Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters/MBA)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37942

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Robotic Process Automation

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    The process for adopting Robotic Process Automation in the South African Banking Sector
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mongwe, Mamelo Christina; Magida, Ayanda
    The banking industry in South Africa has taken a major step towards digital transformation with the use of Robotic Process Automation (RPA). The goals of this change are to increase operational efficiencies, boost customer service, and preserve competitive advantage in a financial landscape that is changing quickly. This calculated action marks a turning point in the adoption of cutting-edge technologies by South African banks, enabling them to better manage the intricacies of regulatory compliance, cut expenses, and streamline operations. This study explores the use of RPA in South Africa's banking industry, concentrating on the drivers, challenges, and impact of RPA integration in this setting. As the South African banking sector leads the way in adopting digital innovations to improve customer service and operational savings, RPA stands out as a key tool for optimising workflows and cutting expenses. This research adopted a qualitative research method, including semi-structured interviews for data collection, using a purposive sampling technique for participants selection and data analysed using thematic analyses. A total of 10 participants who contribute towards the adoption and implementation of RPA within various banks within South Africa were interviewed. The findings show that organisational culture, legal frameworks, and technology readiness interact intricately to shape RPA initiatives. The study also emphasises how important governance structures and stakeholder participation are in overcoming adoption-related obstacles to RPA. This study broadens the understanding of RPA's role in the financial sector's digital transformation by providing insights into the experiences of South African banks. It also offers recommendations for future research in the subject and consequences for practitioners
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    Demographic influences on employee perceptions of Robotic Process Automation at a South African telecommunications company
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Robertson, Shaun
    This research report investigates the influence of employees’ demographic characteristics on their perceptions of robotic process automation (RPA) in a South African telecommunications company. It uses an exploratory, non- experimental, quantitative research approach and presents and analyses primary data collected through an online survey instrument distributed to a cross-sectional, self-selection sample of employees. The research found that a large majority of employees perceived RPA to be beneficial to themselves and to the business and, were neither for nor against the implementation of RPA, but that they also believed that RPA was not flexible enough to be applied to every business task or process. It was also found that demographics have much less of an influence on employees’ perceptions of RPA than might be expected
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    Factors influencing robotic process automation adoption in the South African insurance industry
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Kunene, Namdipha; Lee, Gregory
    Robotic process automation (RPA) is fast becoming a key instrument in the digital transformation journey of the insurance market. This software technology presents a wide range of benefits to an insurance organisation, from driving operational efficiencies to improving customer experience. However, despite the vast use cases of RPA evidenced in the global insurance market, the South African insurance industry has proven to be a laggard in adopting RPA. In understanding the slow uptake of RPA by SA insurers, it was important to gain insights on RPA adoption from the perspective of RPA vendors as well as South African insurance professionals. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted to investigate the antecedents and factors influencing RPA adoption within the South African insurance industry. This study is based on the exploration of multiple ICT adoption frameworks existing in literature, such as user acceptance models used at an individual level and diffusion theories used at an organisational level adoption. A conceptual framework integrating the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework, diffusion of innovation (DOI) and technology acceptance model (TAM) was created and used to identify the factors. The empirical findings of this study were based on twelve (12) semi-structured interviews conducted with senior managers within the insurance industry and in the RPA vendor space. The study reveals that relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, management support, competition pressures and vendor support were perceived to have a positive influence on the acceptance and adoption of RPA. The study also suggests that strategy and government regulations have a non-significant influence on the adoption of RPA, whereas skills in the organisational context were perceived as a negative influence. Interestingly, two new factors emerged from the thematic analysis conducted: while perceived costs were viewed as a negative influence, change management was perceived as a significantly positive influence on the adoption of RPA within the SA insurance industry. The study provides recommendations to leaders to ensure a seamless RPA adoption process.