Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters/MBA)

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Browsing Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters/MBA) by Author "Armstrong, Brian"

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    Exploring the relationship between the factors of Digital Maturity
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Nkomazana, Joice; Armstrong, Brian
    This study examines the factors that influence digital transformation in South African organizations and explain their hypothesized relationships. Armstrong and Lee (2021), building on and synthesizing existing models of digital maturity, proposed a unified digital maturity model and further proposed a systems digital maturity model to understand these relationships. However, their model has not been directly empirically validated, including in the specific context of South African businesses. Therefore, the extent to which the same questions or factors apply in a South African business context remains assumed. Secondly, while the proposed systems model is intuitively compelling, the relationship between the factors is postulated rather than demonstrated. These factors are not independent, as one might – and in many cases will – impact the other. As a result, there is a lack of studies that disentangles business results from the other factors of digital maturity to see whether these factors can explain the business results. Accordingly, there is a need to examine the relationship between these other factors and business results. The research was quantitative and cross-sectional. An online survey using a self- administered questionnaire was issued to collect data from the sample from the 763 respondents drawn from the student database studying digital business management courses at the Wits Business School during the period 2019 to 2022. The study found out that the majority of the factors of digital maturity have a positive and significant relationship with each other. Moreover, these findings suggest that these factors are crucial to the success of a business, and they contribute to successful digital transformation and business results. However, the study also found a negative and statistically insignificant relationship between organization and governance and workforce enablement and performance, skills and workforce enablement and performance, Information Technology/ Information systems excellence (IT/IS) and workforce enablement and performance and Workforce enablement and performance and business results, whereas Investment and 3 innovation architecture and workforce enablement showed a negative and significant relationship. The implications of this research for managers are to inform practitioners of the significance of digital transformation and the factors that drive it. The study will also assist managers in developing risk management strategies that address the unique challenges digital transformation poses. The study will assist managers in differentiating their organizations from competitors by investing in digital abilities that improve agility, customer service, and innovation
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    An investigation into modes of technological disruption in South African businesses
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Bassa, Nahim Yusuf; Armstrong, Brian
    The term and understanding of disruption remains an engaging and expansive space. Seminal works of literature ranging from Joseph Schumpeter to Clayton Christenson have introduced the concept of technology disruption and its subsequent effects. However, this research has predominately been focused on the pre-digital era. Technology advancements have created tectonic changes in the business world and resulted in a myriad of outcomes in what is being termed the 'era of digital.' To date, the literature on technological disruption in this digital era has been filled through thought-leadership and point-of-view pieces by leading consultancy and professional service organisations and revealed a gap in the theoretical applications of technological disruption in the business world. This study followed a constructivist paradigm and positioned whether technology disruption can be explained in terms of a market engagement, demand, and production disruption model. A purposive sampling method was executed using the researcher’s professional network across a set of 11 interviews. The sample represented an adequate number of male and female respondents, senior executives, mainly over the age of 40, from multiple South African industries, occupying various C-Suite roles. The results of the survey supported the model and the interlinkages between the different technology modes. These findings have implications on how technological change creates disruptive opportunities or threats for firms and how they can take advantage of it. Suggestions for future research are provided.