Organisational culture and strategic leadership for success : a case study
- Van der Westhuyzen, Petrus Johannes
- Authors: Van der Westhuyzen, Petrus Johannes
- Date: 2012-09-12
- Subjects: Corporate culture - Case studies , Strategic planning - Case studies , Leadership
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/390734 , uj:10181 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7558
- Description: M.Comm. , Many aspects of the success, or lack of success, of a business can be accurately measured. Revenues, profit and loss, return on assets, share price, price equity ratios, market share, customer satisfaction and many more aspects can be measured and often managed. Apart from the measurable something else is needed: a successful organisational culture. The culture of an organisation is often easier to experience than to describe. The objectives of this study are find a workable definition for culture, tools to measure the culture of groups and leadership skills needed to manage or change the culture of organisations. Various definitions of organisational culture and culture measuring tools are studied. The most promising definition of culture and measuring tools are put to the test in a case study to forni an opinion of the usefulness of such tools for management. Results of this study indicate that the concept culture, as described in the double s cube model, is a very useful tool for managers. It provides a quick and easy entry point to the culture management of an organization. Firstly, the tools that are available to measure culture provide results that could be used to position a company in the double s cube model. Secondly, the results of the culture measurement could be used to formulate and decide on the best course of action when it is necessary to change culture. Culture management is done by manipulating the sociability and solidarity levels in an organisation and by ensuring positive contribution of these elements to business successes. The clear leadership guidelines to achieve this manipulation could be very useful for managers. By using the concept of culture, managers could establish competitive advantages for their businesses. Culture management could be the secret key to open a situation whereby it is possible to improve business performance and at the same time create an environment where people are happy to achieve these goals.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Van der Westhuyzen, Petrus Johannes
- Date: 2012-09-12
- Subjects: Corporate culture - Case studies , Strategic planning - Case studies , Leadership
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/390734 , uj:10181 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7558
- Description: M.Comm. , Many aspects of the success, or lack of success, of a business can be accurately measured. Revenues, profit and loss, return on assets, share price, price equity ratios, market share, customer satisfaction and many more aspects can be measured and often managed. Apart from the measurable something else is needed: a successful organisational culture. The culture of an organisation is often easier to experience than to describe. The objectives of this study are find a workable definition for culture, tools to measure the culture of groups and leadership skills needed to manage or change the culture of organisations. Various definitions of organisational culture and culture measuring tools are studied. The most promising definition of culture and measuring tools are put to the test in a case study to forni an opinion of the usefulness of such tools for management. Results of this study indicate that the concept culture, as described in the double s cube model, is a very useful tool for managers. It provides a quick and easy entry point to the culture management of an organization. Firstly, the tools that are available to measure culture provide results that could be used to position a company in the double s cube model. Secondly, the results of the culture measurement could be used to formulate and decide on the best course of action when it is necessary to change culture. Culture management is done by manipulating the sociability and solidarity levels in an organisation and by ensuring positive contribution of these elements to business successes. The clear leadership guidelines to achieve this manipulation could be very useful for managers. By using the concept of culture, managers could establish competitive advantages for their businesses. Culture management could be the secret key to open a situation whereby it is possible to improve business performance and at the same time create an environment where people are happy to achieve these goals.
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Ubuntu as bestuurstyl vir die nuwe Suid-Afrika
- Authors: Van der Merwe, I.P.
- Date: 2012-09-05
- Subjects: Management - South Africa , Leadership , Decision making - South Africa , Communication in management - South Africa , Corporate culture - South Africa
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:3551 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6936
- Description: M.Comm. , Political changes and many other factors have forced South Africans from different backgrounds and cultures to work together and live together. These changes do not influence only the community life but also the organisations in South-Africa. As affirmative action is enforced and implemented by government and the business sector, people from African cultures are thrown in at the deep end in business life and people from the western cultures are not at ease working with African people because of a lack of understanding of the African culture. An important part of the African culture is called ubuntu. PURPOSE The purposes of this study are to identify and explain the different values of ubuntu, to illustrate how it can be applied in South African business and to identify the differences between western management practices and ubuntu management practices. METHOD OF STUDY A study was made of the relevant literature. FINDINGS The heritage that comes through traditional African roots is ubuntu: morality, humaness, compassion, care, understanding and empathy. It is one of sharing and hospitality, of honesty and humanity. Simply put, it is the ethic and interaction that occurs in the extended family. In Africa, it draws in all of the people. In this 'family' there is a community of shared values. Ubuntu is best described through the expression: a human is a human through other people. The ubuntu values described in this study are solidarity, the role of stories in ubuntu, compassion, respect and dignity, conformity and interconnectedness. Each of these attributes can be applied in South African businesses. The differences between western management and ubuntu management are discussed by looking at the differences in leadership, decision making, communication and corporate culture. Certain ubuntu values can be used in South-African business, such as group solidarity, respect and dignity, stories and the way the ubuntu culture deals with nature. Certain values cannot be used, such as the way Africans experiences time, because it would lead to low productivity. It seems as if ubuntu values have been lost with urbanisation, but there are still ubuntu values practised in townships, such as group solidarity that exists between tribe members, although the definition of a tribe has changed.
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- Authors: Van der Merwe, I.P.
- Date: 2012-09-05
- Subjects: Management - South Africa , Leadership , Decision making - South Africa , Communication in management - South Africa , Corporate culture - South Africa
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:3551 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6936
- Description: M.Comm. , Political changes and many other factors have forced South Africans from different backgrounds and cultures to work together and live together. These changes do not influence only the community life but also the organisations in South-Africa. As affirmative action is enforced and implemented by government and the business sector, people from African cultures are thrown in at the deep end in business life and people from the western cultures are not at ease working with African people because of a lack of understanding of the African culture. An important part of the African culture is called ubuntu. PURPOSE The purposes of this study are to identify and explain the different values of ubuntu, to illustrate how it can be applied in South African business and to identify the differences between western management practices and ubuntu management practices. METHOD OF STUDY A study was made of the relevant literature. FINDINGS The heritage that comes through traditional African roots is ubuntu: morality, humaness, compassion, care, understanding and empathy. It is one of sharing and hospitality, of honesty and humanity. Simply put, it is the ethic and interaction that occurs in the extended family. In Africa, it draws in all of the people. In this 'family' there is a community of shared values. Ubuntu is best described through the expression: a human is a human through other people. The ubuntu values described in this study are solidarity, the role of stories in ubuntu, compassion, respect and dignity, conformity and interconnectedness. Each of these attributes can be applied in South African businesses. The differences between western management and ubuntu management are discussed by looking at the differences in leadership, decision making, communication and corporate culture. Certain ubuntu values can be used in South-African business, such as group solidarity, respect and dignity, stories and the way the ubuntu culture deals with nature. Certain values cannot be used, such as the way Africans experiences time, because it would lead to low productivity. It seems as if ubuntu values have been lost with urbanisation, but there are still ubuntu values practised in townships, such as group solidarity that exists between tribe members, although the definition of a tribe has changed.
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Some viewpoints on the micro finance industry : a literature study
- Authors: Schutte, Christiaan Ernst
- Date: 2012-08-14
- Subjects: Microfinance , Poverty
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:9250 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5697
- Description: M.Comm. , Poverty can be defined as, the lack of access to the basic needs and wants of a person, thus a lack of income and access to assets. The effect is a person who has no self-esteem. This place a burden on the economy of any nation and no country can survive or grow if the majority of its population is poor with no access to basic commodities and assets or a source of income. The spiraling effect of poverty is such that it becomes impossible for the poor to loosen themselves from the grip of poverty. The main reason is that most of the poor is illiterate and can not find sustainable jobs. It is important to break the grip of poverty, this means that the needs and want of poverty stricken people must be addressed in such a manner that it will create sustainability of income and the building of self-esteem. There are many ways of alleviating poverty i.e. subsidies by government or grants given by foreign governments. These methods are not always the best way of solving the problem, as it does not train the people to be self-sufficient. One solution in the fight of poverty is micro finance. But just as grants and subsidies are in themselves not the only solution, micro finance can not be the solution by itself. Micro finance should be a part of the solution in the alleviation of poverty. The rationale is that micro finance and its characteristics can satisfy the credit needs of a person but it also supplies finance to the poor and thus builds the self-esteem of the person. The roots of micro finance originated during the 1950's. However micro finance per se did not exist. The nature of the transactions can be compared to that of grants or subsidies. These pioneering transactions have paved the way for the real micro finance industry. The industry as we know it today has come in existence during the 1970's. During 1976 Dr. M. Yunus in his studies realised that the poor does not have access to micro finance and he formulated the idea that the people must be empowered to create their own income stream. He also realised that a bank can not create a repayment culture and that it is essential that repayments be controlled by peer pressure. The funding of such an initiative was to be done by the members themselves and not from funding by way of grants. He initiated the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh on the above principles and today is the first real successful micro finance institution. Today the Grameen Bank is based on the principle that groups mainly finance themselves with 10% of its funds derived from previous borrowers and the government. The Grameen Bank has a good record of assisting in the process of alleviation of poverty. A further positive input by the Bank is that it assists in the social upliftment of its borrowers. South Africa is a developing country with a middle income classification. This is however not a true reflection of its total population. Due to apartheid there has been an ethnic and racial disparity. This has caused a major difference in the split of income, access to assets and credit. South Africa has to investigate methods to alleviate poverty. The method of micro finance and the status of the industry in South Africa are investigated by this dissertation. The possibility of using micro finance as it is today in South Africa is also investigated and a possible solution to the utilisation of micro finance is tabled.
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- Authors: Schutte, Christiaan Ernst
- Date: 2012-08-14
- Subjects: Microfinance , Poverty
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:9250 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5697
- Description: M.Comm. , Poverty can be defined as, the lack of access to the basic needs and wants of a person, thus a lack of income and access to assets. The effect is a person who has no self-esteem. This place a burden on the economy of any nation and no country can survive or grow if the majority of its population is poor with no access to basic commodities and assets or a source of income. The spiraling effect of poverty is such that it becomes impossible for the poor to loosen themselves from the grip of poverty. The main reason is that most of the poor is illiterate and can not find sustainable jobs. It is important to break the grip of poverty, this means that the needs and want of poverty stricken people must be addressed in such a manner that it will create sustainability of income and the building of self-esteem. There are many ways of alleviating poverty i.e. subsidies by government or grants given by foreign governments. These methods are not always the best way of solving the problem, as it does not train the people to be self-sufficient. One solution in the fight of poverty is micro finance. But just as grants and subsidies are in themselves not the only solution, micro finance can not be the solution by itself. Micro finance should be a part of the solution in the alleviation of poverty. The rationale is that micro finance and its characteristics can satisfy the credit needs of a person but it also supplies finance to the poor and thus builds the self-esteem of the person. The roots of micro finance originated during the 1950's. However micro finance per se did not exist. The nature of the transactions can be compared to that of grants or subsidies. These pioneering transactions have paved the way for the real micro finance industry. The industry as we know it today has come in existence during the 1970's. During 1976 Dr. M. Yunus in his studies realised that the poor does not have access to micro finance and he formulated the idea that the people must be empowered to create their own income stream. He also realised that a bank can not create a repayment culture and that it is essential that repayments be controlled by peer pressure. The funding of such an initiative was to be done by the members themselves and not from funding by way of grants. He initiated the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh on the above principles and today is the first real successful micro finance institution. Today the Grameen Bank is based on the principle that groups mainly finance themselves with 10% of its funds derived from previous borrowers and the government. The Grameen Bank has a good record of assisting in the process of alleviation of poverty. A further positive input by the Bank is that it assists in the social upliftment of its borrowers. South Africa is a developing country with a middle income classification. This is however not a true reflection of its total population. Due to apartheid there has been an ethnic and racial disparity. This has caused a major difference in the split of income, access to assets and credit. South Africa has to investigate methods to alleviate poverty. The method of micro finance and the status of the industry in South Africa are investigated by this dissertation. The possibility of using micro finance as it is today in South Africa is also investigated and a possible solution to the utilisation of micro finance is tabled.
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'n Evaluasie van die toepasbaarheid van deelnemende bestuur binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks
- Authors: Cloete, A.
- Date: 2012-08-15
- Subjects: Management -- Employee participation -- South Africa
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:9367 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5805
- Description: M.Comm. , Management is a very important building block in any organisation. Management influences the whole company. There are many different management styles, one of which is participative management. Political changes, as well as other changes that followed these changes, have forced South Africans from different backgrounds and cultures to live and work together. Within the organisation the difficulty lies in coping with these changes. Part of the solution seems to be participative management, with its principles of open communication.
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- Authors: Cloete, A.
- Date: 2012-08-15
- Subjects: Management -- Employee participation -- South Africa
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:9367 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5805
- Description: M.Comm. , Management is a very important building block in any organisation. Management influences the whole company. There are many different management styles, one of which is participative management. Political changes, as well as other changes that followed these changes, have forced South Africans from different backgrounds and cultures to live and work together. Within the organisation the difficulty lies in coping with these changes. Part of the solution seems to be participative management, with its principles of open communication.
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The learning organisation : a literature synthesis to show the link between learning and performance
- Authors: Loedolff, Dané
- Date: 2012-01-25
- Subjects: Organizational change management , Organizational learning
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:1955 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4313
- Description: M.Comm. , The world is changing. That is the one thing that managers can be sure of Business oftoday will not be the same the next day. Amidst these changes, organisations struggle to survive. Many of them will not see the tomorrows. Many have failed, and the ever-increasing unemployment rates and crime rates in South Africa are the sad testimony to this fact. Managing change is not an easy task. It is complex, and managers need to consider many things at the same time. It is however critical. Some managers confess that they do not know what to do or how to manage change. There is a need for a management idea consistent with human nature that will help organisations face change and adapt to the turbulent business world in order to maintain their competitive advantage and survive into the 21st century. Learning and the capacity to manage change are directly related. Could learning be the one strategy that will help organisations to stay competitive and to survive? This study shows that learning and performance of organisations are related and finds a management idea to apply learning in an organisation that will achieve the desired effect on the organisation's performance. Learning is a natural human activity that cannot take place without action or without experiencing the results of action. Empirical evidence in literature shows the established link between learning and performance. A variety of definitions for the concept of a learning organisation appear in academic and business writings. Writers define the concept of a learning organisation at different levels. From merely defining a learning organisation as the sum of the learning of its members, or defining a learning organisation as an organisation that focuses on improving its processes, products and services, to defining a learning organisation as an organisation able to create what it desires.~ ..... Senge' s learning organisation is then described. What Senge calls the fifth discipline is at the heart of the idea of the learning organisation. The fifth discipline is systems thinking, 4 which is described as a discipline for seeing wholes. The other four core disciplines of building a learning organisation are personal mastery, mental models, shared vision and team learning. Managers often want to know if their organisations could be classified as learning organisations. They also want to know what they must do to tum their organisations into learning organisations and what they must avoid in the process. Chapter 4 states research that developed a model for determining to what extent an organisation is a learning organisation. It is concluded that all organisations could be classified as a learning organisation to some extent. There are things that an organisation can do to become more of a learning organisation, or to become a Learning Organisation with capital letters, the five discipline variety. They are discussed in Chapter 4. In the conclusion of this study a few areas that could benefit from further research are identified. The lack of comprehensive empirical research confirming the relationship between learning and improved performance, the opportunity for developing a measuring instrument that could measure learning and the performance of learning organisations, to clearly define learning and the learning organisation, and the possibility of a structured development tool to help organisations become learning organisations.
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The learning organisation : a literature synthesis to show the link between learning and performance
- Authors: Loedolff, Dané
- Date: 2012-01-25
- Subjects: Organizational change management , Organizational learning
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:1955 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4313
- Description: M.Comm. , The world is changing. That is the one thing that managers can be sure of Business oftoday will not be the same the next day. Amidst these changes, organisations struggle to survive. Many of them will not see the tomorrows. Many have failed, and the ever-increasing unemployment rates and crime rates in South Africa are the sad testimony to this fact. Managing change is not an easy task. It is complex, and managers need to consider many things at the same time. It is however critical. Some managers confess that they do not know what to do or how to manage change. There is a need for a management idea consistent with human nature that will help organisations face change and adapt to the turbulent business world in order to maintain their competitive advantage and survive into the 21st century. Learning and the capacity to manage change are directly related. Could learning be the one strategy that will help organisations to stay competitive and to survive? This study shows that learning and performance of organisations are related and finds a management idea to apply learning in an organisation that will achieve the desired effect on the organisation's performance. Learning is a natural human activity that cannot take place without action or without experiencing the results of action. Empirical evidence in literature shows the established link between learning and performance. A variety of definitions for the concept of a learning organisation appear in academic and business writings. Writers define the concept of a learning organisation at different levels. From merely defining a learning organisation as the sum of the learning of its members, or defining a learning organisation as an organisation that focuses on improving its processes, products and services, to defining a learning organisation as an organisation able to create what it desires.~ ..... Senge' s learning organisation is then described. What Senge calls the fifth discipline is at the heart of the idea of the learning organisation. The fifth discipline is systems thinking, 4 which is described as a discipline for seeing wholes. The other four core disciplines of building a learning organisation are personal mastery, mental models, shared vision and team learning. Managers often want to know if their organisations could be classified as learning organisations. They also want to know what they must do to tum their organisations into learning organisations and what they must avoid in the process. Chapter 4 states research that developed a model for determining to what extent an organisation is a learning organisation. It is concluded that all organisations could be classified as a learning organisation to some extent. There are things that an organisation can do to become more of a learning organisation, or to become a Learning Organisation with capital letters, the five discipline variety. They are discussed in Chapter 4. In the conclusion of this study a few areas that could benefit from further research are identified. The lack of comprehensive empirical research confirming the relationship between learning and improved performance, the opportunity for developing a measuring instrument that could measure learning and the performance of learning organisations, to clearly define learning and the learning organisation, and the possibility of a structured development tool to help organisations become learning organisations.
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The environmental determinants of corporate entrepreneurship
- Authors: Mokoena, Bakae Aubrey
- Date: 2012-08-22
- Subjects: Entrepreneurship
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2989 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6413
- Description: M.Comm. , The overall purpose of this study is to attain an understanding of the determinants and real driving forces in the environment that can either impede 8 or enhance corporate entrepreneurship. To achieve this purpose, the following objectives are set: The first objective is to look at the nature, differences and links between entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, and thus to assess and to look at intrapreneurship as a strategic management tool to maintain organisational competitiveness and to innovate constantly. Secondly to achieve a clear understanding of the external or macro environment in which intrapreneurship will flourish or decay. The purpose is to categorise and analyse the roles played by these almost uncontrollable variables on intrapreneurial behaviour. The third objective of this study is to identify some of the most important internal or micro-environmental factors (within the individual organisation) promoting or impeding intrapreneurship within that organisation. A last objective is to conclude on the major findings of the study and to propose some recommendations
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- Authors: Mokoena, Bakae Aubrey
- Date: 2012-08-22
- Subjects: Entrepreneurship
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2989 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6413
- Description: M.Comm. , The overall purpose of this study is to attain an understanding of the determinants and real driving forces in the environment that can either impede 8 or enhance corporate entrepreneurship. To achieve this purpose, the following objectives are set: The first objective is to look at the nature, differences and links between entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, and thus to assess and to look at intrapreneurship as a strategic management tool to maintain organisational competitiveness and to innovate constantly. Secondly to achieve a clear understanding of the external or macro environment in which intrapreneurship will flourish or decay. The purpose is to categorise and analyse the roles played by these almost uncontrollable variables on intrapreneurial behaviour. The third objective of this study is to identify some of the most important internal or micro-environmental factors (within the individual organisation) promoting or impeding intrapreneurship within that organisation. A last objective is to conclude on the major findings of the study and to propose some recommendations
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Black empowerment in South Africa : evaluating the progress since 1994
- Authors: Mphuthi, Molefe Abel
- Date: 2012-08-17
- Subjects: Employee empowerment - South Africa , Affirmative action programs - South Africa , Blacks - Employment - South Africa
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2681 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6123
- Description: M.Comm. , Black Advancement and Affirmative Action are concepts which became identified with endeavours in South Africa to increase the participation of black people in business and the mainstream economy. In recent years, a more all-encompassing construct, combining the objective and attributes of both Black Advancement and Affirmative Action, has gained popularity. This new construct is Black Economic Empowerment. Black Economic Empowerment is a concept, which is broadly accepted in principle, but is still controversial in its meaning and practice. This report looks at the commonly, agreed and understood meaning of Black Economic Empowerment. It also examines the role that the government, private sector and labour unions have played and will play in the empowerment process. The parallels between the Afrikaner empowerment in the fifties and sixties and Black Economic Empowerment and the similarities between Malaysia's empowerment initiatives and South Africa's current situation are examined as an example that encourages the need for Black Economic Empowerment. The study will also look into the need for Affirmative Action, the state of Black Business and its historical development and its contribution to Black Empowerment. The successes of Black Economic Empowerment are contrasted against the failures, while the report examines the criticisms levelled against Black Economic Empowerment as well as the perception that such a process is open to manipulation. The findings of the study concluded that Black Economic Empowerment is essential to the economic development of Black people. The responsibility is all encompassing, yet government must be seen to act as the facilitator of the process.
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- Authors: Mphuthi, Molefe Abel
- Date: 2012-08-17
- Subjects: Employee empowerment - South Africa , Affirmative action programs - South Africa , Blacks - Employment - South Africa
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2681 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6123
- Description: M.Comm. , Black Advancement and Affirmative Action are concepts which became identified with endeavours in South Africa to increase the participation of black people in business and the mainstream economy. In recent years, a more all-encompassing construct, combining the objective and attributes of both Black Advancement and Affirmative Action, has gained popularity. This new construct is Black Economic Empowerment. Black Economic Empowerment is a concept, which is broadly accepted in principle, but is still controversial in its meaning and practice. This report looks at the commonly, agreed and understood meaning of Black Economic Empowerment. It also examines the role that the government, private sector and labour unions have played and will play in the empowerment process. The parallels between the Afrikaner empowerment in the fifties and sixties and Black Economic Empowerment and the similarities between Malaysia's empowerment initiatives and South Africa's current situation are examined as an example that encourages the need for Black Economic Empowerment. The study will also look into the need for Affirmative Action, the state of Black Business and its historical development and its contribution to Black Empowerment. The successes of Black Economic Empowerment are contrasted against the failures, while the report examines the criticisms levelled against Black Economic Empowerment as well as the perception that such a process is open to manipulation. The findings of the study concluded that Black Economic Empowerment is essential to the economic development of Black people. The responsibility is all encompassing, yet government must be seen to act as the facilitator of the process.
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Enkele bedryfsekonomiese oorwegings vir 'n nuwe sakeonderneming in die totale heupvervangingsmark van Suid-Afrika
- Authors: Van Zyl, Jean-Pierre
- Date: 2012-09-12
- Subjects: Business planning. , New business enterprises. , Total hip replacement - South Africa.
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:10146 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7526
- Description: M.Comm. , Volgens West (1988: 1) begin mense vanwee verskeie redes 'n sakeonderneming: vir wins, vir onafhanldikheid, of weens desperaatheid - wanneer hulle byvoorbeeld 'n lang termyn van werkloosheid in die gesig staar. Sommige voorbeelde van nuwe sakeondernemings, soos by dit stel, is waarvan drome gemaak word, die "rags to riches progress of dazzling proportions". Alhoewel die suksesstories inspirerend is vir baie voornemende sakeondernemers en dit spreekwoordelik die goud aan die einde van die reenboog uitwys, is die realiteit van kleinsakeondernemings dikwels verskillend en teleurstellend in die wereld daar buite. Die gemiddelde kleinsakeonderneming kan eers beskou word as lewensvatbaar as dit die eerste vyf jaar van bestaan oorskry het. Navorsing toon ook dat ongeveer 85% van alle nuwe sakeondernemings in die eerste vyf jaar misluk (West, 1988: 1). Die oorsake van die mislukkings wissel weens verskeie faktore. Na aanleiding van 'n studie onder kleiner sakeondernemings is die oorsake soos volg bevind: deels ekonomies (47,7%), finansieel (38,4%), onervarenheid (7,1%), nalatigheid van die eienaar (3,4%) en ander redes (3,7%) (Timmons, 1999: 32).
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- Authors: Van Zyl, Jean-Pierre
- Date: 2012-09-12
- Subjects: Business planning. , New business enterprises. , Total hip replacement - South Africa.
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:10146 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7526
- Description: M.Comm. , Volgens West (1988: 1) begin mense vanwee verskeie redes 'n sakeonderneming: vir wins, vir onafhanldikheid, of weens desperaatheid - wanneer hulle byvoorbeeld 'n lang termyn van werkloosheid in die gesig staar. Sommige voorbeelde van nuwe sakeondernemings, soos by dit stel, is waarvan drome gemaak word, die "rags to riches progress of dazzling proportions". Alhoewel die suksesstories inspirerend is vir baie voornemende sakeondernemers en dit spreekwoordelik die goud aan die einde van die reenboog uitwys, is die realiteit van kleinsakeondernemings dikwels verskillend en teleurstellend in die wereld daar buite. Die gemiddelde kleinsakeonderneming kan eers beskou word as lewensvatbaar as dit die eerste vyf jaar van bestaan oorskry het. Navorsing toon ook dat ongeveer 85% van alle nuwe sakeondernemings in die eerste vyf jaar misluk (West, 1988: 1). Die oorsake van die mislukkings wissel weens verskeie faktore. Na aanleiding van 'n studie onder kleiner sakeondernemings is die oorsake soos volg bevind: deels ekonomies (47,7%), finansieel (38,4%), onervarenheid (7,1%), nalatigheid van die eienaar (3,4%) en ander redes (3,7%) (Timmons, 1999: 32).
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Mechanisms to enhance wealth creation within the Greater Pretoria Metropolitan Area
- Authors: Beneke, Amund Paul
- Date: 2012-08-17
- Subjects: Pretoria (South Africa) -- Economic conditions , Cities and towns -- South Africa -- Pretoria -- Growth
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:2700 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6141
- Description: M.Comm. , The Greater Pretoria Metropolitan Area (hereafter Greater Pretoria) covers approximately 130 000 hectares of land and includes areas such as Soshanguve, Klip\Kruisfontein, Akasia, Pretoria, Eersterust, Atteridgeville, Mamelodi, Laudium and Centurion (see Map 1, p. 8)(GPMC Status Quo, 1997 : 25). Greater Pretoria shares many of the problems of most post-apartheid cities in South Africa. Significant disparities exist between "white" and "black", not only with regard to economic developed areas (job opportunities), but also regarding socio-economic development (education levels, income levels, etc.).
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- Authors: Beneke, Amund Paul
- Date: 2012-08-17
- Subjects: Pretoria (South Africa) -- Economic conditions , Cities and towns -- South Africa -- Pretoria -- Growth
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:2700 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6141
- Description: M.Comm. , The Greater Pretoria Metropolitan Area (hereafter Greater Pretoria) covers approximately 130 000 hectares of land and includes areas such as Soshanguve, Klip\Kruisfontein, Akasia, Pretoria, Eersterust, Atteridgeville, Mamelodi, Laudium and Centurion (see Map 1, p. 8)(GPMC Status Quo, 1997 : 25). Greater Pretoria shares many of the problems of most post-apartheid cities in South Africa. Significant disparities exist between "white" and "black", not only with regard to economic developed areas (job opportunities), but also regarding socio-economic development (education levels, income levels, etc.).
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Die aard en wese van entrepreneurskap en die belangrikheid daarvan vir sakesukses
- Swanevelder, Suzel Magdalena
- Authors: Swanevelder, Suzel Magdalena
- Date: 2012-08-28
- Subjects: Entrepreneurship , Success in business
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:3291 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6696
- Description: M.Comm. , The purpose of this study is to research certain aspects of entrepreneurship and to highlight the relationships between entrepreneurship and business success. Organisations compete in a highly competitive and constantly changing environment and are becoming increasingly more difficult for them to survive and to succeed. One of the biggest challenges for organisations, if they wish to survive and succeed, is to change constantly and to adapt as quickly as possible to the changing environment. There is ample research which suggests that an entrepreneurial orientation is an important contributor to survival and growth of organisations. Entrepreneurs are seen as heroes of the modern business world. The reason for this is the increase in economic growth and job opportunities which they created. The central role of entrepreneurship is the ongoing need to create something new. Creativity and renewed thinking enable entrepreneurs to survive and to grow. Thus, creativity forms a part of entrepreneurship and without creativity, there can be no successful entrepreneurship. By understanding creativity, one can build the foundation of a very important component for entrepreneurship. Creativity consists of four interdependent components, namely the creative product, the creative person, the creative process and the creative environment. All four of these components are important for development of creativity, but this study will focus on the creative environment. It is important to concentrate on those situations in an organisational climate in which creativity can be stimulated, developed and/or discouraged. Although individuals can be taught to improve their creative abilities, one delivers optimal results in a favourable organisational climate that supports creativity. The organisational climate influences the way individuals communicate, solve problems, make decisions and handle conflict. Further, the organisational climate influences job satisfaction, the motivation of workers, the ability to innovate and the involvement of workers. A creative organisational climate has become a necessity for all organisations to survive and to succeed in the business world.
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- Authors: Swanevelder, Suzel Magdalena
- Date: 2012-08-28
- Subjects: Entrepreneurship , Success in business
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:3291 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6696
- Description: M.Comm. , The purpose of this study is to research certain aspects of entrepreneurship and to highlight the relationships between entrepreneurship and business success. Organisations compete in a highly competitive and constantly changing environment and are becoming increasingly more difficult for them to survive and to succeed. One of the biggest challenges for organisations, if they wish to survive and succeed, is to change constantly and to adapt as quickly as possible to the changing environment. There is ample research which suggests that an entrepreneurial orientation is an important contributor to survival and growth of organisations. Entrepreneurs are seen as heroes of the modern business world. The reason for this is the increase in economic growth and job opportunities which they created. The central role of entrepreneurship is the ongoing need to create something new. Creativity and renewed thinking enable entrepreneurs to survive and to grow. Thus, creativity forms a part of entrepreneurship and without creativity, there can be no successful entrepreneurship. By understanding creativity, one can build the foundation of a very important component for entrepreneurship. Creativity consists of four interdependent components, namely the creative product, the creative person, the creative process and the creative environment. All four of these components are important for development of creativity, but this study will focus on the creative environment. It is important to concentrate on those situations in an organisational climate in which creativity can be stimulated, developed and/or discouraged. Although individuals can be taught to improve their creative abilities, one delivers optimal results in a favourable organisational climate that supports creativity. The organisational climate influences the way individuals communicate, solve problems, make decisions and handle conflict. Further, the organisational climate influences job satisfaction, the motivation of workers, the ability to innovate and the involvement of workers. A creative organisational climate has become a necessity for all organisations to survive and to succeed in the business world.
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The improvement of service quality in a organisation by determining clients' needs
- Authors: Fourie, J.P.
- Date: 2012-09-11
- Subjects: Customer services -- Research -- South Africa , Consumer satisfaction -- Research -- South Africa , Customer services -- South Africa -- Quality control
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:10045 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7434
- Description: M.Comm. , Today's business environment is characterised by rapid change which features prominently in business relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, and in competitive relationships. Although change has always been an essential part of the business environment, it has never before been as rapid and dramatic as is being seen now. Yesterday's assumptions are no longer safe for today and companies that were never competitors, now are. Customers are becoming more demanding and unpredictable. Many factors drive change in business relationships, but the three most powerful forces of change in today's world are technology; global competition; and rising customer expectations (Wolkins, 1996:1). Rising customer expectations are perhaps the most important force for change. Customers' expectation to have the best service at the lowest price seems to be boundless, and just when a company feels that they have succeeded, the requirements change and get tougher. The ever-increasing customer expectations become even more involved when one considers that customers should be interpreted as meaning external customers; competitors' customers who the organisation would like to attract; and internal customers (employees). Today's companies also need to address the question of how a company can not only maintain its current client base, but also stimulate new business. In the context of the IIA-SA, this translates to not only providing relevant services to members, but also in developing new and innovative services, and attracting new members by rendering a high quality service to existing members. From the aforementioned it is clear that the IIA-SA, like most service companies, are faced with numerous challenges. Increasingly, members of the IIA-SA and any other professional bodies, want to know exactly what they receive in return for their membership fees and also (rightfully) insist on a high level of customer service. The IIA-SA also needs to be customer-orientated if the mission of being wholly representative of the Internal Auditing profession in South Africa, is to be achieved.
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- Authors: Fourie, J.P.
- Date: 2012-09-11
- Subjects: Customer services -- Research -- South Africa , Consumer satisfaction -- Research -- South Africa , Customer services -- South Africa -- Quality control
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:10045 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7434
- Description: M.Comm. , Today's business environment is characterised by rapid change which features prominently in business relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, and in competitive relationships. Although change has always been an essential part of the business environment, it has never before been as rapid and dramatic as is being seen now. Yesterday's assumptions are no longer safe for today and companies that were never competitors, now are. Customers are becoming more demanding and unpredictable. Many factors drive change in business relationships, but the three most powerful forces of change in today's world are technology; global competition; and rising customer expectations (Wolkins, 1996:1). Rising customer expectations are perhaps the most important force for change. Customers' expectation to have the best service at the lowest price seems to be boundless, and just when a company feels that they have succeeded, the requirements change and get tougher. The ever-increasing customer expectations become even more involved when one considers that customers should be interpreted as meaning external customers; competitors' customers who the organisation would like to attract; and internal customers (employees). Today's companies also need to address the question of how a company can not only maintain its current client base, but also stimulate new business. In the context of the IIA-SA, this translates to not only providing relevant services to members, but also in developing new and innovative services, and attracting new members by rendering a high quality service to existing members. From the aforementioned it is clear that the IIA-SA, like most service companies, are faced with numerous challenges. Increasingly, members of the IIA-SA and any other professional bodies, want to know exactly what they receive in return for their membership fees and also (rightfully) insist on a high level of customer service. The IIA-SA also needs to be customer-orientated if the mission of being wholly representative of the Internal Auditing profession in South Africa, is to be achieved.
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The stimulation of small business
- Authors: Dekker, Johannes Marthinus
- Date: 2012-08-15
- Subjects: Small business -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Small business -- Research -- South Africa , Small business -- South Africa -- Finance , Small business -- South Africa -- Growth
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:9293 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5736
- Description: M.Comm. , There has been renewed focus recently on the small business sector, particularly from the South African government. However, there are many and serious questions in the media with regard to the effectiveness of efforts made to stimulate this sector, especially from governement. This study attempts to determine effective and efficient ways of stimulating small business in South Africa and recommend changes in current strategies.
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- Authors: Dekker, Johannes Marthinus
- Date: 2012-08-15
- Subjects: Small business -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Small business -- Research -- South Africa , Small business -- South Africa -- Finance , Small business -- South Africa -- Growth
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:9293 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5736
- Description: M.Comm. , There has been renewed focus recently on the small business sector, particularly from the South African government. However, there are many and serious questions in the media with regard to the effectiveness of efforts made to stimulate this sector, especially from governement. This study attempts to determine effective and efficient ways of stimulating small business in South Africa and recommend changes in current strategies.
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Transactional analysis of the service delivery system in franchising
- Authors: Koekemoer, Rihann Pierre
- Date: 2012-02-29
- Subjects: Franchises (Retail trade) , Transactional analysis
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2115 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4484
- Description: M.Comm. , Franchising is growing in stature as one of the most powerful business methods. Fifty percent of retail sales in the USA are generated through franchised chains. Franchising happens when an entrepreneur seizes a viable business opportunity. A system is developed to extract the maximum value and the rights to use the business system are sold to a franchisee to operate a business along the same principles and systems as the original opportunity. The franchisee and franchisor work together as a team or alliance to build and maintain the brand. In order to exploit the business opportunity in a meaningful manner, it is important for the franchisor and the franchisee to understand and to analyse the different relationships in the franchising model. The franchise relationship model developed by Spinelli et al is very useful and provides a sensible approach in analysing and identifying the different relationships in a franchised business. The most important aspect of the franchise relationship model is the relationship with the customer. The service delivery system is created by the franchisor and franchisee to provide the best service or to deliver the product in the most effective way to the customer. The service delivery system is the blue print of the franchise operation and outlines the flow of tasks and transactions in the franchise model. In order for franchisors and franchisees to ensure that uniformity and standards are maintained across the franchised business, it is important for them to have a system through which franchisees can be monitored. The main focus of the monitoring system is to prevent shirking, free riding or to avoid that franchisees erode the brand of the business. An important tool in the monitoring process is the franchise agreement. The franchise agreement is a specialised agreement that outlines the relationship between the franchisor and the franchisee. Other important tools used in the monitoring function are field visits, external service audits, peer review, analytical tools, customer feedback and mystery shopping. Transactional analysis is used to determine which tasks are to be carried out by whom in the franchise relationship. The service delivery system tasks are defined and different tasks awarded to either the franchisee or the franchisor. As an example of this method, the real estate function is analysed indicating what the essential tasks are when executing this function and who is responsible for it.
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- Authors: Koekemoer, Rihann Pierre
- Date: 2012-02-29
- Subjects: Franchises (Retail trade) , Transactional analysis
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2115 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4484
- Description: M.Comm. , Franchising is growing in stature as one of the most powerful business methods. Fifty percent of retail sales in the USA are generated through franchised chains. Franchising happens when an entrepreneur seizes a viable business opportunity. A system is developed to extract the maximum value and the rights to use the business system are sold to a franchisee to operate a business along the same principles and systems as the original opportunity. The franchisee and franchisor work together as a team or alliance to build and maintain the brand. In order to exploit the business opportunity in a meaningful manner, it is important for the franchisor and the franchisee to understand and to analyse the different relationships in the franchising model. The franchise relationship model developed by Spinelli et al is very useful and provides a sensible approach in analysing and identifying the different relationships in a franchised business. The most important aspect of the franchise relationship model is the relationship with the customer. The service delivery system is created by the franchisor and franchisee to provide the best service or to deliver the product in the most effective way to the customer. The service delivery system is the blue print of the franchise operation and outlines the flow of tasks and transactions in the franchise model. In order for franchisors and franchisees to ensure that uniformity and standards are maintained across the franchised business, it is important for them to have a system through which franchisees can be monitored. The main focus of the monitoring system is to prevent shirking, free riding or to avoid that franchisees erode the brand of the business. An important tool in the monitoring process is the franchise agreement. The franchise agreement is a specialised agreement that outlines the relationship between the franchisor and the franchisee. Other important tools used in the monitoring function are field visits, external service audits, peer review, analytical tools, customer feedback and mystery shopping. Transactional analysis is used to determine which tasks are to be carried out by whom in the franchise relationship. The service delivery system tasks are defined and different tasks awarded to either the franchisee or the franchisor. As an example of this method, the real estate function is analysed indicating what the essential tasks are when executing this function and who is responsible for it.
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A viability study in terms of business opportunities for echinoderms (sea urchins) in South Africa.
- Authors: Cilliers, Johannes S.
- Date: 2012-08-21
- Subjects: Sea urchins -- South Africa , Sea urchin industry -- South Africa
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2889 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6320
- Description: M.Comm. , Du Plessis (1993:649) states that the most common reasons for business failure are the lack of understanding of the market and inferior products. The first point in Timmons' criteria list focuses on the industry and market. This is of utmost importance as no correct analysis of a new venture's viability can be done if there is not a full understanding by the potential investor of the exact market that he/she intends to venture into. Timmons does not highlight the importance of the product as such in his criteria list although inferior products are one of the most common reasons for failure. Timmons' fatal flaw aspect, point six, is however very important as it is an "abort checkpoint". If the venture has a fatal flaw, regardless of everything else being perfect, it could cancel the potential venture. This fatal flaw aspect is in line with Cartland's "subjective determination" criteria. Various probabilities are difficult or impossible to quantify accurately. If the entrepreneur is not totally convinced of the probability of success, it should be seen as a fatal flaw and the venture abandoned. Timmons' list of eight criteria is seen to incorporate the broadest and most appropriate checklist. Chapter three will concentrate on the industry, market and product in more detail, thus ensuring a thorough understanding of the market and product, avoiding one of the weaknesses in Timmons' criteria. In chapter four the business opportunity for echinoderms in South Africa will be evaluated against the eight factors as outlined especially by Timmons in this chapter.
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- Authors: Cilliers, Johannes S.
- Date: 2012-08-21
- Subjects: Sea urchins -- South Africa , Sea urchin industry -- South Africa
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2889 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6320
- Description: M.Comm. , Du Plessis (1993:649) states that the most common reasons for business failure are the lack of understanding of the market and inferior products. The first point in Timmons' criteria list focuses on the industry and market. This is of utmost importance as no correct analysis of a new venture's viability can be done if there is not a full understanding by the potential investor of the exact market that he/she intends to venture into. Timmons does not highlight the importance of the product as such in his criteria list although inferior products are one of the most common reasons for failure. Timmons' fatal flaw aspect, point six, is however very important as it is an "abort checkpoint". If the venture has a fatal flaw, regardless of everything else being perfect, it could cancel the potential venture. This fatal flaw aspect is in line with Cartland's "subjective determination" criteria. Various probabilities are difficult or impossible to quantify accurately. If the entrepreneur is not totally convinced of the probability of success, it should be seen as a fatal flaw and the venture abandoned. Timmons' list of eight criteria is seen to incorporate the broadest and most appropriate checklist. Chapter three will concentrate on the industry, market and product in more detail, thus ensuring a thorough understanding of the market and product, avoiding one of the weaknesses in Timmons' criteria. In chapter four the business opportunity for echinoderms in South Africa will be evaluated against the eight factors as outlined especially by Timmons in this chapter.
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Sekere regs- en regsverwante aspekte van belang vir die kleinsakeondernemer
- Authors: Novella, Couzette
- Date: 2012-08-14
- Subjects: Small business -Law and legislation - South Africa.
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:9149 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5603
- Description: M.Comm. , This study summarises certain of the more important legal issues of which the small business person should be aware and concentrates on three distinct areas, namely: The opening and registration of the business with specific reference to the business entities under which such business can be operated with the advantages or disadvantages of each of such entities; b) The daily operation of such business with specific reference to agreements which the small business person are likely to enter into; and c) The liquidation of the business with specific reference to the liquidation process, be that as a result of failure or as a harvesting mechanism where the business is sold. Each of the areas abovementioned are discussed in theory and with reference to either specific case law or examples of every day occurrences to indicate the seriousness of possible ignorance of the various issues discussed.
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- Authors: Novella, Couzette
- Date: 2012-08-14
- Subjects: Small business -Law and legislation - South Africa.
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:9149 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5603
- Description: M.Comm. , This study summarises certain of the more important legal issues of which the small business person should be aware and concentrates on three distinct areas, namely: The opening and registration of the business with specific reference to the business entities under which such business can be operated with the advantages or disadvantages of each of such entities; b) The daily operation of such business with specific reference to agreements which the small business person are likely to enter into; and c) The liquidation of the business with specific reference to the liquidation process, be that as a result of failure or as a harvesting mechanism where the business is sold. Each of the areas abovementioned are discussed in theory and with reference to either specific case law or examples of every day occurrences to indicate the seriousness of possible ignorance of the various issues discussed.
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An investigation into some current supply chain practices at a private healthcare provider in Gauteng
- Authors: Bauernschmitt, E.
- Date: 2010-02-24T10:02:34Z
- Subjects: Business logistics , Inventory control , Medical care , Medical personnel , Patients
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:6647 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3047
- Description: M.Comm. , Much has been done and developed both in theory and practice in terms of advancing the science of logistics since its early days as an area of management focus. Great leaps have been made alone in the past decade regarding the integration of logistics into the broader management philosophies and to subsequently define the now widely referred to concept of integrated supply chain management. Although many industries have embraced this concept and spearheaded initiatives in this field, many traditionally established companies and industry sectors have yet to embed and operationalise its concepts more fully and to reap the potential rewards. The healthcare industry has been under pressure – amidst increasing competition, supplier costs and patient’s increasing awareness to seek improved value for treatment offered – to explore whether opportunities exist to make further savings in terms of its operating cost and total cost profile by taking a different approach to managing the healthcare and service provision supply chain – namely in a more integrated and holistic manner. In the healthcare context, the supply chain includes, amongst others, the capability and ability to plan, forecast, source, supply, process, distribute and ultimately deliver and execute all necessary services, goods and information. In order to investigate current supply chain practices at a selected private healthcare provider in Gauteng, an integrated generic supply chain model was defined – for which industry-acknowledged current supply chain practices from the wider domain of supply chain management were identified per component. As primary objective this descriptive research established to what extent a private healthcare provider in Gauteng, as a role player in the wider South African private healthcare industry, has knowledge and understanding of some current supply chain practices, as well as to what extent this private healthcare provider has adopted and applied recognised practices and concepts of integrated supply chain management. This was done using the defined generic supply chain model for a private healthcare provider as the roadmap along which knowledge and application of supply chain practices could be tested for the selected organisation. For this research an interview-based experience survey was used that deployed specific questions in a non-probabilistic sampling manner to respondents across the functional management chain, to measure both the level of assumed or explicitly attributed knowledge of supply chain practices in relation to the companies’ ability for the application, implementation and utilisation of these industry best-practices as pertaining to supply chain management, as seen in the context of the selected private healthcare’s competitive operations in the Southern African healthcare industry. The output of the analysis to determine the primary research objective was subsequently plotted on a supply chain evolution matrix postulated as part of this study.
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- Authors: Bauernschmitt, E.
- Date: 2010-02-24T10:02:34Z
- Subjects: Business logistics , Inventory control , Medical care , Medical personnel , Patients
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:6647 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3047
- Description: M.Comm. , Much has been done and developed both in theory and practice in terms of advancing the science of logistics since its early days as an area of management focus. Great leaps have been made alone in the past decade regarding the integration of logistics into the broader management philosophies and to subsequently define the now widely referred to concept of integrated supply chain management. Although many industries have embraced this concept and spearheaded initiatives in this field, many traditionally established companies and industry sectors have yet to embed and operationalise its concepts more fully and to reap the potential rewards. The healthcare industry has been under pressure – amidst increasing competition, supplier costs and patient’s increasing awareness to seek improved value for treatment offered – to explore whether opportunities exist to make further savings in terms of its operating cost and total cost profile by taking a different approach to managing the healthcare and service provision supply chain – namely in a more integrated and holistic manner. In the healthcare context, the supply chain includes, amongst others, the capability and ability to plan, forecast, source, supply, process, distribute and ultimately deliver and execute all necessary services, goods and information. In order to investigate current supply chain practices at a selected private healthcare provider in Gauteng, an integrated generic supply chain model was defined – for which industry-acknowledged current supply chain practices from the wider domain of supply chain management were identified per component. As primary objective this descriptive research established to what extent a private healthcare provider in Gauteng, as a role player in the wider South African private healthcare industry, has knowledge and understanding of some current supply chain practices, as well as to what extent this private healthcare provider has adopted and applied recognised practices and concepts of integrated supply chain management. This was done using the defined generic supply chain model for a private healthcare provider as the roadmap along which knowledge and application of supply chain practices could be tested for the selected organisation. For this research an interview-based experience survey was used that deployed specific questions in a non-probabilistic sampling manner to respondents across the functional management chain, to measure both the level of assumed or explicitly attributed knowledge of supply chain practices in relation to the companies’ ability for the application, implementation and utilisation of these industry best-practices as pertaining to supply chain management, as seen in the context of the selected private healthcare’s competitive operations in the Southern African healthcare industry. The output of the analysis to determine the primary research objective was subsequently plotted on a supply chain evolution matrix postulated as part of this study.
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The application of the theory of constraints in the small business sector
- Authors: Groenewald, Rupert Pierre
- Date: 2011-12-06
- Subjects: Small business , Theory of constraints (Management)
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:1832 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4192
- Description: M.Comm. , A constraint is anything that limits a system's performance relative to its goal. The Theory of Constraints (TOC) is a systems-management philosophy developed by Eliyahu M. Goldratt since the early 1980's in a series of non-fiction books, articles and novels. The overall goal of this study is to understand the nature of the small business environment and the constraints it has to deal with. It is further part of this goal to determine if TOC could be made applicable in the small organisation. This goal is accomplished in the form of a literature study on the small business sector as well as on TOC. The method centres on gathering and analysing information from various literature sources. TOC's fundamental message is that constraints determine the performance of any system, and any system contains only a few constraints. Constraints may be found within or outside a company. A production bottleneck, which can limit the overall profitability of a manufacturing firm, is an example of an internal constraint. An external constraint could be a lack of customer orders. TOC suggests that the goal of for -profit firms is making money, and constraints must be effectively managed if this goal is to be achieved. This is then also the goal of most small businesses, i.e. to be profitable. They need to be profitable in order to survive. The survival and growth of the small business sector is critical to the social and economic development of South Africa. Small enterprises are an integral part of a healthy economy. They increase competitiveness, contribute a great deal to job-creation and can provide long-term jobs for millions. Small businesses faces however a wide range of constraints. These constraints should be addressed in order to sustain growth in the small business sector.
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- Authors: Groenewald, Rupert Pierre
- Date: 2011-12-06
- Subjects: Small business , Theory of constraints (Management)
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:1832 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4192
- Description: M.Comm. , A constraint is anything that limits a system's performance relative to its goal. The Theory of Constraints (TOC) is a systems-management philosophy developed by Eliyahu M. Goldratt since the early 1980's in a series of non-fiction books, articles and novels. The overall goal of this study is to understand the nature of the small business environment and the constraints it has to deal with. It is further part of this goal to determine if TOC could be made applicable in the small organisation. This goal is accomplished in the form of a literature study on the small business sector as well as on TOC. The method centres on gathering and analysing information from various literature sources. TOC's fundamental message is that constraints determine the performance of any system, and any system contains only a few constraints. Constraints may be found within or outside a company. A production bottleneck, which can limit the overall profitability of a manufacturing firm, is an example of an internal constraint. An external constraint could be a lack of customer orders. TOC suggests that the goal of for -profit firms is making money, and constraints must be effectively managed if this goal is to be achieved. This is then also the goal of most small businesses, i.e. to be profitable. They need to be profitable in order to survive. The survival and growth of the small business sector is critical to the social and economic development of South Africa. Small enterprises are an integral part of a healthy economy. They increase competitiveness, contribute a great deal to job-creation and can provide long-term jobs for millions. Small businesses faces however a wide range of constraints. These constraints should be addressed in order to sustain growth in the small business sector.
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Corporate governance: the ethical shortfall within the business practice
- Authors: Kotsis, Aristidis
- Date: 2010-10-28T08:57:01Z
- Subjects: Corporate governance , Business ethics
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:6947 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3457
- Description: M.Comm. , Corporate governance has become a heated topic of debate when meetings arise and new legislation is drafted. It is also a means to mould new ways of doing business as more and more businessmen are found to be committing irregularities in their actions. Fraud has become rife with over 30 000-fraud cases reported annually. Where will it end and how to curb this? Within this study, a comparison is drawn between corporate governance and ethics. The interrelationship between the two is noted and compared. The differences are brought forward and similarities discussed. The study tries to define ethics and corporate governance. It then moves on to establish which are the principles of corporate governance. This is followed by an evaluation of ethics and corporate governance. Finally, recommendations are made to make corporate governance more effective. These are hard questions but ones, which need answering. The study concerns itself with the study of corporate governance and ethics. Corporate governance is not merely a theoretical tool but one, which needs to be practiced. The question concerning the fact that ethics is synonymous to corporate governance is questioned and answered. In question are the definitions of ethics and corporate governance. Each is defined but the realisation that there is more than one definition of each, which is widely used, is debated. Each definition brings its own problems but also proves that it is vital to the whole. Definitions are usually one-liners, which instil an author’s point of view. To complement each definition further elaborance is made. Each of these further defining statements are discussed and compared to the definitions. A comparison is sought and the purpose of these elaborances is discussed. The principles of corporate governance are documented and later discussed in detail. Comparisons with ethics are drawn and the principles are later discussed with practical examples to serve as guidelines and examples. The driving principles of corporate governance and the King report are debated and transparency proves to be the driving factor over and above all other principles. Within the study, it becomes apparent that corporate governance is only essential in big business. Small to medium business is left out. Why should this be? Another provocative question reviewed is the question of whether corporate governance is essential or not. Why all this fuss over a theoretical report. However, to discuss corporate governance without ethics is like using only half measures in a teacup. Defining ethics is easy but the real study comes forth when the true essence of what is ethics is debated. Morality is a factor but the inner soul’s consciousness of what is right or wrong is discussed. The laws of human nature serve all. The scales can be tipped either way if the price is perceived high enough. The rights and obligations of ethics are questioned together with the director’s responsibilities in determining the ethical climate in business.
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- Authors: Kotsis, Aristidis
- Date: 2010-10-28T08:57:01Z
- Subjects: Corporate governance , Business ethics
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:6947 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3457
- Description: M.Comm. , Corporate governance has become a heated topic of debate when meetings arise and new legislation is drafted. It is also a means to mould new ways of doing business as more and more businessmen are found to be committing irregularities in their actions. Fraud has become rife with over 30 000-fraud cases reported annually. Where will it end and how to curb this? Within this study, a comparison is drawn between corporate governance and ethics. The interrelationship between the two is noted and compared. The differences are brought forward and similarities discussed. The study tries to define ethics and corporate governance. It then moves on to establish which are the principles of corporate governance. This is followed by an evaluation of ethics and corporate governance. Finally, recommendations are made to make corporate governance more effective. These are hard questions but ones, which need answering. The study concerns itself with the study of corporate governance and ethics. Corporate governance is not merely a theoretical tool but one, which needs to be practiced. The question concerning the fact that ethics is synonymous to corporate governance is questioned and answered. In question are the definitions of ethics and corporate governance. Each is defined but the realisation that there is more than one definition of each, which is widely used, is debated. Each definition brings its own problems but also proves that it is vital to the whole. Definitions are usually one-liners, which instil an author’s point of view. To complement each definition further elaborance is made. Each of these further defining statements are discussed and compared to the definitions. A comparison is sought and the purpose of these elaborances is discussed. The principles of corporate governance are documented and later discussed in detail. Comparisons with ethics are drawn and the principles are later discussed with practical examples to serve as guidelines and examples. The driving principles of corporate governance and the King report are debated and transparency proves to be the driving factor over and above all other principles. Within the study, it becomes apparent that corporate governance is only essential in big business. Small to medium business is left out. Why should this be? Another provocative question reviewed is the question of whether corporate governance is essential or not. Why all this fuss over a theoretical report. However, to discuss corporate governance without ethics is like using only half measures in a teacup. Defining ethics is easy but the real study comes forth when the true essence of what is ethics is debated. Morality is a factor but the inner soul’s consciousness of what is right or wrong is discussed. The laws of human nature serve all. The scales can be tipped either way if the price is perceived high enough. The rights and obligations of ethics are questioned together with the director’s responsibilities in determining the ethical climate in business.
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