Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The deregulation and the following restructuring of the South African fruit industry in 1996
had a significant influence on the decision-making environment that participants in the
industry were used to. As new exporters entered the industry many new market opportunities
arose. However at this same period in time export-earnings from the most important
traditional markets came under pressure. A drastic increase in the supply of fresh apples from
other Southern Hemisphere countries like Chile as well as a highly fragmented South African
marketing structure are believed to be the most important reasons for the decline in exportearnings.
The aim of this study is to focus on the international competitiveness of the South
African apple industry in comparison to the competitiveness of the Chilean industry, with
specific reference to the competition between the two countries on the European market for
fresh apples.
The study is introduced by a historical view as well as a glance at recent realities within the
South African as well as the Chilean apple industry. Aspects that have lead to the growth and
development regarding production as well as exports within both industries will be indicated.
Historical international trade performance of both industries is discussed as international trade
performance is a prerequisite for international competitiveness. Theoretical principles of
competitiveness and competitive advantage is given with specific focus on the most recent
theoretical viewpoints concerning competitive advantage and the reaching thereof The work
of Michael Porter (1990) is used as a starting point in order to construct a framework with
which the national competitive advantage of a specific industry, with a specific nation, can be
explained. According to Porter ( 1990) national competitive advantage can be defined as the
specific characteristics of a nation's national circumstances that enables a specific industry
within that nation to create and maintain competitive advantages.
National competitive advantage a measured according to four so-called broad determinants of
national competitive advantage, namely industry structure, strategy and competition (first
determinant), factor conditions, related and supporting industries and demand conditions as
the forth determinant. A number of more recent definitions and describing literature on
competitive advantage is used in order to expand Porter's so-called "diamond-analyses" for
specific use to analyze an industry that produces a perishable product. An important
prerequisite concerning the analyzing of competitiveness, is the presence of a relative or
comparative component. Industry specific technical literature is used in order to make
comparative descriptions within the above mentioned framework. This framework (expanded Porter-model) is used in order to compare the Chilean apple industry with the South African
industry on the basis ofthe four broad determinants of national competitive advantage. In this
way a complex description of the varied national and international industry environments
within which the two industries operate, is done.
It is very clear that international exposure on production as well as on marketing level
together with excellent natural resources is the most important contributors to the national
competitive advantage of the Chilean apple industry. The exceptional natural resources and
very good weather conditions for growing apples together with growers' exposure to
consumer demands are important contributors to the production of high quality fruit.
Marketers and exporters show valuable market-discipline and they have easy access to
relevant market information. These aspects strengthen the competitiveness of the Chilean
apple industry. If the South African apple industry want to be competitive in future, it is
absolutely essential that scarce resources such as soil and water is well-managed and
conserved. International exposure and technological innovation on production level is also
very important. Market information will have to be more easily accessible and exporters will
have to show significant market discipline. It is also important that there will not be any
uncertainties as far as property rights is concerned, as this will scare investors. It is of utmost
importance that the South African government will work towards creating a home base that
will have a positive effect on the obtaining and the maintaining of national competitive
advantage.
This study give participants within the South African apple industry a thorough description of
the varied decision-making environments to which the Chilean and the South African apple
producer is subjected to. Differences within this decision-making environments is
emphasized and there is an indication of what the direct influence of this differences have on
the South African industry. Possible future changes concerning the various macroenvironments
of the two industries is analyzed and an indication is given on how these
changes will influence the obtaining and maintaining of national competitive advantage in
future. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die deregulering en die gevolglike herstrukturering van die Suid-Afrikaanse vrugtebedryf in
1996 het die besluitnemingsomgewing vir alle deelhouers binne die Suid-Afrikaanse
vrugtebedryf drasties verander. Die toetrede van verskeie nuwe uitvoerders het beteken dat
nuwe bemarkings-geleenthede benut kon word, maar ongelukkig het uitvoerverdienste op die
tradisioneel belangrike markte op dieselfde tydstip onder groot druk gekom. 'n Dramatiese
toename in die voorsiening van vars appels vanuit ander Suidelike-Halfrond-lande, soos Chili,
tesame met 'n gefragmenteerde Suid-Afrikaanse bemarkings-opset word as die belangrikste
redes vir die dating in uitvoerverdienste aangevoer. In hierdie ondersoek word daar gefokus
op die internasionale mededingendheid van die Suid-Afrikaanse appelbedryf relatief tot die
mededingendheid van die Chileense bedryf, met spesifieke verwysing na die mededinging
tussen die twee lande in die Europese mark vir vars appels.
Die studie word ingelei deur 'n geskiedkundige oorsig sowel as 'n blik op huidige realiteite
binne die Suid-Afrikaanse- sowel as die Chileense appelbedrywe. Die verloop van gebeure
wat tot die groei en ontwikkeling ten opsigte van produksie sowel as uitvoere binne beide
bedrywe gelei het, word aangedui. Die bereiking van intemasionale handelsukses word as
voorvereiste vir intemasionale mededingendheid aangevoer. Geskiedkundige intemasionale
handelsprestasie van beide bedrywe word dus ook uiteengesit. 'n Uiteensetting van teoretiese
grondbeginsels van mededingendheid en mededingende voordele word aangebied met die
fokus op die jongste teoretiese sienings betreffende mededingende voordeel en die bereiking
daarvan. Die werk van Micheal Porter (1990) word as vertrekpunt gebruik ten einde 'n
raamwerk te konstrueer waarmee die nasionale mededingende voordeel van 'n bepaalde
bedryf, gesetel binne 'n bepaalde nasie, omskryf kan word. Volgens Porter (1990) word
nasionale mededingende voordeel omskryf as die bepaalde karaktertrekke van 'n nasie se
nasionale omstandighede wat spesifieke bedrywe binne daardie nasie in staat stel om
mededingende voordele te skep en te behou. Nasionale mededingende voordeel word gemeet
aan die hand van vier sogenaamde bree determinante van nasionale mededingende voordeel,
naamlik bedryfstruktuur, bedryfstrategie en bedryfskompetisie (wat gesamentlik die eerste
determinant vorm), faktorkondisies, verwante en ondersteunende industriee asook
vraagtoestande. Hierdie vier determinante omskryf die totale omgewing (home base)
waarbinne 'n bepaalde bedryf opereer. Verskeie meer onlangse definisies en beskrywende
literatuur betreffende mededingende voordeel is aangewend om Porter (1990) se sogenaamde
"diamant-analise" uit te brei en meer toepaslik te maak op 'n bedryf wat 'n bederfbare
kommoditeit produseer. 'n Belangrike voorvereiste betreffende die analisering van mededingendheid, is die teenwoordigheid van 'n relatiewe of vergelykende komponent.
Bedryfspesifieke tegniese literatuur is dus verder aangewend ten einde vergelykende
beskrywings binne die genoemde raamwerk te doen. Die raamwerk (uitgebreide Portermodel)
is gebruik ten einde die Chileense appelbedryf met die Suid-Mrikaanse appelbedryf te
vergelyk aan die hand van elk van die genoemde determinante van nasionale mededingende
voordeel. Op hierdie wyse is 'n komplekse beskrywing van die onderskeie nasionale en
internasionale bedryfsomgewings (home bases) waarbinne die twee bedrywe opereer, verkry.
Omvattende internasionale blootstelling op produksie- maar veral op bemarkingsvlak tesame
met uiters gunstige klimatologiese toestande en baie goeie natuurlike hulpbronne, blyk die
belangrikste aspekte te wees wat hydra tot nasionale mededingende voordeel van die
Chileense appelbedryf. Die gunstige klimatologiese toestande en die kwaliteit van die
natuurlike hulpbronne tesame met die feit dat produsente die verbruikersbehoeftes van die
verskillende wereldmarkte ken, dra by tot die produksie van goeie kwaliteit vrugte. Die
vaardigheid en hoe vlak van intemasionale blootstelling waaroor bemarkers/uitvoerders
beskik, tesame met die toepassing van markdissipline, is verdere aspekte wat die
mededingendheid van die Chileense bedryf versterk. Indien die Suid-Afrikaanse appelbedryf
in die toekoms steeds mededingend wil wees en nuwe nasionale mededingende voordeel wil
skep en handhaaf, is dit van kardinale belang dat beskikbare, skaars hulpbronne soos water en
grond oordeelkundig bestuur en aangewend moet word. Intemasionale blootstelling en
tegnologiese innovasie met betrekking tot produksie is van kardinale belang. Dit is verder
belangrik dat mark-inligting meer toeganklik sal word en dat uitvoerders die nodige
markdissipline sal toepas en handhaaf. Dit is belangrik dat onsekerheid betreffende
eiendomsreg vermy sal word omdat dit kan lei tot beleggerswantroue. Dit is van kardinale
belang dat die Suid-Afrikaanse regering sal streef daarna om 'n home base te skep wat
positiefbydra tot die bereiking en handhawing van nasionale mededingende voordeel.
Die studie bied dus aan deelhouers binne die Suid-Amerikaanse appelbedryf 'n omvattende
beskrywing van die onderskeie besluitnemingsomgewings waaraan die Chileense sowel as die
Suid-Mrikaanse appelprodusent blootgestel ts. Verskille binne hierdie
besluitnemingsomgewings word uitgelig en daar word aangetoon wat die direkte invloed van
hierdie verskille op die mededingendheid van die Suid-Mrikaanse bedryf mag wees.
Moontlike toekomstige veranderinge betreffende die onderskeie makro-omgewings van die
twee bedrywe word ondersoek en daar word aangedui hoe hierdie veranderinge die bereiking
en handhawing van nasionale mededingende voordeel in die toekoms sal belnvloed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51839 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Du Toit, Carel van der Merwe |
| Contributors | Laubscher, J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgricSciences. Dept. of Agricultural Economics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 215 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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