Enhancing the Competitive Advantage of U.S. Corporations by Incorporating a Foreign Trade Zones Strategy

Some leaders of U.S. companies fail to implement proper decision-making strategies to enact and execute strategies to realize the benefits provided by a foreign trade zone (FTZ). The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and to identify the proper decision-making strategies used in successfully implementing a FTZ. The target population consisted of 5 leaders, including a senior leader, a supply chain manager, and 3 department managers of a company located in the midwestern region of the United States that successfully implemented a FTZ. Porter\u27s competitive advantage theory was the conceptual framework used for the study. Semistructured interviews were conducted with the 5 participants; company documents served as additional sources of data. Triangulation and member checking were used to ensure the trustworthiness of the data interpretation. Three themes (import and export, training, and new processes) emerged from the analysis. The findings of this study could contribute to social change by presenting leaders with information about how to enhance decision-making skills when considering the application of a FTZ to enable the capacity for improvement of social infrastructure that includes telecommunications, electricity, water, and roads

SETZ logistics models and system framework for manufacturing and exporting large engineering assets

[[abstract]]Given the dynamic and increasingly competitive nature of international commerce, manufacturing companies must plan global logistics operations for sustainable competitive advantage. Many enterprises build collaborative manufacturing networks across multinational regions to reduce production costs and gain access to new and often unfamiliar markets. Recognizing the strategic importance of globalization, government agencies are developing Special Economic Trade Zones (SETZ). These zones are regulated industrial districts which encourage manufacturing by offering incentives such as new logistic designs linked with the latest information technologies. The objective of this paper is to analyze and design SETZ logistics hub models and system framework for linking manufacturers. By defining the characteristics of the different types of specialized trade zones, and briefly discussing the older types of trade models that are no longer competitive, this research uses the case of a Taiwan power transformer manufacturer to analyze the supply chain logistics processes for manufacturing and exporting large engineering assets within a SETZ. The logistics models and information system framework developed provide a general reference for other governments, companies, and industrial sectors that intend to design export-oriented industrial parks incorporating IT-centric and globally oriented SETZ techniques

An evaluation of the BAE/SAAB South African Royal Manufacturing project in Virginia, Free State Province : a case study of the implementation of the South African Defence Offsets

This study is an evaluation of the BAE Systems/SAAB consortium National Industrial Programme project, South African Royal Manufacturers (SARM), which forms part of BAE Systems/SAAB’s National Industrial Participation Programme (NIPP) obligations resulting from their participation in South Africa’s 1998 Strategic Procurement Programme (popularly referred to as the ‘arms deal’). SARM was a gold chain manufacturing plant, located in the Free State mining town of Virginia and which was implemented by the BAE Systems/SAAB consortium in partnership with the Harmony Gold Mining Company. Funding for the business was provided by the BAE Systems/SAAB consortium as part of their industrial participation obligation. This funding was supplemented with a loan obtained from the South African Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to the value of 40% of the cash funds; while land and buildings, as well as loans in the form of gold granules and bars, were provided by Harmony Gold Company, as part of what they describe as their corporate social responsibility towards the Virginia area where they are the only mining company operating; and also simultaneously as their obligation towards gold beneficiation as required by law. The business failed after less than 12 months of operation amidst allegations of theft of gold and the sudden lay-off of approximately 500 poor black rural women. The company’s liquidation appears to be on the backburner indefinitely. The study was conducted over a period of 18 months, and this thesis written over several more. As part of this evaluation several issues were investigated. These issues are: the push for beneficiation of South African mined metals; the National Industrial Participation Programme; local government development; the BAE Systems/SAAB consortium and other similar companies which are involved in jewellery production for export as part of both the country’s beneficiation drive, as well as the 3 NIPP. These other companies are used in this study as a ‘control’ group against which SARM’s performance can be measured realistically. Different research methods were used during the evaluation, including secondary document reviews, face-to-face and telephonic interviews with key-informants, the use of e-mail to contact key-informants, as well as conducting face-to-face questionnaires with random interviewees, and a focus group discussion with SARM ex-workers. There were several limitations to this study. The primary limitation was the inaccessibility of official and legal documents pertaining to both SARM, and the 1998 arms deal. SARM no longer exists, and thus the evaluation results should be used as lessons learned for similar projects in the future

Recent Developments in Smart Healthcare

Medicine is undergoing a sector-wide transformation thanks to the advances in computing and networking technologies. Healthcare is changing from reactive and hospital-centered to preventive and personalized, from disease focused to well-being centered. In essence, the healthcare systems, as well as fundamental medicine research, are becoming smarter. We anticipate significant improvements in areas ranging from molecular genomics and proteomics to decision support for healthcare professionals through big data analytics, to support behavior changes through technology-enabled self-management, and social and motivational support. Furthermore, with smart technologies, healthcare delivery could also be made more efficient, higher quality, and lower cost. In this special issue, we received a total 45 submissions and accepted 19 outstanding papers that roughly span across several interesting topics on smart healthcare, including public health, health information technology (Health IT), and smart medicine

Queensland University of Technology: Handbook 2010

The Queensland University of Technology handbook gives an outline of the faculties and subject offerings available that were offered by QUT

Energieversorgungssicherheit jenseits der Geopolitik : Wie reagiert die EU auf Risiken insbesondere für die Öl- und Erdgasversorgung?

Die Politikwissenschaft betrachtet die Energieversorgungssicherheit in der Regel durch die Brille der Außenpolitik. Im Fokus stehen dann etwa die OPEC, Russland, die Ukraine, der Nahe Osten, Nordafrika, die Türkei, der Kaukasus, die Schiefergasrevolution in den USA und zahlreiche weitere Themenkomplexe. Dieser Blickwinkel besitzt zweifelsohne seine Berechtigung und wird auch in der vorliegenden Arbeit nicht vernachlässigt. Doch reicht dieser Blick nicht aus, um der Komplexität der Energieversorgungssicherheit heute Gerecht zu werden. Energiemärkte werden immer komplexer, ihre Regulierung ebenso. Ferner mehren sich Eingriffe der Politik, nicht zuletzt aus Gründen des Umweltschutzes. Zur Komplexität tragen zudem die vielen Ebenen bei, die es zu berücksichtigen gilt: Die lokale, die regionale, die nationale, die europäische und nicht zuletzt die globale. Die vorliegende Arbeit stellt das Phänomen der Energieversorgungssicherheit in dieser Komplexität dar. Dabei liegen die Schwerpunkte auf der Erdöl-, Erdgas- sowie Elektrizitätsversorgung und auf der Europäischen Union, wobei auch die Wechselspiele mit nationalen Energiepolitiken, primär am Beispiel Deutschlands, nicht vernachlässigt werden. Dabei wird deutlich, dass die Sicherheit der Energieversorgung oftmals durch fehlende Kohärenz im Innern, sei es auf Ebene der Europäischen Union oder auf nationaler Ebene, beeinträchtigt wird. Einer eingehenden Untersuchung werden dabei folgende Gefahrenblöcke unterzogen: Klassische geopolitische Risiken, territoriale Streitigkeiten und Embargos, Piraterie und Terrorismus, Risiken durch Naturgewalten, die Energiemarktregulierung sowie weitere regulatorische Eingriffe bis hin zu Umweltschutzvorgaben

Fachkräftemigration aus Asien nach Deutschland und Europa

Die Zuwanderung von Fachkräften aus Asien nach Europa und Deutschland steht im Zentrum des fünften Bandes der Reihe Beiträge zur Migration und Integration. Ausgehend von der internationalen Einbettung der Migration aus Asien werden darin Analysen zur ost-/südostasiatischen Bevölkerung in Deutschland unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Arbeitsmigration vorgelegt. Zusammenfassend machen die Beiträge des Sammelbandes deutlich, dass es ein nicht unerhebliches Fachkräftepotenzial in Ost- und Südostasien gibt, das für Deutschland und Europa von Interesse ist.The fifth volume in the series entitled Contributions to Migration and Integration centres on immigration of skilled labour from Asia to Europe and Germany. Taking as a starting point the international absorption of migration from Asia, it contains analyses of the East and South-East Asian population in Germany, particular consideration being given to labour migration. Taken as a whole, the contributions included in the compendium make it clear that there is considerable skilled labour potential in East and South-East Asia that is of interest for Germany and for Europe as a whole

Staat als Gemeinschaft (nur) der Freien - Untersuchung über komplementäre Wirkungen von US-Masseninhaftierungsregime und Liberal Market Economy

Die sich in den USA seit Ronald Reagan vollziehende neoliberale Wende bringt Stresserfahrungen für Arbeitnehmer, Legitimitätsdefizite und Instabilitäten des polit-ökonomischen Systems mit sich. Diese werden durch den zeitgleich eröffneten war on drugs and organized crime und die damit einhergehende Masseninhaftierung von welthistorischem Ausmaß kompensiert