Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/3922

For information on accessing Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management content please contact your Faculty Librarian

Browse

Has files: YesSubject: search.filters.subject.Consultants

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Attributes that Generation Y business students desire in an employee value proposition in management consulting in South Africa
    (2014-01-21) Bhoola, Kavir
    Attracting talented individuals to management consulting firms within a competitive market remains a challenge for many firms. In an environment where a large amount of Generation Y individuals are entering the workplace, tailoring an employee value proposition (EVP) to meet the needs of the market is one of the means of attracting talented individuals to an organisation. This research investigated the attributes that Generation Y business students desire in the EVP of management consulting firms. It also investigated if there is a link between the Generation Y characteristics and selection of EVP attributes. A quantitative approach using surveys was undertaken on 158 students pursuing postgraduate business studies. A qualitative approach with eight experienced management consulting professionals was also undertaken. The findings suggest that „compensation‟, „development opportunities‟, „future career opportunities‟ and „work-life balance‟ are the most desired EVP attributes. Furthermore, there is evidence that Generation Y characteristics are linked to the selection of desirable EVP attributes. The findings of the research are consistent with existing literature on the subject of EVP, despite the differences in age group, geography and target industry.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Knowledge Worker attrition within a consulting business in South Africa
    (2014-01-21) Sayers, Brendan Robert
    Knowledge Workers are those employees who use their brains to create intangible value based assets. These assets are contained in the minds of the employees who create them and are lost when employees leave. Thus the ability to retain knowledge workers is recognised as one of the last competitive advantages available to organisations. The purpose of this study is to gain an insight into the causes of knowledge worker attrition. It is only through a thorough understanding of the reasons for attrition, is one able put in place measures to improve staff retention. The case site is an organisation providing a comprehensive range of human resource consulting services to employers throughout South Africa. The organisation has as one of its key objectives, to be the ‘employer of choice’ within their industry. Whilst the company has made some progress in addressing their staff retention rate, from forty seven percent in 2008, to approximately seventy percent by 2011, managements objective was to improve retention to eight five percent. A qualitative methodology was used for this research in the form of a single site case study. The researcher collected data by selecting a sample of eight individuals who voluntarily left the organisation within the preceding two years and then perusing their exit interviews and conducting semi-structured interviews with them. It was found that not paying market related pay was the primary reason for staff leaving the organisation. Thereafter contributing factors leading to staff turn-over was inadequate managerial competencies and not affording employees the opportunity for personal and career development
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The roles of engineering consultants in the southern African power sector
    (2014-01-21) Moodley, Dinesh Pithambaram
    Historically, a main theme behind the roles of engineering consultants has been the constant adaptation to the progressive requirements of their clients. It therefore stands that the roles of engineering consultants require constant reevaluation to ensure that they are up to date with clients’ needs today. This study, based in the context of southern African power systems, aims to identify and evaluate the key roles required from engineering consultants. An online and paper survey was presented to clients, of engineering consultants, to evaluate the extent to which they have; currently, and intend to use, the services of engineering consultants in key roles. The study statistically compared the current and intended uses of 22 roles using the technique of depended t-tests and non-parametric related tests. These tests revealed statistically significant positive differences between the current and intended uses of consultants in all roles, each of which indicated greater intended future use. The study found that while the traditional roles, like specialist ability and accountability, were not being threatened, roles which were considered new to the field were growing at a higher rate. In addition, while clients indicated higher overall use of consultants in future, public sector clients revealed higher use than private clients. In summary, advisory and technical roles remain key for clients in the short term, however, staff issues such as retention and training are growing concerns for clients which need to be addressed by consultants. The trend reveals engineering consultants requiring the establishment of a more holistic, customer oriented approach to serving client needs
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    STORYTELLING AND KEY MANAGEMENT MESSAGES IN A SOUTH AFRICAN CONSULTING FIRM
    (2012-10-08) Pascoe, Allen
    The art of storytelling is an age-old phenomenon used in many situations and settings to convey allegoric and metaphoric messages to a myriad of audiences in various forms and genres (Parkinson, 2001). Understanding the intricacies of this art form more deeply assists the storyteller in identifying the preferred mode of delivery, content to the storyline and potential audience receptiveness. The challenge for any organisation is its ability to harness the power and value of effective communication with its staff in a way that ensures optimum organisational effectiveness (Gardner, 1999). This study adopted an action research model to explore the use of storytelling within a South African consulting firm that normally utilises more conventional and formalised communication methods. The research sets out to explore the effectiveness of the use of storytelling in such a formally structured environment and whether the use of an allegoric and metaphoric story in fact heightens awareness within the target audience. The findings show that even in the typical and formal environments of high powered consulting, there is room for storytelling as an alternate method to formal communication. It not only confirms the effectiveness of storytelling in creating awareness within the audience, but also proves that it facilitates the articulation of the original message intended by the storyteller. The research conducted in the action learning intervention indicates storytelling to be the chosen form of communication by both the staff and management team on the unit. The implications of the positive response obtained during the study will require that management become more accustomed and trained in the use of storytelling in their approach to communication. Different scenarios require different approaches and there is no wrong and no right way of approaching these.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Drivers of Customer Equity
    (2011-06-22) Simon, Sumoj
    This research report aims to define the drivers of Customer Equity in the South African Consulting industry. The Driver Model of Customer Equity was used to formulate this research. This report uses a supply-side qualitative survey, and a demand-side quantitative survey to test if the propositions put forward from the literature review and the qualitative survey held true. The identification of the drivers was done through the literature review, and the qualitative survey that was conducted among the suppliers of management consulting services. Five supply-side managers and senior practitioners within consulting firms were used in the qualitative round; the research instrument was a semi-structured interview. The quantitative survey was designed to elicit demand-side responses about what customers considered as important in choosing a consulting firm. The quantitative survey had 36 respondents. The responses to the quantitative questionnaire were tested using a distribution fitting approach and exploratory factor analysis. The distribution fitting approach found the following attributes within the drivers of customer equity to be significantly important: Value Equity - the quality of services rendered; Brand Equity – the customer’s perception of brand ethics, based on the sub-drivers of ethical behaviour and the high regard received from the community/ society; Industry Specific Drivers – the ability to deliver based on a proven track record of successful delivery, as well as the knowledge and intellectual capability of the firm, based on the drivers of intellectual ability and having the right calibre of people to get the job done. The exploratory factor analysis helped to show the interdependent relationships among the variables in the quantitative questionnaire and the underlying constructs that existed in the responses. The factor analysis resulted in a 5- factor solution. The factors obtained were described as: Familiarity, Value, Low-risk, Brand and Retention or Prior experience based purchase decisions
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Managing the Performance of Consulting Engineers within a Multi-Project Environment in South Africa
    (2011-04-19) Theron, Erik
    The performance of consulting engineers in large South African firms who work on more than one project simultaneously – each project with its own project team, different client, and scope of work, quality, budget and time constrains – is driven by their motivation in the work place. An increase in the performance of the consulting engineers results in more successful projects and therefore more successful clients. The objective of this research study was to improve the performance of consulting engineers operating within a multi-project environment in large engineering consulting firms in South Africa through determining and managing the key factors that influence their performance. The concepts consulting engineer, consulting firm and multi-project environment were defined and characterised and the factors that affect their performance, as described in the literature, were presented as propositions. Consulting engineers from the twenty largest CESA (Consulting Engineers South Africa) registered consulting firms responded to a questionnaire by rating performance-related manifest/measurable variables and also suggesting additional factors affecting their performance. The exploratory factor analysis done on the qualitative data revealed that the performance is managed by having excess specialist capacity, having a clever and strategic reward system, letting consulting engineers experience leadership, managing the workload and knowledge through alignment to organisation vision, creating an optimal working environment and enforcing group work where knowledge is shared. The consulting engineers suggested that the client and social involvement also influence their performance and these factors could be managed. No correlation existed between the actual factors affecting the performance of consulting engineers and the number of years of experience, the engineering discipline or the management position. Knowing and understanding the actual factors, they could be utilised in managing the performance of the consulting engineers that will lead to increased client‟s satisfaction.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Planning consultant led organisational change
    (2011-04-05) Dohmen, Tammy
    The contracting of consultancies to lead the implementation of many organisational change projects in the South African public sector has not always led to the successful implementation of these projects. Seeing as the planning process plays a critical role in determining project success, the research was aimed at establishing ways of improving the planning of consultant led organisational change projects in the South African public sector. From a public sector client perspective the key research findings amount to the need for the pro-active management of the consulting relationship and deliverables by the client. From a consultant’s perspective the key research findings amount to the development of a project solution and implementation plan that meets the client’s requirements and can deliver on what it promises. In terms of overall project planning approaches and methodologies, it was found that improvement opportunities do not lie in the implementation of radical new approaches in project management, but rather the disciplined implementation of basic project management principles, processes and methodologies, particularly focusing on the following six main areas; a) obtaining an understanding of the client’s unique environment; b) clarifying and agreeing relevant and realistic project outcomes; c) the formulation of relevant and realistic project plans; d) the establishment of an optimal project team and support structures for the team; e) planning for sustainability; and f) the establishment of project governance frameworks