scholarly journals Benefits derived by a major South African retailer through collaboration and innovation within its supply chain

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A.O. Dos Santos

Current trends in the macro-environment, such as increased obesity within human populations, the damaging impact of human activity on the natural environment, the worldwide recession and the resultant changes in consumer behaviour, are all receiving increased attention by relevant stakeholders around the world. As the negative impact of these macro-environmental trends continue to be felt, increased pressure will be placed on the business community to help mitigate their consequences. This study demonstrates how innovation and collaboration within a retailer’s supply chain enable it to profitably use some of these macro-environmental trends to create differential and competitive advantage in a saturated business sector.

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-88
Author(s):  
P Coetzee

HIV/AIDS is not only a risk to the world population, it is potentially devastating to individual organisations. According to the King Report on Corporate Governance, as well as other governance reports world-wide, risk management is primarily the responsibility of the board and senior management. The internal auditor however, has a responsibility to assist management with this task. This paper aims to determine whether internal auditors are aware of the potential threat that HIV/AIDS holds for their organisations. If ignorance is found to be widespread, recommendations are made to the Institute of Internal Auditors to make their members aware.  If awareness is found to be adequate, the paper aims to determine whether internal auditing departments in various sectors of the South African business community are complying with this responsibility.


2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 246-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilma Viviers ◽  
M Muller ◽  
A Du Toit

The case for Competitive Intelligence (CI) as an instrument that can enhance the competitiveness of South African companies and South Africa as a country is strong. Various global competitive rankings measurements have indicated over a number of years the areas in which competitiveness is lacking. Moreover, these rankings have indicated that South Africa has failed to improve its position year on year. The fact that the world is becoming increasingly competitive for South African entities is undisputed. Coupled with a fluctuating exchange rate and the country’s geographical proximity, this poses unique challenges facing South African managers who have to deal with various regulations and legislative matters. In order to create and sustain an effective knowledge economy and to enhance global competitiveness, South Africa however has to put appropriate strategies/measures in place to stimulate, encourage and grow knowledge practices. Competitive Intelligence (CI) as a means of making more sense of the competitive business environment and to identify opportunities and risks in time to act upon can be effectively used as a means to enhance competitiveness. Valuable lessons from successful CI practices in the business sector and government can be learnt from elsewhere in the world. CI should be investigated and adapted for South Africa’s business environment. It is therefore the aim of this article to first attempt to describe the role of CI in enhancing competitiveness, specifically in South Africa and secondly, to stimulate thought on how to secure momentum in enhancing CI as an academic field by developing relevant CI courses as well as demonstrating the value of CI to companies in South Africa through research and collaboration between academics and the private and public sectors. 


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 3034
Author(s):  
Dirk Thielen ◽  
Paolo Ramoni-Perazzi ◽  
Mary L. Puche ◽  
Marco Márquez ◽  
José Isrrael Quintero ◽  
...  

The Pantanal is the largest wetland of the world and one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in South America. An unprecedented ongoing megadrought is severely affecting its ecological functioning, flood pulse dynamics, and fire regime. Regarding this problematic, the present study generates reliable information about the following key issues: 1—Evolution and dynamics, 2—Origin and determinants, and 3—Forecast based on identified determinants and current trends. Results show that the evolution of the megadrought has been differentiable in both, space and time. As for its origin and determinants, Climate Change was ratified as one of the most important threats to the Pantanal, and to vast areas of South America, since a strong correlation was identified between megadrought’s dynamics and the occurrence of intense marine heatwaves at Northern Hemisphere oceanic waters, and more specifically, at the Northeast Pacific. Results also show that the megadrought is expected to continue at both the Pantanal and the surrounding Highlands, at least until December 2023. Thus, an intensification of fires risk, extending now to areas historically flooded or perhumid should be expected, concomitantly to a very negative impact on non-fire-resistant vegetation cover, as well as ecosystem functioning and biodiversity, perhaps even worse than those from 2020, widely covered by the international media.


2021 ◽  
pp. 22-26
Author(s):  
Т.Н. Сурихина ◽  
Р.А. Мещерякова ◽  
Г.А. Телегина

В статье рассмотрены результаты влияния пандемии COVID-19 на экономику и овощеводство России. Вспышка COVID-19 создала дисбаланс в мировой экономике. Введенные странами карантинные меры, предпринимаемые для сглаживания распространения пандемии, негативным образом повлияли на экономическую ситуацию в мире и экономику отдельных стран, в том числе России. Нарушение цепочки поставок товаров привело к росту цен на сырьевые и продовольственные товары, к закрытию предприятий и увольнениям. Введение ограничений на экспорт товаров снизило объемы импорта. В январе 2021 года по сравнению с январем 2020 года снижение импорта в России по продовольственным товарам и сырью для их производства составило 4,2%, по овощам – 11,5%. Цены на ввозимые в страну овощи в 2,5–3,4 раза превышали цены на экспортируемые. Однако потери в овощеводстве из-за пандемии оказались минимальными. Валовой сбор овощей в целом по стране в 2020 году составил 13,8 млн т., что на 1,7% ниже уровня 2019 года. При этом валовые сборы овощей открытого грунта сократились на 3,1%, овощей защищенного грунта – выросли на 6,6%. Возникли трудности с реализацией овощей, так как в кризисный период из-за пандемии COVID-19 спрос на овощи упал на 30%. Кроме того, население переключилось на более дешевые овощи. Правительства различных стран мира для поддержания производителей и потребителей предприняли ряд мер. The results of the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the Russian economy and vegetable growing are considered. The COVID-19 outbreak has created an imbalance in the global economy. The quarantine measures imposed by countries to mitigate the spread of the pandemic, continue to have a negative impact on the economic situation in the world and the economy of individual countries, including Russia. Disruptions in the supply chain of consumer and industrial goods have led to higher prices for raw materials and food products, to business closures and layoffs. The introduction of restrictions on the export of goods has reduced the volume of imports. In January 2021, compared to January 2020, the decrease in imports for food products and raw materials for their production was 4.2%, for vegetables – 11.5%. The prices of imported vegetables were 2.5–3.4 times higher than the prices of exported vegetables. The losses in this area due to the pandemic were minimal. The gross harvest of vegetables in the whole country in 2020 amounted to 13.8 million t, which is 1.7% lower than in 2019. At the same time, the gross harvest of open ground vegetables decreased by 3.1%, and of protected ground vegetables increased by 6.6%. There were difficulties with the sale of vegetables. During the crisis period, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for vegetables fell by 30%. The population switched to cheaper vegetables. To support producers and consumers world countries governments undertook measures.


Author(s):  
Louis Manzione ◽  
Akram Abuaisheh ◽  
Narendar Sumukadas ◽  
Steve Congden

<p><strong><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em>Abstract</em>—Globalization and rapid changes in modern product development and realization are creating gaps in engineering education systems around the world. The global economy has changed the way that engineering firms design, develop, and produce their products. Companies need to evaluate many options available worldwide, not just locally. The current trends are only likely to continue as the world economy becomes more competitive, interdependent, and characterized by global relationships among supply chain partners.  This paper presents a plan for preparing engineering students for the new global sourcing environments and product realization processes. Infusions of supply chain management and project management skills into the curriculum are recommended, as well as use of university-industry partnerships, course portfolios, and study abroad programs.</span></span></strong></p>


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
L. Manzione ◽  
Akram Ahmad Abu-aisheh ◽  
N. Sumukadas ◽  
S. Congden

Globalization and rapid changes in modern product development and realization are creating gaps in engineering education systems around the world. The global economy has changed the way that engineering firms design, develop, and produce their products. Companies need to evaluate many options available worldwide, not just locally. The current trends are only likely to continue as the world economy becomes more competitive, interdependent, and characterized by global relationships among supply chain partners. This paper presents a plan for preparing engineering students for the new global sourcing environments and product realization processes. Infusions of supply chain management and project management skills into the curriculum are recommended, as well as use of university-industry partnerships, course portfolios, and study abroad programs.


2020 ◽  
pp. 276-289
Author(s):  
Mobina Fathi ◽  
Kimia Vakili ◽  
Niloofar Deravi

Around the end of December 2019, a new beta-coronavirus from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China began to spread rapidly. The new virus, called SARS-CoV-2, which could be transmitted through respiratory droplets, had a range of mild to severe symptoms, from simple cold in some cases to death in others. The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 was named COVID-19 by WHO and has so far killed more people than SARS and MERS. Following the widespread global outbreak of COVID-19, with more than 132758 confirmed cases and 4955 deaths worldwide, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic disease in January 2020. Earlier studies on viral pneumonia epidemics has shown that pregnant women are at greater risk than others. During pregnancy, the pregnant woman is more prone to infectious diseases. Research on both SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, which are pathologically similar to SARS-CoV-2, has shown that being infected with these viruses during pregnancy increases the risk of maternal death, stillbirth, intrauterine growth retardation and, preterm delivery. With the exponential increase in cases of COVID-19 throughout the world, there is a need to understand the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the health of pregnant women, through extrapolation of earlier studies that have been conducted on pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV. There is an urgent need to understand the chance of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from mother to fetus and the possibility of the virus crossing the placental barrier. Additionally, since some viral diseases and antiviral drugs may have a negative impact on the mother and fetus, in which case, pregnant women need special attention for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 151
Author(s):  
Bashir Hadi Abdul Razak

The Arab-Israeli conflict is among the longest and most complex conflicts in the world today, a conflict that transcends borders or a difference of influence. It is a struggle for existence in every sense. Since the establishment of Israel in 1948, one of the regional forces whose political movement is determined by the Arab world has become the result of the internal and external factors and changes that affect it. This entity is hostile to the Arabs, Which would have a negative impact on the regional strategic situation.


Author(s):  
Артур Анатолійович Василенко

UDC 336.74   Vasylenko Artur, post-graduate student. Mariupol State University. Cryptocurrency Phenomenon in the International Monetary System. The main prerequisites of cryptocurrency emergence in the international monetary system in terms of regionalization of the world economy are defined in the article. Determination of «cryptocurrency» category was analysed from the point of two main approaches to its treatment: on the one hand cryptocurrency is admitted to be the currency equally to the sovereign currency, and on the other hand it is considered as an unrecognized virtual asset. The main consequences which arise in case of widespread use of crypto currency for the country and for the parties that agreed to use cryptocurrency were analysed and systematized. On the basis of the research, given the current trends in the world economy, the author put forward and substantiated the hypothesis to classify the phenomenon of cryptocurrency as the effects of a famous philosophical «Negation of negation law» formulated by G. Hegel at the beginning of the XIX century.   Keywords: cryptocurrency, material money, electronic money, digital currency, regional currency integration, blockchain, mining, capitalization, «Negation of negation law».


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