networks is applied and some of the challenges associated with the method are indicated. The accuracy and efficiency of the physics-based elasto-plastic leaf spring model and the non physics-based neural network model are compared. The modified percentage relative error metric is compared to two other quantitative validation metrics that were identified from the literature study. It is concluded that the modified percentage relative error has certain limitations but that it is able to give an accurate and representative account of the agreement/disagreement between two periodic signals around zero. The modified percentage relative error is used to obtain the accuracies of the elasto-plastic leaf spring models and the neural network model. Both models give good results with the neural network being almost 3 times more computationally efficient. The elasto-plastic leaf spring model, for the multi-leaf spring, is further extended to model the behaviour of a parabolic leaf spring. Qualitative validation using experimental data shows that the elasto-plastic leaf spring model is able to accurately predict the vertical behaviour of both the multi-leaf spring as well as the parabolic leaf spring. The elasto-plastic leaf spring model was also combined with a method that is able to capture the effect of changes in the spring stiffness due to changes in the loaded length. Quantitative validation shows that the method proposed for accounting for the change in stiffness due to changes in the loaded length is able to capture this characteristic of the physical leaf spring. Following a systematic modelling approach the elasto-plastic multi-leaf spring model is incorporated into a model of a simplified version of the physical suspension system. The qualitative validation results from this model show that the model is able to accurately predict the forces that are transmitted from the suspension system to the chassis. The models created in this study can be used in future work and, with the addition of more detail the models, can be extended to create a model of the complete suspension system. / Thesis (PhD(Eng))--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

Marketing strategy relies heavily on segmentation and positioning. Lifestyle and psychographics are increasingly being used as a basis for market segmentation. Marketers require deeper insight into the motivational factors that encourage purchases in order to tailor make offerings to suit individual needs. The focus is on customer relationship management in order to retain customers over a longer period of time, rather than once-off sales. This study examines how using the ancient and mystical technique of the Enneagram can improve customer relationship management and formulates a model for doing so. The Enneagram can be used as an effective base for psychographic segmentation by harnessing the diagnostic and predicative power therein. It is already being used in human resource development and strategic planning by companies and it seems fitting to apply it in yet another business area that can greatly benefit from this.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Berkeley, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 155-163).

No description available.

No description available.