scholarly journals Current state of competitive intelligence in South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nisha Sewdass ◽  
Adeline Du Toit
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Competitive Intelligence ◽  
Current State

An overview of the current state of interlibrary loans in South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-83
Author(s):  
Jenny Raubenheimer ◽  
John Stephen van Niekerk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Information Provision ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Current Trends ◽  
Current State ◽  
Computer Library ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Essential Service

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review interlending development in South Africa and current trends in interlending. Design/methodology/approach – Literature study and survey. Findings – Interlending is still an essential service in South Africa. Interlending systems must be used effectively to ensure rapid delivery of requested interlibrary loans. There is a significant use of WorldShare ILL, but there is a scope for substantial development. Research limitations/implications – This is not a comprehensive study but focusses on current interlending activities at some of the larger South African academic and special libraries and the use of Online Computer Library Centre systems. Practical implications – The paper provides some historical information and the extent of current interlending and systems used. Social implications – The paper gives an indication of the value of interlending in South Africa and its contribution to information provision. Originality/value – The paper provides a snapshot of interlending in South Africa and areas for development.

scholarly journals An extended Farm Site Development Method

2016 ◽  
Vol Volume 112 (Number 9/10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugene Hanekom ◽  
Andre Liebenberg ◽  
Marné de Vries ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Financial Planning ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Saturation State ◽  
Development Method ◽  
Demand Planning ◽  
Site Development ◽  
Current State ◽  
Optimisation Techniques

Abstract The inefficient and ineffective use of arable land in South Africa is one of the numerous challenges within its agricultural sector. Previous research has indicated that a method, the Farm Site Development Method (FSDM), could increase the effective and efficient use of arable land by providing a roadmap to the farm owner for incrementally transforming the current state facilities and resources of a farm towards a future saturation state. The FSDM was then demonstrated at a crop-producing farm and several opportunities existed to extend its utility. Here we suggest its extension for application to a livestock farm, and also include optimisation techniques, demand planning and financial planning.

scholarly journals Fostering public accountability in South Africa: A reflection on challenges and successes

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pandelani H. Munzhedzi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Public Accountability ◽  
The Public ◽  
Current State ◽  
Public Service Provision ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Government

Accountability and oversight are constitutional requirements in all the spheres of government in the Republic of South Africa and their foundation is in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996. All spheres of government are charged with the constitutional mandate of providing public services. The level of responsibility and public services provision also goes with the level of capacity of a particular sphere. However, most of the direct and visible services that the public receives are at the local sphere of government. As such, enormous resources are channelled towards this sphere of government so that the said public services could be provided. It is imperative that the three spheres of government account for the huge expenditures during the public service provision processes. The parliaments of national and provincial governments exercise oversight and accountability over their executives and administrations through the Public Accounts Committees, while the local sphere of government relies on the Municipal Public Accounts Committees. This article is theoretical in nature, and it seeks to explore the current state of public accountability in South Africa and to evaluate possible measures so as to enhance public accountability. The article argues that the current public accountability mechanisms are not efficient and effective. It is recommended that these mechanisms ought to be enhanced by inter alia capacitating the legislative bodies at national, provincial and local spheres of the government.

scholarly journals Comparative Study of Competitive Intelligence Practices between Two Retail Banks in Brazil and South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. A. Du Toit
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
South African ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Competitive Intelligence ◽  
Regulatory Requirements ◽  
Operational Risks ◽  
Retail Banks ◽  
E Mail

Using competitive intelligence (CI) can help developing countries to increase their competitiveness. This paper compares the CI activities between two retail banks in Brazil and South Africa. An e-mail survey in a sample of 2550 employees in a retail bank in Brazil and 847 employees in a retail bank in South Africa was carried out in which CI practices were measured. Respondents in both countries were not very effective to conduct effective CI analysis. Respondents from Brazil consider information on operational risks as the most important while for South African respondents the most important information was on changing regulatory requirements. Although there is a culture of competitiveness in both organizations, it is recommended that if they want to compete effectively in the global economy, they should create CI awareness by organizing CI training sessions for employees.

scholarly journals COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE PRACTICES IN BRAZIL: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Mousaion ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-97
Author(s):  
Adeline Du Toit ◽  
Nisha Sewdass
Keyword(s):  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
External Environment ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Global Environment ◽  
Competitive Intelligence ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Strategic Choices ◽  
Current State ◽  
Analyse Data

Competitive intelligence (CI) as a strategic management tool is essential for organisations in developing countries. This article provides an overview of the current state of CI in Brazil. A questionnaire survey methodology was used where questionnaires were administered to CI professionals in organisations in Brazil. Only 46.1 per cent of the organisations indicated that they cope above average with changes in the external environment and the majority of the respondents strongly agreed that the CI function assists to quantify/ qualify strategic choices. The respondents do not use sophisticated analytical techniques to analyse data. It is recommended that organisations in Brazil should seek to engage proactively with the global environment by revising their strategic priorities. They need to redress critical competitiveness issues, most notably the establishment of the CI function as a strategic tool.

scholarly journals A comparison of competitive intelligence activities in Brazil, Malaysia, Morocco and South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adeline S.A. Du Toit ◽  
Nisha Sewdass
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Competitive Intelligence ◽  
Customer Feedback ◽  
Corporate Websites ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Advanced Analysis ◽  
Secondary Information

Orientation: This article compared competitive intelligence activities in Brazil, Malaysia, Morocco and South Africa.Research purpose: The purpose was to determine how these countries can use competitive intelligence to increase their competitiveness in the global economy.Motivation for the study: Competitive intelligence is a challenge in developing economies.Research design, approach and method: A questionnaire survey was sent to competitive intelligence professionals in the four study countries.Main findings: The most important primary information source used in all four countries is direct customer feedback and the most important secondary information source used is corporate websites. Companies in all four countries did not use advanced analysis techniques.Practical/managerial implications: It is recommended that all four countries should develop a competitive intelligence culture by creating awareness of competitive intelligence amongst their employees.Contribution/value added: It is crucial to apply competitive intelligence in the four countries in order to become more competitive in the global economy.

Competitive intelligence as a coping strategy for academic libraries in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 593-606
Author(s):  
Smangele P. Moyane ◽  
Luyanda Dube ◽  
Ntando Nkomo ◽  
Patrick Ngulube
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Information Value ◽  
Competitive Intelligence ◽  
Library Directors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
User Expectations

PurposeThis study examined the extent to which public academic libraries in South Africa coped with the changing information environment by using competitive intelligence (CI) to attain competitiveness.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted positivism as the main philosophical lens and also incorporated qualitative elements to augment the quantitative data through a survey research design. Questionnaires were e-mailed to 25 directors of public academic libraries in South Africa and 17 were returned, yielding a 68% response rate. Attempts were made to reach to the 25 directors through semi-structured telephonic interviews, and only eight responded some through their representatives, yielding a 32% response rate. Using two instruments permitted the triangulation of data. A noted limitation of the study is that some library directors neither responded to the questionnaire nor the interview.FindingsFindings revealed that various competitive intelligence techniques were employed; however, their implementation was not formalised. Competitiveness was driven by various factors such as rivalries in the information value chain; relevance; financial and budgetary constraints; changing user expectations and evolving technology.Originality/valueThis study is novel because there is a dearth of literature on implementation and use of competitive intelligence in academic libraries in South Africa.

Enhancing a competitive intelligence culture in South Africa

2005 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 576-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilma Viviers ◽  
Andrea Saayman ◽  
Marié‐Luce Muller
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Competitive Intelligence

scholarly journals Ending Commercial Lion Farming in South Africa: A Gap Analysis Approach

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1717
Author(s):  
Jennah Green ◽  
Catherine Jakins ◽  
Louise de Waal ◽  
Neil D’Cruze
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Current State ◽  
The Government ◽  
High Level ◽  
Farming Industry

African lions (Panthera leo) are commercially farmed across South Africa for sport hunting, tourism, and the international bone trade, primarily in Southeast Asia. Despite its legal status, South Africa’s growing lion farming industry is a contentious issue. In 2020 a high-level panel was initiated to review the policies, legislation, and management regarding the breeding, hunting, trade, and handling of four wildlife species, including lions. In May 2021, it was announced that the government intends to amend existing permit conditions to prohibit lion breeding and tourism interactions with captive lions, as well as to stop issuing permits to new entrants into the industry, effectively ending lion farming. In order to follow this line of action, a comprehensive, well-managed plan will be necessary to execute a responsible exit from the industry as it currently stands. Using a “gap analysis” management tool, we aim to: (1) outline some of the key considerations regarding the current state of the lion farming industry in South Africa; and (2) propose specific action steps that could be taken within five key areas (regulation, animal welfare, health and safety, equitability, and conservation) to help inform a responsible transition away from this type of wildlife farming in the biodiversity economy. For our gap analysis, we conducted a semi-systematic literature search to compile key background information about the current state of the industry. This information was then used to identify corresponding desired management states, and steps that could facilitate a successful phase out of lion farming in South Africa. We hope our approach helps identify key considerations for a responsible transition and can help aid decisions during the management of this process.

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