by Ho Yat-fan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1981. / Bibliography: leaves 83-84.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Cover title. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 99-103).

In recent years distribution has undergone dramatic changes. Some industries have experienced revolutionary changes, others minor, but in all industries distribution has become an extremely vital area. One of the reasons for the recent prominence of distribution is the increasingly competitive environment experienced by many industries. As competition increases within an industry, manufacturers often find it necessary to improve their efficiency, and distribution is an area with vast potential. The wholesaler is one of the most important institutions in a distribution system. He has also been confronted with more competition than many other institutions. The wholesaler will be the focus of attention in this study of the British Columbia Building Materials Industry. It is the objective of the thesis to study the competitive environment of the independent wholesaler in British Columbia, and to determine whether or not he will continue to perform a function in future years. To accomplish the objective, it is necessary to determine the nature of competition with which the wholesaler is confronted, why it exists, and whether or not it is unique to this industry. It is also necessary to determine distribution trends in other industries and whether there exist patterns that are common to this industry. The analysis of changing patterns of distribution focused on United States industries, with particular attention devoted to the Building Materials Industry. The conclusion was that certain trends pre-dominate distribution patterns, including integration, franchising, direct selling and the formation of buying groups for direct buying. Many of these trends are common to the B.C. building materials industry. There are two main types of competition that all wholesalers, (including the building materials wholesaler) are confronted with. The first is the tendency for manufacturers to sell direct to retailers and final users. The second is the desire of retailers to form buying groups and through bulk purchasing establish direct contacts with manufacturers, thereby circumventing the wholesaler. Aside from these two types of competition there are other pressures the building materials wholesaler faces that appear to be unique to this industry, one of these being an allowable margin of operation that is more historical than relevant to costs of operation. There are two primary reasons why the building materials wholesaler is confronted with this competition. The first reason is the wholesalers failure to give manufacturers and retailers the service they require and desire. The second reason is the feeling of manufacturers and retailers that they can perform the functions of distribution more efficiently than the wholesaler, and in the case of manufacturers, they can also attain more control of the marketing of their products. It has been proven to wholesalers that they are dispensable, and this has brought forth a self assessment of their functions in many industries. Those that realize they must be flexible to the changing environment have attained a new and prominent position in the distribution system, by offering the services their customers desire. Those that have remained static have been phased out. This study concludes that the Building Materials Industry will always have need of the wholesaler. However, to have a successful operation the wholesaler must be flexible to the dynamic environment, and offer the service manufacturers and retailers desire. This must also be accomplished at a reasonable level of cost. It is argued that this can best be attained through implementation of the physical distribution concept, (offering efficiency in operating methods) and a sound merchandising program. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

A Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering, October 2019 / Today, an organisation’s successful operations and bottom line is impacted by logistics management. Effectively organized logistics can help reduce costs and time spent to move products from one point to another. According to KPMG (2016) FMCG is characterised by companies that supply low-cost products that are in constant high demand. These products include food, beverages, personal hygiene and household cleaning utensils (KPMG, 2016). Due to complexity and customer requirements in the FMCG industry, the final part of transporting goods to customers is a very inefficient and highly expensive part of logistics. FMCG companies, thus, face high transport costs and inefficiencies in the distribution of finished goods to customers. The aim of this research was to identify the factors impacting the efficiency of the distribution of finished goods to multiple customers at an FMCG company. Nine valid interviews were used for data analysis. Interviews were transcribed and hand coded into themes to identify the factors. Secondary data was analysed from the company’s database using Microsoft Excel. Seven factors that impact the efficiency of the distribution of finished goods to multiple customers were identified. These included minimum order quantity and full truck loads, planning and process, resource management, inventory management replenishment, supply network, delivery frequency, truck turnaround time and booking slot. / PH2020

No description available.

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Die tradisionele Suid-Afrikaanse kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar het vir meer as twintig jaar in sy bestaande vorm oorleef maar vertoon tans tekens van 'n kragtige innoveringsproses. Aspekte soos kleiner verpakkings, kredietverlening, aflewering en bemarking aan die verbruiker wat teen die grondbeginsels van die tradisionele kontant-afhaal-groothandel indruis, is besig om pos te vat. Die impetus tot innovering is afkomstig van veranderings in die doelmark en spesifiek as gevolg van die insluiting van die spazawinkeldoelmark. Verhoogde groei in die kontant-afhaalgroothandelsektor kan deels toegeskryf word aan die opkoms van die spazawinkel maar ongelukkig is hierdie doelmark nog te klein en versplinter om die voortbestaan van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar te waarborg. Die navorsing toon dat die spazawinkel 'n belangrike, toekomstige doelmark van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar is. In die navorsing wat gedoen is, is menings van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaars ingewin oor 'n verskeidenheid aspekte aangaande die plek en funksie van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar in die Suid-Afrikaanse distribusiekanaal. Van die bevindings was dat intratipe mededinging toegeneem het en dat dit die voortbestaan van die kleiner kontant-afhaal-groothandelaars bedreig. Die groot kleinhandel is ge'identifiseer as die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar se grootste mededinger. Strawwe mededinging dwing die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar om sy bemarkingsfunksies te verander en veranderings is reeds aan die verpakkings-, verkoopsverteenwoordigers-, krediet- en afleweringsfunksies aangebring. Gevolglik verrig die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar al hoe meer kleinhandels- en aldiensgroothandelsfunksies. Daar is sprake van die ontwikkeling van 'n nuwe tipe kontantafhaal- groothandelaar wat eienskappe van die groot kleinhandel en die aldiensgroothandel besit. Sa.IJ).evattend kan gekonstateer word dat die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar beslis 'n belangrike plek in die Suid-Afrikaanse distribusiekanaal het. Die voortbestaan van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar in die distribusiekanaal is grootliks afhanklik van sy vermoe om aanpassings aan sy bemarkingsfunksies te maak om tred te hou by veranderende doelmarkte. / The traditional South African cash and carry wholesaler survived for more than twenty years in its present form but shows signs of a strong innovative process. Aspects such as smaller packaging, credit, delivery and consumer marketing, which go against the principles of the traditional cash and carry wholesaler, are taking root. The impetus for innovation derives from changes in the target market, specifically as a result of the inclusion of the spaza shop target market. Increased ' growth in the cash and carry wholesale sector can partly be ascribed to the rise of the spaza shop, but this target market is unfortunately still too small and fragmented to guarantee the survival of the cash and carry wholesaler. The research shows that the spaza shop is an important future market of the cash and carry wholesaler. In the research undertaken the opinions of cash and carry wholesalers were gathered on various aspects of the role of the cash and carry wholesaler in the South African distribution channel. The main findings are that mutual competition has increased and this threatens the survival of the smaller cash and carry wholesalers. The large retailer was identified as the main competitor of the cash and carry wholesaler. Intensive competition forces the cash and carry wholesaler to modify its marketing functions. Modifications have already been made to the packaging, sales representative, credit and delivery functions. Consequently, the cash and carry wholesaler performs more functions typical of the large retailer and full-service wholesaler. There are indications that a new type of cash and carry wholesaler is developing with characteristics of both the large retailer and the full-service wholesaler. It can be concluded that the cash and carry wholesaler definitely performs an important role in the South African distribution channel. The existence of the cash and carry wholesaler in the distribution channel depends largely on its ability to adapt its marketing functions to keep abreast with changing target markets. / Business Management / D.Comm. (Sakebestuur)

This thesis consists of a summary and five self-contained papers addressing dynamics of firms in the Swedish wholesale trade sector. Paper [1] focuses upon determinants of new firm formation in the Swedish wholesale trade sector, using two definitions of firms’ relevant markets, markets defined as administrative areas, and markets based on a cost minimizing behavior of retailers. The paper shows that new entering firms tend to avoid regions with already high concentration of other firms in the same branch of wholesaling, while right-of-the-center local government and quality of the infrastructure have positive impacts upon entry of new firms. The signs of the estimated coefficients remain the same regardless which definition of relevant market is used, while the size of the coefficients is generally higher once relevant markets delineated on the cost-minimizing assumption of retailers are used. Paper [2] analyses determinant of firm relocation, distinguishing between the role of the factors in in-migration municipalities and out-migration municipalities. The results of the analysis indicate that firm-specific factors, such as profits, age and size of the firm are negatively related to the firm’s decision to relocate. Furthermore, firms seems to be avoiding municipalities with already high concentration of firms operating in the same industrial branch of wholesaling and also to be more reluctant to leave municipalities governed by right-of-the- center parties. Lastly, firms seem to avoid moving to municipalities characterized with high population density. Paper [3] addresses determinants of firm growth, adopting OLS and a quantile regression technique. The results of this paper indicate that very little of the firm growth can be explained by the firm-, industry- and region-specific factors, controlled for in the estimated models. Instead, the firm growth seems to be driven by internal characteristics of firms, factors difficult to capture in conventional statistics. This result supports Penrose’s (1959) suggestion that internal resources such as firm culture, brand loyalty, entrepreneurial skills, and so on, are important determinants of firm growth rates. Paper [4] formulates a forecasting model for firm entry into local markets and tests this model using data from the Swedish wholesale industry. The empirical analysis is based on directly estimating the profit function of wholesale firms and identification of low- and high-return local markets. The results indicate that 19 of 30 estimated models have more net entry in high-return municipalities, but the estimated parameters is only statistically significant at conventional level in one of our estimated models, and then with unexpected negative sign. Paper [5] studies effects of firm relocation on firm profits of relocating firms, employing a difference-in-difference propensity score matching. Using propensity score matching, the pre-relocalization differences between relocating and non-relocating firms are balanced, while the difference-in-difference estimator controls for all time-invariant unobserved heterogeneity among firms. The results suggest that firms that relocate increase their profits significantly, in comparison to what the profits would be had the firms not relocated. This effect is estimated to vary between 3 to 11 percentage points, depending on the length of the analyzed period.

(MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2005

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Die tradisionele Suid-Afrikaanse kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar het vir meer as twintig jaar in sy bestaande vorm oorleef maar vertoon tans tekens van 'n kragtige innoveringsproses. Aspekte soos kleiner verpakkings, kredietverlening, aflewering en bemarking aan die verbruiker wat teen die grondbeginsels van die tradisionele kontant-afhaal-groothandel indruis, is besig om pos te vat. Die impetus tot innovering is afkomstig van veranderings in die doelmark en spesifiek as gevolg van die insluiting van die spazawinkeldoelmark. Verhoogde groei in die kontant-afhaalgroothandelsektor kan deels toegeskryf word aan die opkoms van die spazawinkel maar ongelukkig is hierdie doelmark nog te klein en versplinter om die voortbestaan van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar te waarborg. Die navorsing toon dat die spazawinkel 'n belangrike, toekomstige doelmark van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar is. In die navorsing wat gedoen is, is menings van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaars ingewin oor 'n verskeidenheid aspekte aangaande die plek en funksie van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar in die Suid-Afrikaanse distribusiekanaal. Van die bevindings was dat intratipe mededinging toegeneem het en dat dit die voortbestaan van die kleiner kontant-afhaal-groothandelaars bedreig. Die groot kleinhandel is ge'identifiseer as die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar se grootste mededinger. Strawwe mededinging dwing die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar om sy bemarkingsfunksies te verander en veranderings is reeds aan die verpakkings-, verkoopsverteenwoordigers-, krediet- en afleweringsfunksies aangebring. Gevolglik verrig die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar al hoe meer kleinhandels- en aldiensgroothandelsfunksies. Daar is sprake van die ontwikkeling van 'n nuwe tipe kontantafhaal- groothandelaar wat eienskappe van die groot kleinhandel en die aldiensgroothandel besit. Sa.IJ).evattend kan gekonstateer word dat die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar beslis 'n belangrike plek in die Suid-Afrikaanse distribusiekanaal het. Die voortbestaan van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar in die distribusiekanaal is grootliks afhanklik van sy vermoe om aanpassings aan sy bemarkingsfunksies te maak om tred te hou by veranderende doelmarkte. / The traditional South African cash and carry wholesaler survived for more than twenty years in its present form but shows signs of a strong innovative process. Aspects such as smaller packaging, credit, delivery and consumer marketing, which go against the principles of the traditional cash and carry wholesaler, are taking root. The impetus for innovation derives from changes in the target market, specifically as a result of the inclusion of the spaza shop target market. Increased ' growth in the cash and carry wholesale sector can partly be ascribed to the rise of the spaza shop, but this target market is unfortunately still too small and fragmented to guarantee the survival of the cash and carry wholesaler. The research shows that the spaza shop is an important future market of the cash and carry wholesaler. In the research undertaken the opinions of cash and carry wholesalers were gathered on various aspects of the role of the cash and carry wholesaler in the South African distribution channel. The main findings are that mutual competition has increased and this threatens the survival of the smaller cash and carry wholesalers. The large retailer was identified as the main competitor of the cash and carry wholesaler. Intensive competition forces the cash and carry wholesaler to modify its marketing functions. Modifications have already been made to the packaging, sales representative, credit and delivery functions. Consequently, the cash and carry wholesaler performs more functions typical of the large retailer and full-service wholesaler. There are indications that a new type of cash and carry wholesaler is developing with characteristics of both the large retailer and the full-service wholesaler. It can be concluded that the cash and carry wholesaler definitely performs an important role in the South African distribution channel. The existence of the cash and carry wholesaler in the distribution channel depends largely on its ability to adapt its marketing functions to keep abreast with changing target markets. / Business Management / D.Comm. (Sakebestuur)

D.Phil. / The spatial distribution patterns of wholesale establishments on an intra-urban level is a neglected field of study. This is mainly due to the fact that various disciplines regard the wholesale establishment merely as an annexure to industrial land-uses. This study attempts to prove that wholesaling has its own distinct character and that it is indeed necessary to give more serious attention to the locational problem of wholesale establishments ...