The key drivers of grain commodity prices in South Africa: a market intelligence approach
- Mbhele, Dadewabo Babongile Pearl
- Authors: Mbhele, Dadewabo Babongile Pearl
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Marketing research -- South Africa , Commodity exchanges -- South Africa Grain -- Economic aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22725 , vital:30068
- Description: Grain forms a staple part of the majority of the global populations’ diets and it is used a raw material for animal feed in many countries. The envisaged increase in population in years to come can be expected to increase the demand of grain globally. Grain production is expected to fulfil energy requirements since developed countries are increasingly utilising grain as an alternative energy source to reduce the negative environmental effects caused by energy derived from fossil fuels. The grain value chain in South Africa consists of grain producers, input suppliers, millers and processors, as well as traders and speculators. The majority of the grain producers in South Africa are commercial farmers who play an important role in the economy of the country. South Africa trades their grain commodities on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange where grain prices are controlled by different social, economic and political factors. This gives rise to grain commodity price volatility because of its sensitivity to market changes. This study focuses on the difficulty faced by the grain producers and stakeholders in the value chain, like traders and speculators, who are exposed to price related risks as a result of the volatility of the grain commodity. It presents the current mitigation strategies that are available to hedge against these risks. Research shows that the current mitigation strategies are not being fully utilised by the grain producers because of their lack of skills and the time to search through and make sense of the datasets on the abundance of factors that influence the grain commodities market. This study presents a market intelligence approach as a solution to the grain volatility price risk. Market intelligence is utilised to enable the prediction of grain prices and to discover the factors that are driving the market at different periods. This is achieved by utilising neural networks and relative importance statistical techniques. In this study, it was found that the impact of the different factors changes from time to time. It proposed a technique for making sense of the changes in the prices of grain commodities. A framework for the implementation of market intelligence to mitigate against price volatility risks is proposed as an output of this study. The impact of the findings of this study to the grain producers and stakeholders in the value chain is that they can have insight on which factor is driving the market at a given period. This would enable then to adjust their activities and enable increased profitability.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Mbhele, Dadewabo Babongile Pearl
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Marketing research -- South Africa , Commodity exchanges -- South Africa Grain -- Economic aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22725 , vital:30068
- Description: Grain forms a staple part of the majority of the global populations’ diets and it is used a raw material for animal feed in many countries. The envisaged increase in population in years to come can be expected to increase the demand of grain globally. Grain production is expected to fulfil energy requirements since developed countries are increasingly utilising grain as an alternative energy source to reduce the negative environmental effects caused by energy derived from fossil fuels. The grain value chain in South Africa consists of grain producers, input suppliers, millers and processors, as well as traders and speculators. The majority of the grain producers in South Africa are commercial farmers who play an important role in the economy of the country. South Africa trades their grain commodities on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange where grain prices are controlled by different social, economic and political factors. This gives rise to grain commodity price volatility because of its sensitivity to market changes. This study focuses on the difficulty faced by the grain producers and stakeholders in the value chain, like traders and speculators, who are exposed to price related risks as a result of the volatility of the grain commodity. It presents the current mitigation strategies that are available to hedge against these risks. Research shows that the current mitigation strategies are not being fully utilised by the grain producers because of their lack of skills and the time to search through and make sense of the datasets on the abundance of factors that influence the grain commodities market. This study presents a market intelligence approach as a solution to the grain volatility price risk. Market intelligence is utilised to enable the prediction of grain prices and to discover the factors that are driving the market at different periods. This is achieved by utilising neural networks and relative importance statistical techniques. In this study, it was found that the impact of the different factors changes from time to time. It proposed a technique for making sense of the changes in the prices of grain commodities. A framework for the implementation of market intelligence to mitigate against price volatility risks is proposed as an output of this study. The impact of the findings of this study to the grain producers and stakeholders in the value chain is that they can have insight on which factor is driving the market at a given period. This would enable then to adjust their activities and enable increased profitability.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
The development of effective promotional strategies to market public FET/Technical Colleges in the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Gaika, Nandipha Gloria
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Business Management , Marketing research -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10940 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1006191 , Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Business Management , Marketing research -- South Africa
- Description: Education is a powerful and pervasive agent of change. Therefore, it is the key to unlock the doors to development and modernisation. Currently, business and communities knowledge very little about what the FET/Technical College is offering and its importance to the society as whole. Therefore there is a great need to market the technical sector so that the community is knowledgeable about the FET/Technical Colleges. The research conducted focuses on which promotional strategies are effective in marketing the FET Colleges. In order to make technical college students marketable it is necessary to market the institutions effectively so that all the stakeholders can be aware of what technical colleges can offer. Because of high competition in this industry, it is of vital importance not to be out-marketed by competitors by keeping abreast of new trends in promotional strategies. In order to obtain more relevant information about promotional strategies a literature study was conducted to develop a questionnaire to survey the importance of promotional strategies and determine which promotional strategies are being used by the FET Colleges. The East-London, Queenstown and Ezibeleni Public FET Colleges form the respondents. From each college five academic staff, two management members and five students formed the respondents. Community members, business community members, the Department of Education and the Department of Labour representatives were also included in the sample from each of the selected FET Colleges. The findings of the survey revealed the high level of agreement in terms of the importance of the promotional strategies identified in the literature study with the exception of some promotional strategies, which were identified as not compatible with the FET target market. The study recommended that further research be done on a larger sample size focusing on particular stakeholders eg. students of the FET Colleges in a specific area.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2002
- Authors: Gaika, Nandipha Gloria
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Business Management , Marketing research -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10940 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1006191 , Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Business Management , Marketing research -- South Africa
- Description: Education is a powerful and pervasive agent of change. Therefore, it is the key to unlock the doors to development and modernisation. Currently, business and communities knowledge very little about what the FET/Technical College is offering and its importance to the society as whole. Therefore there is a great need to market the technical sector so that the community is knowledgeable about the FET/Technical Colleges. The research conducted focuses on which promotional strategies are effective in marketing the FET Colleges. In order to make technical college students marketable it is necessary to market the institutions effectively so that all the stakeholders can be aware of what technical colleges can offer. Because of high competition in this industry, it is of vital importance not to be out-marketed by competitors by keeping abreast of new trends in promotional strategies. In order to obtain more relevant information about promotional strategies a literature study was conducted to develop a questionnaire to survey the importance of promotional strategies and determine which promotional strategies are being used by the FET Colleges. The East-London, Queenstown and Ezibeleni Public FET Colleges form the respondents. From each college five academic staff, two management members and five students formed the respondents. Community members, business community members, the Department of Education and the Department of Labour representatives were also included in the sample from each of the selected FET Colleges. The findings of the survey revealed the high level of agreement in terms of the importance of the promotional strategies identified in the literature study with the exception of some promotional strategies, which were identified as not compatible with the FET target market. The study recommended that further research be done on a larger sample size focusing on particular stakeholders eg. students of the FET Colleges in a specific area.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2002
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