3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Feasibility assessment of projects for risk of failure: how feasibility assessment are done for infrastructure projects(2019) Smith, Ronald GeorgeAvoiding project failure is a concern within the discipline of project planning and management. Feasibility assessment is a front-end process used in project planning to analyse risks and avoid failure. The aim was to explore how feasibility assessments for large infrastructure development projects are conducted and the extent to which risk of failure is recognised. Literature review established theory and definition of feasibility assessment as applied to projects. Two cases of large scale infrastructure development projects in South Africa were investigated to compare different approaches of how feasibility assessments are conducted. Methodology was a combination of direct observation, interviews and analysis of documents collected from the case studies. The predominant risk factor recognised by expert feasibility assessors in both cases was found to be perception of risk itself. Questions asked of the experts are designed to lead to a confirmation that the project could go ahead. The questions do not necessarily ask opinion on whether the project should go ahead. Comparison of the cases showed that the process of feasibility assessment was driven by each assessing firm’s own interpretation of the purpose and objective of feasibility assessment. Overall, the study confirms that the feasibility assessment process is useful as a way for project managers to recognise risk of failure before deciding to proceed with a project. However, the process depends on each assessor’s own interpretation of the definition of feasibility assessment and its purpose. Further research is suggested into the distinction between the reasons justifying why a feasibility assessment was not done, and the reasons why feasibility assessment was not considered for a projectItem ICT infrastructure investment and economic growth in South Africa(2019) Matlou, LebogangThe main goal of this study was to analyse the causal relationship between ICT infrastructure investment and economic growth in South Africa. It held the hypothesis that ICT infrastructure investment positively affected economic growth. Additionally, it also sought to test if economic growth, in turn had a positive impact on ICT infrastructure investment (bi-directionality of the relationship between ICT infrastructure investment and economic growth). Several regression models have been used to test this relationship and the study used Perkins’ model (2005 & 2010) to identify variables that affected economic growth alongside ICT infrastructure investment. These were Gross Fixed Capital Formation, real exchange rate, the Human Development Index and openness of trade. The study relied on ICT investment data from WITSA from the period between 1992 and 2013. GDP, openness and real exchange rate data was obtained from the South African Reserve Bank. A time series analysis approached was applied in testing the hypothesis of the existence of the above relationship. Procedural tests that were applied were the Augmented Dickey Fuller test and the Philip Peron test to test for stationarity. Data was transformed into stationarity and the Johansen’s co-integration test was conducted to test for co-integration. It was noted that the variables co-integrated indicating a long term positive relationship between ICT investments and GDP. The Granger Causality tests conducted revealed that ICT was the Granger cause of GDP, GFCF, Openness of Trade and real exchange rate .GDP was not a Granger cause of ICT investment and therefore there was no bi-directionality in the relationship. The study recommended ICT investment incentivisation, the removal of ICT investment barriers and ICT research, education and training to bolster ICT infrastructure investment as this will translate to economic growth for South Africa.Item Nature of client team structure and role of the client team leader in two successful infrastructure programmes(2018) Mosaleisi, TsholofeloABSTRACT The role of the client is critical in successful infrastructure project delivery. This requires the appointment of an experienced and capable client team to lead and oversee infrastructure programmes or projects. A number of professionals often work in a client’s project management team and play various roles. While textbooks may identify some of the professionals and their roles, little empirical research has been conducted on the structure of such client teams and the critical role of the client’s team leader in leading the infrastructure delivery process and managing the whole professional team to perform their roles successfully and deliver the project to achieve the intended objectives and value for money. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the nature of the team structure in each case and how the client’s project team leader performed his role to ensure successful delivery of the infrastructure programmes. Data collection was undertaken through semi-structured interviews with eight (8) members of the team, documentary analyses and listening to one detailed presentation by three key members of the client’s team including the client team leader and the client himself. Based on the results of the work, successful delivery of infrastructure project requires a client team that is structured in a hierarchical manner in terms of reporting lines, but has flexible interaction between members of the team. Although there was a clear hierarchy, various team members referred to structure of the team as ‘’Flat structure’’ this implies that although there was a hierarchy in terms of leadership and membership of the team, they operated much as equals within the team. In relation to the role of the client’s team leader, it was found that project decisions and actions are driven by the values and interests of the client. The client’s team leader viewed his primary role to be ‘unblocking obstacles to progress’ and ‘demand management’ of inputs from everyone in the supply chain. The qualitative data showed one possible relationship between the team structure, role of the client tem leader, and project outcomes – the role and performance of the leader is a critical determinant of successful project outcomes. In conclusion, the main contribution of this study lies in the use of a comprehensive methodology to develop a systematic understanding of the contemporary structure of a client’s infrastructure project delivery team; and the critical elements of the role of the delivery manager entrusted with the responsibility to lead the client’s team and deliver the intended objectives of the infrastructure programme or project.Item State capacity in the provision of services in Sedibeng district municipality(2016-10-10) Marule, Innocentia NtomboxoloThis thesis was designed to examine the South African state’s capacity in the provision of basic services. State capacity is defined as the ability of the political system to enforce rules and deliver services. This reinforcement of control by the state over persons and resources within governments is critical for the performance of a political system. State capacity is therefore vital in ensuring that the provision of basic services is satisfactory and sustainable so as to optimise client satisfaction. Sedibeng is a District Municipality in one of the nine South African provinces called Gauteng Province. In spite of its rich and enduring political history and heavy industry, the situation in Sedibeng is partly attributable to the lack of adequate skills capacity with which to drive service delivery in the area. Within this context, this investigation sought to explore the role of state capacity in the provision of basic services to citizens at local government level by focusing on three local municipalities: Emfuleni, Midvaal and Lesedi. The research was underpinned by four inter-related and mutually reinforcing concepts positioned within the context of local government, namely skills capacity-building, leadership and governance, performance management and service delivery. This conceptual framework was based on the assumption that skills capacity-building is a catalyst or enabler in enhancing leadership, governance and the overall performance of organisations. A qualitative research approach through interviews, focus groups and document analysis was adopted. The researcher also used a case study design and its advantage is that, apart from it enabling understanding of the contextual issues impacting skills capacity-building, it also provided an ideal opportunity for the researcher to tap into the vast municipal experiences of Emfuleni, Midvaal and Lesedi. Of importance was the contribution of executive managers, senior managers and ward councillors regarding the state of skills capacity, the process followed to implement skills capacity and to learn whether skills capacity efforts have been used to improve employee performance in the provision of service. From the cross-case analysis involving the three municipalities, it emerged that despite the common difficulties encountered in organisational culture, resource for capacity-building initiatives, recruitment, selection and retention strategies and aligning skills capacity with the municipal strategic direction, the skills capacity-building initiatives were being implemented with some degree of success. The findings of the study concluded that although there had been significant progress in the implementation of skills capacity-building programmes in Emfuleni, Midvaal and Lesedi, it is not clear whether these training initiatives were producing the desired outputs across Sedibeng’s three municipalities as a step to provide and improve service delivery, as the scope, intensity and sustainability of these efforts varied markedly across the three local municipalities. The investigation also revealed that there was no evidence of monitoring and evaluation with intense feedback and review of the progress made through skills capacity-building. Further findings were the loss of skilled and highly experienced employees and managers, which undermined the organisational memory which is critical for strategic planning and effective service delivery in any institution. Even though the researcher had assumed that skills capacity-building was the most important ingredient in service delivery, the findings of the study revealed that training is not the only important variable needed to improve service delivery in local municipalities. Other crucial variables include the alignment of training with performance management, career management, reward systems, skills transfer, employee welfare and retention strategy for the protection and preservation of organisational memory. The study concludes that learning provides the intellectual basis which stimulates the impetus for effective and sustainable organisational memory, which in turn plays a key role in facilitating strategic planning, skills formation, staff motivation and retention to improve service delivery. This learning emphasises the important consideration to locate the problematic of organisational memory towards possible improvement of service delivery where skills capacity and other related factors play a major role. The contribution of this thesis to the body of knowledge is underpinned by the interface between learning and organisational memory as surfacing beyond skills capacity and as a necessity to enhance service delivery in municipalities.Item Financial analysis of the capital debt funding facilities available to municipalities in South Africa(2016) Sebapadi, Adelaide MaphuthiThe issue of service delivery in South Africa has been one of the main priorities for the post-apartheid government since 1994. Local government, through municipalities, has been tasked with the provision of services to citizens. In order to achieve this, the municipalities need to invest in massive infrastructure, both to address the infrastructure backlog inherited from under-investment in previously black communities as well as infrastructure to support economic growth and development across the full breath of the Republic. Based on the revenues available from own sources and intergovernmental transfers, municipalities are unable to meet their constitutional mandate and this creates an area of participation for the private sector. Access to capital markets becomes an important source of funding that municipalities, in addition to borrowing from financial institutions such as banks, should aggressively pursue. This is an area that the metropolitan municipalities in particular, should prioritise as they are in a better position to exploit, than the smaller and less-resources local municipalities. Government can then focus on finding innovative ways of reining in the local municipalities, in as far as accessing capital markets.