Verbruikersgerigtheid in die missiestellings van hedendaagse ondernemings: mite of realiteit?

The aim of this ankle is to discuss the concepts of marketing and customer orientation towards the marketing function and to point out how the mission statements and objectives of modem firms reflect these orientations. The development of the marketing as well as customer orientation towards marketing is discussed. This is followed by an examination of the nature of mission statements and business objectives. It is argued that the mission statement as well as the company's objectives has to reflect the company’s commitment towards serving customers’ needs. It is apparent that this is not always the case in South Africa. Academics therefore have a challenge as well as an obligation to promote the concept of customer orientation and to advocate its reflection in the marketing planning process

The role of strategic leadership in effective strategy implementation: Perceptions of South African strategic leaders

A review of the literature reveals that strategy implementation isan important component of the strategic management process.Research indicates that the ability to implement a strategy is viewedas considerably more important than strategy formulation, andthat strategy implementation, rather than strategy formulation, isthe key to superior organisational performance. However, the highfailure rate of strategy implementation efforts is well documented,and many barriers to effective strategy implementation exist. A lackof leadership, and specifically strategic leadership, at the top ofthe organisation has been identified as one of the major barriersto effective strategy implementation. In turn, strategic leadership isalso viewed as a key driver to effective strategy implementation.In the light of the identified problem, the primary objective of thisstudy was to investigate the perceived role of strategic leadershipin strategy implementation in South African organisations. Theconclusion is that strategic leadership positively contributes toeffective strategy implementation in South African organisations

The Economic Rationale for Agricultural Regeneration and Rural Infrastructure Investment in South Africa

This paper informs government policy insofar as it relates to the agricultural and rural development sectors and infrastructure investment within these sectors. The paper first quantifies the role of agriculture in the South African economy. This is done within the context of, inter alia, food security, agriculture’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP), economic linkages and multipliers with respect to the agricultural sector, as well as agriculture’s employment creation and external stabilisation capacity. Investment in the agricultural and rural sectors are then analysed with a view of supporting the argument that agriculture’s role in the economy is sufficiently important to warrant regenerative strategies, including renewed emphasis on agricultural and rural infrastructure investment by South African policy makers. The quantification of the agricultural sector in relation to the total economy and that of agricultural and rural infrastructure investment are investigated against the backdrop of declining government support, increasing production risks due to a variety of exogenous events like climate change, and increasing dynamic trade impacts. In this paper, the authors offer both supporting arguments in terms of current economic policy and recommendations for more decisive policy measures aimed at agricultural regeneration and rural infrastructure investment.

Comparative advantage of potato production in seven regions of South Africa

The focus of this research was to investigate the comparative advantage of the potato industry in seven potato production regions in South Africa. Potatoes are the most important vegetable crop produced in South Africa. In 2008 it contributed more than 40% to the total production of vegetables in South Africa and it accounted for more than 20% of the value of all fresh produce sold on all the major national fresh produce markets. This study uses the Resource Cost Ratio (RCR) methodology that provides an explicit indication of the efficiency with which production alternatives uses domestic resources to generate or save foreign exchange. The Nominal Protection Ratio (NPR) and Effective Protection Coefficient (EPC) were also calculated. The results show that current policies that affects the input market for potato production in South Africa is constraining the potato industry. This was confirmed by the results obtained from the NPR and EPC analysis, and the size of the policy distortions was shown through the calculation of market and economic profitability. If current policies prevail potato production in the Eastern Free State will not have a comparative advantage, but in the absence of such policies all production regions have a comparative advantage.Crop Production/Industries,

The application of single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) technique for the analysis of molecular heterogeneity of grapevine virus A

The results of the analysis of grapevine virus A (GVA) isolates by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) confirm that this technique is very helpful in rapid and relatively low cost preliminary analysis of molecular heterogeneity of viruses. The results clearly show that the reliability of SSCP analysis of GVA depends on oligonucleotide primers for successful RT-PCR amplification of the highest possible number of molecular variants of the virus. Among 7 pairs of GVA-specific primers designed in different laboratories only two, those from Canada (117038 and C7273) and Switzerland (MP and CPdt), allowed positive RT-PCR amplification of all our isolates of the virus mechanically transmitted from various grapevines to Nicotiana benthamiana. With SSCP analysis of 238 bp DNA fragments complementary to part of ORF5 of GVA, produced by RT-PCR using the first pair of primers, we were able to detect 1-35 nt differences between GVA isolates. The DNA fragments, about 986 bp, complementary to part of ORF3 and ORF4, ORF5 and 3'UTR of GVA, produced by RT-PCR using the second pair of primers, were useful for SSCP analysis only after their digestion with the restriction enzyme DdeI. The results strongly suggest that SSCP analysis of 238 nt fragment of ORF5 of GVA along with DdeI/SSCP analysis of about 986 nt 3'terminal fragment of the virus allow rapid and reliable determination of the number of dominant nt sequence variants of GVA present in a single N. benthamiana or grapevine plant.

Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), cloning and sequencing reveals two major groups of divergent molecular variants of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3)

The SSCP and RE/SSCP analysis of ORF5, ORF6 and ORF7 of 25 local and overseas isolates of GLRaV-3 showed only two kinds of distinct SSCP profiles for each of these genomic regions. It suggested low molecular variability of the virus. Fragments of the 5’UTR + ORF1a, 3’ terminal part of ORF1a, ORF4, ORF5, ORF6 and ORF7 of three isolates, representing distinct SSCP profiles, were cloned and sequenced. Results revealed that although the 3’terminal half of the genome (ORF4-7) and the sequence located in the 3’ terminal part of ORF1a were relatively similar among isolates (91.3-96.2 % nt identity), their 5’terminal parts (88 nt of 5’UTR and adjacent first 329 nt of ORF1a) were clearly divergent (81.6-81.8 % nt identity). Analysis of this divergent part of GLRaV-3 for an additional 11 isolates showed that they cluster in two distinct molecular groups, sharing 94.7-99.7 % and 80.8-85.1 % nt identity within and between groups respectively. The correlation between the molecular groups and SSCP profiles of the 209 nt fragment of ORF5 of GLRaV-3 strongly suggests that SSCP analysis of this easily RT-PCR amplified region can be used for rapid identification of divergent molecular variants of the virus in field-collected grapevine samples.

A performance management model for physical asset management

CITATION: Jooste, J. L. & Page, D. C. 2004. A performance management model for physical asset management. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 15(2): 45-66, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7166/15-2-204The original publication is available at http://sajie.journals.ac.zaENGLISH ABSTRACT: There has been an emphasis shift from maintenance management towards asset management, where the focus is on reliable and operational equipment and on effective assets at optimum life-cycle costs. A challenge in the manufacturing industry is to develop an asset performance management model that is integrated with business processes and strategies. The authors developed the APM2 model to satisfy that requirement. The model has a generic reference structure and is supported by operational protocols to assist in operations management. It facilitates performance measurement, business integration and continuous improvement, whilst exposing industry to the latest developments in asset performance management.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is ‘n klemverskuiwing vanaf onderhoudsbestuur na batebestuur, waar daar gefokus word op betroubare en operasionele toerusting, asook effektiewe bates teen optimum lewensikluskoste. ‘n Uitdaging in die vervaardigingsindustrie is die ontwikkeling van ‘n prestasiemodel vir bates, wat geïntegreer is met besigheidsprosesse en –strategieë. Die outeurs het die APM2 model ontwikkel om in hierdie behoefte te voorsien. Die model het ‘n generiese verwysingsstruktuur, wat ondersteun word deur operasionele instruksies wat operasionele bestuur bevorder. Dit fasiliteer prestasiebestuur, besigheidsintegrasie en voortdurende verbetering, terwyl dit die industrie ook blootstel aan die nuutste ontwikkelinge in prestasiebestuur van bates.http://sajie.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/204Publisher's versio

Comparison of the clinical abrasion resistance of six commercially available denture teeth.

nonePurpose: Clinical abrasion of denture teeth has certain implications when dentures are worn in excess of the average useful lifetime. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical denture tooth wear over a period of 3 years. Material and methods: The wear of six commercially available denture teeth (Premierdent, Acrotone, vitapan, Rx1, Duravite, and Ivoclar Orthosit) and a seventh combination of teeth was compared. Seventy patients with complete dentures were divided into seven groups of 10 each to form the study population. Results: There were no significant differences among the commercial denture teeth. Porcelain/Vitapan teeth exhibited the highest amount of abrasion. Significant wear was also measured between the Ivoclar Orthosit and Porcelain/Vitapan teeth.non