Wits Business School (ETDs)

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    Combining complexity leadership with operational systems and structures for adaptability in South African private hospitals
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Nel, Karen
    The global healthcare landscape is complex. The South African Government and various other researchers have highlighted the unequal nature of the healthcare system in South Africa. The system is unsustainable and urgently needs substantial transformation in its current form. As set out by the South African Government, introducing universal healthcare coverage for the whole population is a solution. This will, however, significantly impact and change all role- players relatively quickly, especially for private hospitals. The purpose of this study was to critically examine whether private hospitals in South Africa were positioned for adaptability, considering complexity leadership (with concepts: entrepreneurial leadership, operational leadership and enabling leadership) and operational systems and structures (with concepts: agile, lean and leagile), as an approach to deal with the potential changes. A mixed methods study with an explanatory sequential design was utilised where the quantitative results and sample informed the population and questions of the qualitative study. Additionally, the quantitative results' drivers were identified in the qualitative study, namely causal factors, leadership and operational consequences, and aggravating factors. This study confirmed that the leadership displayed in private hospitals and the operational systems and structures implemented in private hospitals were not aligned with complexity leadership and operational systems and structures as defined in the conceptual model of this study. A unique finding was that operational systems and structures in private hospitals had a significantly higher impact on the hospitals' daily management than the leadership displayed in these hospitals. This was especially evident between managers and non-managers and between clinical and non-clinical employees, with non-clinical employees viewing the impact of the operational systems and structures implemented in hospitals as significantly more impactful than the leadership displayed in these hospitals. Furthermore, it was identified that operational leadership and lean systems and structures were the preferred approaches in private hospitals and negatively impacted the display of entrepreneurial leadership and agile systems and structures in these hospitals. Moreover, it was found that exploitative leadership, which is the leadership approach when dealing with old certainties, labelled as operational leadership in the current complexity leadership framework, should be relabelled a administrative-operational leadership in South African private hospitals, as a result of the hierarchical, autocratic culture. Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the leadership displayed and the operational systems and structures that were implemented in these hospitals, it was identified that employees can either experience disruption in a positive light through an adaptive response supported flexibility, or be traumatised by it when management implemented an order response with increased controls. It was conclusively confirmed that private hospitals in South Africa do not regularly display complexity leadership nor implement operational systems and structures as defined in this study's conceptual model. Four recommendations were made that can assist the private hospital industry in becoming more adaptable. The first recommendation is for the industry to implement CL and OSS as defined by the study's conceptual model. This implementation will naturally develop into an adaptive space. The second recommendation is to overcome the disconnect between industry players, head offices and hospitals, and to increase collaboration. Although the adaptive space will impact this recommendation positively, it has to be driven and supported by senior leadership. The third recommendation is to develop a formal industry framework for adaptability in private hospitals. The fourth recommendation is for the implementation of integrated and applied development programmes for leaders and staff at all levels. The programmes will assist everyone to better understand the relationship between CL, OSS, business acumen, and business success
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    Extent of Large-Scale Agile Transformation within Momentum Investments Software Delivery Teams
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Coutinho, Neil Karamagi; Lee, Greg
    Large-scale Agile transformations expand on Agile principles of flexible, speedy, incremental and iterative development by applying these principles on an enterprise level framework. Momentum Investments has been on a multi-year Agile transformation process within its software delivery teams implemented with Scaled Agile Framework for Enterprise (SAFeÒ) as their large-scale Agile framework of choice. For Momentum Investments, it therefore becomes imperative to take stock as to what degree its multiple software delivery teams have benefited from this process. Specifically, from a software quality and software value standpoint to help define the company’s future strategies. A longitudinal quantitative study was performed on multiple years of team project data collected through Momentum Investments internal project management tool. Key metrics investigated were feature and defect density levels, task resolutions times and task priority. Key findings showed that Momentum Investments has realised benefits in terms of task resolution times as well as a marginal improvement in the overall levels of features and defects resolved. However, concerns regarding improvement and refinement of quality assurance processes, task prioritisation and task metrics completeness were revealed. The findings recommend that Momentums Investments should take a more wholistic refinement and improvement approach to quality assurance and testing practices based on the Agile testing matrix. Additionally, economic views and systems thinking should play a more pivotal role in task prioritisation activities. Furthermore, teams should be more accurate and diligent in better recording task metrics for future analysis
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    The impact of organisational governance on team autonomy in large-scale agile projects
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Dhlamini, Bridgette Sebueng; Appiah, Erasmus Kofi
    Traditional software development methods have proven to be ineffective for large- scale projects in the current digital era. This, as well as the complexities of large-scale projects, has exacerbated the need for more and more organisations to adopt agile project methodologies for large-scale projects to keep up with the fast-paced technology landscape. The adoption of agile methodologies can only work if it is supported by organisational structures that enable agile to be effective. These include governance structures and organisational culture that enable continuous rapid delivery of quality software. Team autonomy is key in enabling fast-paced delivery, and there should be alignment between the organisational governance structures and the autonomy of project teams. It is not clear as to what level of autonomy should be afforded to project teams, at the same time ensuring that the project receives the right level of oversight. The research followed a qualitative research approach, and 10 participants who had experience working on agile projects in one of the big banks in South Africa were interviewed. The study found that the lack of team autonomy in large-scale agile projects was due to the organisation’s little to no tolerance for risk and the blaming culture. To change this, the organisation needs to cultivate a learning culture that will allow project teams to learn and grow through their mistakes
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    The influence of agile methodology on digital transformation: the case of a South African bank
    (2021) Daya, Mayur
    This study aimed to analyse the digital maturity level and understand the influence the Agile methodology has on digital transformation at Bank X. A quantitative study was conducted using primary data with a sample of 123 respondents that attempted the survey. Only 82 respondents successfully completed all four sections of the research instrument. An online survey, consisting of 165 questions, adopted a Likert scoring scale to capture the respondents' feedback. Linear regression, Spearman's Rho, descriptive statistical analysis, the MannWhitney test, the correlation test, and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test were used to analyse the data. The study found that no statistical differences were observed in the view of the impact of agile on digital transformation between the management and non-management groups. A positive correlation between Agile and digital transformation indicated that an increase in the Agile construct has an increasing effect on the digital transformation construct, confirming that Agile influences digital transformation. A further finding was that both Agile and digital maturity statistically significantly predicted the department's digital transformation. Finally, the Wilcoxon SignedRanks test indicated that respondents felt that the department's digital maturity level was higher than the hypothesised maturity level, Stage 3. Based on the digital maturity matrix in Appendix B, the maturity level was less than Stage 4; hence, a maturity level of Stage 3 has been assumed. The study verified that the department has adopted an Agile methodology; however, to attain an elevated digital maturity level, it is recommended that data still needs to be used efficiently to obtain valuable insights for targeted marketing, decision making and the generation of new value streams. It is further recommended that business processes are continuously reviewed, and management needs to be encouraged to take risks that do not have any associated reputational risks. The study's results are significant as they could assist the leadership team to achieve an enhanced digital maturity level with each Agile iteration.
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    The influence of Agile methodology on digital transformation: the case of the South African bank
    (2021) Daya, Mayur
    This study aimed to analyse the digital maturity level and understand the influence the Agile methodology has on digital transformation at Bank X. A quantitative study was conducted using primary data with a sample of 123 respondents that attempted the survey. Only 82 respondents successfully completed all four sections of the research instrument. An online survey, consisting of 165 questions, adopted a Likert scoring scale to capture the respondents' feedback. Linear regression, Spearman's Rho, descriptive statistical analysis, the Mann-Whitney test, the correlation test, and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test were used to analyse the data. The study found that no statistical differences were observed in the view of the impact of agile on digital transformation between the management and non-management groups. A positive correlation between Agile and digital transformation indicated that an increase in the Agile construct has an increasing effect on the digital transformation construct, confirming that Agile influences digital transformation. A further finding was that both Agile and digital maturity statistically significantly predicted the department's digital transformation. Finally, the Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks test indicated that respondents felt that the department's digital maturity level was higher than the hypothesised maturity level, Stage 3. Based on the digital maturity matrix in Appendix B, the maturity level was less than Stage 4; hence, a maturity level of Stage 3 has been assumed. The study verified that the department has adopted an Agile methodology; however, to attain an elevated digital maturity level, it is recommended that data still needs to be used efficiently to obtain valuable insights for targeted marketing, decision making and the generation of new value streams. It is further recommended that business processes are continuously reviewed, and management needs to be encouraged to take risks that do not have any associated reputational risks. The study's results are significant as they could assist the leadership team to achieve an enhanced digital maturity level with each Agile iteration