Opportunities for growth in the Namibian automotive industry

Abstract

The manufacturing industry in Namibia faces several constraints impeding the establishment of an automotive manufacturing industry able to imitate the success of the automotive industry in South Africa. This study aimed to improve understanding and need of development of the domestic automotive industry of a developing country like Namibia into bordering regions. The research focused on the growth of Namibia’s automotive component manufacturing base by linking it to the automotive supply chain in South Africa. The research also focused on the factors constraining the growth of the automotive industry in Namibia. This research attempts to enhance the field of business management in general. In this endeavour, this study’s research contribution in regard to general business management is in the field of strategic management and, more specifically, the sub discipline of supply chain management. Growth theories and models covered in this research include Porter’s Model on Competitiveness of Nations, Porter’s Country and International Competitiveness, Peng’s Model of Country Competitiveness, Porter’s Diamond Model, and Porter’s Model on Industry Clusters. The study used a mixed method of research. A quantitative, structured questionnaire was applied to 136 individuals with expertise and notable experience of the automotive industry in Namibia and South Africa. The qualitative research consisted of 20 face to-face in-depth interviews conducted with others in the same target population. Descriptive and inferential data analyses were employed to assess respondents’ data. The implications from the findings of this research are twofold. The lessons drawn from this study can contribute to an investor-friendly regulatory foundation that will support the development and implementation of policies to establish a viable automotive manufacturing industry in Namibia as well as how a developing automotive industry in Namibia can benefit from being part of the South African automotive supply chain. This research underscored public policy as a crucial driver of the growth of manufacturing industries and benefits for a developing automotive industry of taking part in the regional supply chains of major automotive manufacturing hubs.

Die vervaardigingsbedryf in Namibië ervaar verskeie beperkings wat die vestiging van ’n motorvervaardigingsbedryf wat in staat is om die sukses van die motorbedryf in Suid-Afrika na te boots, nadelig raak. Hierdie studie is daarop gerig om begrip vir die behoefte aan die ontwikkeling van die plaaslike motorbedryf in ’n ontwikkelende land soos Namibië en aanliggende streke te verbeter. Hierdie navorsing fokus op die groei van die vervaardiging van motorkomponente in Namibië deur dit aan die voertuigvoorsieningsketting in Suid-Afrika te koppel. Die navorsing fokus ook op die faktore wat die groei van die motorbedryf in Namibië belemmer. Die navorsing poog om die terrein van sakebestuur oor die algemeen te versterk. In hierdie poging is die studie se bydrae ten opsigte van algemene sakebestuur op die terrein van strategiese bestuur en, meer bepaald, die subdissipline van voorsieningskettingbestuur. Groeiteorieë en -modelle wat in hierdie navorsing gedek word, sluit in Porter se Model van die Mededingendheid van State, Porter se Model van Staat- en Internasionale Mededingendheid, Peng se Model van Landmededingendheid, Porter se Diamantmodel, en Porter se Model van Bedryfsklusters. Die studie het ’n gemengde navorsingsmetode gebruik. ’n Kwantitatiewe, gestruktureerde vraelys is op 136 individue met kennis en besondere ervaring van die motorbedryf in Namibië en Suid-Afrika toegepas. Die kwalitatiewe navorsing het bestaan uit 20 indringende onderhoude van aangesig tot aangesig wat met persone in dieselfde teikenpopulasie gevoer is. Beskrywende en afgeleide dataontledings is ingespan om respondente se data te assesseer. Die implikasies van die bevindings van hierdie navorsing is tweeledig. Die lesse wat uit hierdie studie geleer word, kan bydra tot ʼn beleggersvriendelike regulatiewe stigting wat die ontwikkeling en inwerkingstelling van beleide sal ondersteun om ’n lewensvatbare motorvervaardigingsbedryf in Namibië tot stand te bring. Dit dui ook aan hoe ’n ontwikkelende motorbedryf in Namibië voordeel daaruit kan trek om deel van die Suid-Afrikaanse motorvoorsieningsketting te wees. Hierdie navorsing het openbare beleid beklemtoon as ’n belangrike aandrywer van die groei van vervaardigingsbedrywe en voordele vir ’n ontwikkelende motorbedryf deur deelname aan die streeksvoorsieningskettings van groot motorvervaardigingskerns.

Imboni yokukhiqiza eNamibia ibhekene nezingqinamba ezimbalwa ezivimbela ukusungulwa kwemboni yokukhiqiza izimoto ekwazi ukulingisa impumelelo yemboni yezimoto eNingizimu Afrika. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuthuthukisa ukuqonda kanye nesidingo sokuthuthukiswa kwemboni yezimoto yasekhaya yezwe elisathuthuka njengeNamibia libe yizifunda ezisemngceleni. Lolu cwaningo lugxile ekukhuleni kwesizinda sokukhiqiza izimoto saseNamibia ngokusixhumanisa nochungechunge lokuhlinzekwa kwezimoto eNingizimu Afrika. Ucwaningo luphinde lwagxila ezintweni ezivimbela ukukhula kwemboni yezimoto eNamibia. Lolu cwaningo luzama ukuthuthukisa umkhakha wokuphathwa kwebhizinisi jikelele. Kulo mzamo, igalelo lalolu cwaningo lumayelana nokuphathwa kwebhizinisi jikelele lisemkhakheni wokuphatha amasu futhi, ikakhulukazi, igatshana elingaphansi kokuphathwa kokuhlinzekwa kochungechunge. Imibono ethe xaxa ekucwaningeni kocwaningo oluhlanganisa iModeli kaPorter's Yokuncintisana Kwezizwe, Ukuncitisana kweZwe lika Porters kanye Namazwe Ngamazwe, Imodeli kaPeng Yokuncitisana Yezwe, Imodeli Yedayimane kaPorter, kanye neModeli ka Porter's Yamaqoqo Emboni. Ucwaningo lusebenzise indlela exubile yocwaningo. Uhlu lwemibuzo oluningi, oluhlelekile lwasetshenziswa kubantu abayi-136 abanolwazi oluphawulekayo lwemboni yezimoto eNamibia naseNingizimu Afrika. Ucwaningo lwesimo belubandakanya izingxoxo ezijulile ezingama-20 ezenziwa nabanye abantu besibalo esifanayo. Ukuhlaziywa kwedatha okuchazayo nokuncane kuye kwasetshenziswa ukuze kuhlolwe iminingwane yabaphendulayo. Imiphumela evela emiphumeleni yalolu cwaningo ikabili. Izifundo ezithathwe kulolu cwaningo zingaba nomthelela ekwakhiweni kwesisekelo sokulawula esilungele abatshalizimali esizokweseka ukuthuthukiswa kanye nokuqaliswa kwezinqubomgomo zokusungula imboni esebenzayo yokukhiqiza izimoto eNamibia kanye nokuthi imboni yezimoto ethuthukayo eNamibia ingazuza kanjani ngokuba yingxenye yochungechunge lokuhlinzekwa kwezimoto eNingizimu Afrika. Lolu cwaningo lugcizelele inqubomgomo yomphakathi njengomholi obalulekile wokukhula kwezimboni zokukhiqiza kanye nezinzuzo zemboni yezimoto ethuthukayo yokubamba iqhaza kuchungechunge lokuhlinzeka ngezifunda lwezindawo ezinkulu zokukhiqiza izimoto.