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An investigation into the suitability of Economic Value Added (EVA) as a measure of performance evaluation

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research report evaluated the concept of Economic Value Added (EVA) and investigated the
application of EVA as a performance measure to a particular company. It was found that EVA
overcomes some of the problems associated with the traditional measures of company
performance. These traditional measures are profit based and are calculated from standard
accounting methods. They are inadequate measures to account for the creation of shareholder
wealth, as they do not take the full cost of capital into account and also distort the economic
reality of the company.
It was however observed that there are limitations when applying EVA. It was found that
significant effort (and associated costs) could be required to implement an EVA system in a
company. The EVA calculation can also become very technical, and is heavily biased by the
company's risk index (or beta coefficient), which is also a subjective measure (especially for
private companies). In addition, the choice of adjustments to standard accounting methods have a
significant impact on whether the company creates or destroys value in terms of EVA, and can
lead to a certain degree of manipulation of the EVA calculation.
In the case of the particular company reviewed, it was however found that these potential
limitations were overshadowed by the benefits that can be gained from the increased focus on the
creation of shareholder wealth that comes from the implementation ofEV A.
It was concluded that should EVA be fully implemented at this particular company, it could form
the backbone of the financial management and employee incentive system, guiding decisions
made at all levels, and changing company culture so that every employee thinks and acts like an
owner of the company. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingsverslag het die konsep van Ekonomiese Toegevoegde Waarde (ETW) geevalueer,
en ook die toepassing van ETW as prestasiemaatstaf by 'n spesifieke maatskappy
ondersoek. Daar is gevind dat ETW sommige van die probleme wat geassosieer kan word met
tradisionele maatstawwe van maatskappy prestasie (wins gebaseerde maatstawwe wat bereken
word met die standaard rekenkundige metodes) kan oorkom. Hierdie maatstawwe is nie
voldoende om die skepping van aandeelhouer welvaart te bereken nie, aangesien hulle nie die
volle koste van kapitaal in berekening bring nie, en ook die ekonomiese realiteit van die
maatskappy verwring.
Daar is weI uitgewys dat ETW sekere beperkings het. Daadwerklike inspanning (asook
gepaardgaande koste) kan nodig wees om 'n volle ETW implimentasie uit te voer, en die
berekening van ETW kan ook baie tegnies wees. Die berekening word ook heweglik beinvloed
deur die beta-koeffisient, wat op sy beurt ook 'n subjektiewe maatstaf is - veral vir privaat
maatskappye. Gepaardgaande hiermee het die keuse van aanpassings aan die standaard
rekenkundige metodes ook 'n groot impak op die eindproduk van ETW - of 'n maatskappy
welvaart skep of vernietig. Dit kan op sy beurt lei tot 'n mate van manipulasie van die ETW
berekening.
In die geval van die spesifieke maatskappy wat ondersoek is in die navorsingsverslag was dit
egter gevind dat die potensiele beperkings van ETW oorskadu word deur die voordele wat kan
voortspruit uit die verhoogde fokus op die skepping van aandeelhouer welvaart wat gepaard gaan
met die implementering van ETW.
Daar was tot die slotsom gekom dat indien ETW ten volle implementeer sou word by die
spesifieke maatskappy, dit die steunpilaar van die finansiele bestuur en werknemer vergoeding
stelsel kan word, besluite op aIle vlakke kan beYnvloed, en die maatskappy se kultuur kan
verander sodat elke werknemer kan dink en optree soos 'n eienaar van die maatskappy.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20890
Date03 1900
CreatorsKotze, Murison
ContributorsSmith, J. Du Plessis, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
RightsStellenbosch University

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