Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management (ETDs)

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Start date: 2020End date: 2024Subject: search.filters.subject.SDG-9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 239
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    The Strategic responses to AI advancements of South African Banks
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Ndamase, Lazola
    The rise of AI within the South African banking sector is significantly transforming operational processes, improving customer experiences, and redefining the roles of employees in banks. This research looks at the methods used by banks when implementing AI, the operational changes resulting from the adoption of artificial intelligence, the advantages and challenges encountered, and the consequences for workforce transformation. Qualitative research was used to gather data through interviews with professionals working in the South African banking sector. The findings in this research show that artificial intelligence has improved fraud detection, predictive analytics, and compliance processes. While also helping with personalized customer experiences via tools like chatbots and virtual assistants. Operational changes include process automation and the use of self-service platforms, which improve efficiency and customer satisfaction. However, these advancements also introduce some challenges associated with integrating these AI tools with legacy systems and addressing cybersecurity risks. The study further shows the changing dynamics of the workforce, highlighting the importance of upskilling and reskilling initiatives to address skill gaps and navigate employee resistance to change. This research highlights the need of balancing technological innovation with strategic workforce adaptation to achieve sustainable development and provides an insightful examination of the transformative influence of AI in the banking sector. The findings enhance understanding of AI's influence on the banking sector and provide actionable advice for its effective integration
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    The impact of digital transformation in the South African ICT Telecoms industry Student name: Nompumelelo Mnguni
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mnguni, Nompumelelo; Maier, Christoph
    This study aimed to explore how digital transformation impacts the South African ICT Telecoms industry while also determining the digital themes involved and the challenges that come with them to see if there is a potential for a competitive advantage. A quantitative survey research method was used to gather data from 123 ICT managers and senior employees of South African telecom companies. The outcome presents insights into the perceived significance of the different digital transformation themes; cloud computing and big data analytics are found to be strategically important. The digital skills gap, together with infrastructure limitations and regulatory challenges, is identified as a critical obstacle. In addition, the present study examines the perceived consequences of digital transformation initiatives on competitiveness in relation to efficiency, customer experience, and innovation. The study contributes to the existing body of literature by providing empirical evidence of the specific challenges and opportunities in the South African ICT Telecoms context that can help policymakers, industry leaders, and ICT professionals navigate the process of digital transformation. The conceptual framework also depicts the digital transformation themes and the mediating factors leading to competitiveness within the South African ICT Telecoms landscape. Last, the survey questions were developed to capture the respondents’ perceptions of the importance of these themes in informing digital transformation initiatives.
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    Evaluating the purchasing intentions of retailers towards cement blenders in Gauteng
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Koopedi, Neo; Ndlela, Thubelihle
    The study investigates the purchasing intentions of retailers towards cement blenders in Gauteng. The study made use of a quantitative research design, utilizing Slovin’s formula to determine the sample size. The gathering of data was conducted via a self-administered online survey which yielded 203 valid responses. The data from the survey was evaluated using various descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing and structural equation modelling. The research objectives were achieved through a quantitative analysis of the survey responses from retail store managers and owners. The major constructs measured were price, brand image, product quality and their influence on purchase intention as the dependent variable. Hypothesis testing was subsequently conducted to explore the relationship between the key variables. The outcomes of the study revealed that brand image and product quality had significantly positive effects on purchase intention, supporting their respective hypotheses along with academic literature. Contrary to scholarly findings, price demonstrated a weak relationship with purchase intention. The hypothesis testing for resulted in a high p-value, suggesting that price was not a significant factor shaping purchase intentions. This suggests that other factors may overshadow price when retail store owners and managers purchase blended cement. These outcomes provide insights on the factors propelling consumer behaviour and the importance of product quality and brand image driving purchase intention in the context of blended cement.
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    Bridging the Innovation Gap for South African Businesses: Exploring the Influence of Leadership Styles on Innovation Management
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Collier, Michael James
    In South Africa, businesses in the private sector continue to face a persistent and globally perceived innovation gap that undermines competitiveness, adaptability, and at a macro level long-term economic growth and sustainability. Despite growing recognition of innovation as a driver of growth, many South African organisations struggle to integrate effective innovation management into their strategic operations. This study investigates the role of leadership in bridging this innovation gap by exploring how transformational and participative leadership styles influence three key areas of innovation management: innovation adoption, fostering a culture of innovation, and ensuring innovation sustainability. The research follows a qualitative, exploratory design, drawing on semi-structured interviews with senior business leaders operating in innovation-driven industries across South Africa. Participants were purposively selected based on their leadership experience and active involvement in strategic innovation initiatives. The study is centred around Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Schein’s Model of Organisational Culture, which together provide insights and a theoretical framework for understanding some elements of leadership’s impact on organisational innovation practices. Findings reveal that both leadership styles contribute significantly to the speed, effectiveness, and sustainability of innovation efforts. Transformational leaders promote vision-driven adoption and strategic alignment, while participative leaders cultivate inclusive innovation cultures that empower employees and enhance innovation adoption. However, a critical gap exists in formal innovation succession planning across most organisations regardless of leadership style at the helm. The study concludes that leadership is a pivotal lever in embedding innovation into organisational DNA. By aligning leadership development with structured innovation governance and orientated towards transformational and participative leadership practices, South African businesses can enhance their resilience, drive economic transformation, and position themselves more competitively in the global innovation landscape.
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    Vehicle-to-grid technology in South Africa’s energy transition
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-01) Ramutla, Machwene Thelma; Saruchera, Fanny
    The energy sector in South Africa has been undergoing a transition to a low carbon economy and a shift in its energy structure. This transition emphasises the need for renewable energy sources and the advancement of new energy vehicles to meet the country's climate change mitigation commitments. Conversely, the growing use of renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs) raises concerns about energy security and the need for increased power generating capacity. Intending to find a solution to the abovementioned concerns, the subject of this study was the role that vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology could play in the energy transition. The theories underpinning this research were the diffusion of innovation and the multi-level perspective. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Thirteen (13) experts purposively selected from the automotive industry, national energy department, regulator and utility, research institution, independent power producers, charging infrastructure provider, and an EV owner participated in this research. According to the study, V2G technology could contribute to South Africa's energy transition in the long run. For the technology to drive a meaningful change, subsidies, local manufacturing of electric vehicles, and consumer-awareness campaigns will be required to encourage investments in EVs and change public perceptions. The study also emphasized the need for public charging infrastructure, affordable EV models, and supportive government policies. Several challenges were identified that may hinder the adoption of this technology. These challenges included the need for an increase in generation capacity to handle EV charging, smart meters for billing purposes, and the inability of the current electricity grid to support V2G. Although the potential of V2G technology is enormous, it requires substantial collaboration between the government and private sector, investment in charging infrastructure, and modernisation of the electricity grid.
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    Technological upgrading and secondary innovation in the South African IT Industry
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-06) Motau, Thabitha; Mzyece, Mjumo
    Information technology (IT) plays a critical role in solving complex business tasks and enabling businesses to provide solutions and services to customers. Most businesses and governments are efficient because of technology. Because of technology, people can connect and communicate around the globe faster than they could during the days of letters. IT can enable a country, businesses, and society to adapt to changes around them. For a country that is afflicted by many challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and health care challenges, IT can resolve these challenges using technology in a way that will have a positive impact on the South African economy. Due to globalisation, South Africa now forms part of the global economy and relies on IT to participate and compete in this global market. For several years, South Africa has been ranked as the most technologically advanced and innovative country in Sub-Saharan African region by The Global Competitiveness Report (GCR). The purpose of this report is to explore how South African IT companies have used imported technology to achieved higher levels of technological capabilities enabling the companies to develop endogenous innovation and sustainable economic growth which has resulted in the high ratings by the GCR. Empirical research was conducted focusing on two South African IT companies. The study was conducted using semi-structured interviews consisting of managing directors and chief executive officers of these two companies focusing on market entry strategy, value proposition, business model innovation (BMI) and technological paradigms and future growth plans. An industry expert was also interviewed as the third source of data collection to achieve triangulation. The key findings of the study based on the data collected from the two companies and the industry expert, are that the South African IT companies have achieved technological upgrading that has produced endogenous innovation specific to certain industries with a focus on business model innovation. South African IT companies have strategically employed BMI as a valuable tool, allowing SMEs to navigate the trade-off between innovation costs and benefits. BMI involves the creation, delivery, and capture of new value by designing innovative products or services tailored to meet unmet local customer needs. This may include process innovation for enhanced efficiency, optimising product distribution, integrating new technologies, reconfiguring existing activities, providing managed services for day-to-day support, and exploring new partnerships. The emergence of new technologies has presented opportunities for novel partnerships and the redefinition of existing process and business model architectures. This adaptive approach is crucial for maintaining competitiveness in the market. Furthermore, the integration of emerging technologies serves as an avenue for capturing new customers and fostering the growth of new IT start-ups. This report presents a detailed account of strategies followed by the two case studies to build technological capabilities to produce endogenous innovation.
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    Exploring the digital divide in underserved communities in rural Mpumalanga, South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Shandukani, Linda; Magida, Ayanda
    This research report explored the digital divide in underserved communities in rural Mpumalanga, South Africa, focusing on how owning a smartphone can help bridge the gap. Despite the widespread use of digital technology, financial constraints and limited digital literacy continue to create disparities, especially among marginalised populations. The study employed a qualitative research design, primarily through eight in- depth interviews, to explore how smartphones can impact digital inclusion and overall quality of life in these communities. The findings reveal a digital divide, particularly among young Black individuals, due to barriers in smartphone and internet accessibility. While ease of access to technology can enhance social and economic capital, challenges such as pricing and infrastructure limitations exacerbate disparities, perpetuating cycles of poverty and marginalisation.
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    The impact of the use of e-Commerce on customer experience for retail in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Naidoo, Jaroshen; Mudau, Thanyani Norman
    e-Commerce systems are rapidly changing how individuals shop, and they have provided many retail stores in South Africa with a new sales channel to service customers. With many organisations heavily investing in e-Commerce systems, the need to have end users adopting e-Commerce is vital for the success of the future of e-Commerce. Two areas that need to be examined include how customers currently use e-commerce systems and how e-Commerce use impacts customer experience. To understand the challenges, factors influencing e-commerce usage and its impact on customer experience were investigated. This study distinguished between basic and advanced utilisation of e-commerce systems. To understand the research objectives identified, an extended version of the Delone and Mclean IS Success model has been adapted to the study, which has been modelled as an e-Commerce IS success model. The factors influencing the advanced use of e-Commerce systems include information, system, and service quality. With e-Commerce being split into basic and advanced use, advanced use was focused on understanding how it affects customer experience. This data was collected through a survey distributed to end users of e-Commerce over LinkedIn. 159 respondents(n=159) provided insights into the factors, which included Information quality, system quality, service quality, basic use, advanced use, user satisfaction, customer experience and data quality. However, data quality was a factor that dropped during the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), which was done through SPSS and AMOS. The research showed strong relationships between information quality and advanced use, system quality and advanced use, and service quality and advanced use. This confirmed the first objective of understanding the factors that impact the advanced use of e-Commerce systems in retail in South Africa. The next major result showed that advanced use had a higher coefficient to the basic viii uses relationship towards customer experience, and this translated to end users wanting to make use of the advanced features of e-Commerce systems to make decision-making and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) easier to achieve. In the findings, numerous contributions have been made, which include the factors that impact the basic and advanced use of e-Commerce systems. The effects of the basic and advanced use on customer experience and user satisfaction, which did not previously exist within the e-Commerce space, are also contributions identified in this study. Overall, this study helps organisations understand what end users and customers would want to use when using e- Commerce platforms in terms of features and how customer experience can be influenced by new technologies and features introduced into the e-Commerce system for retail in South Africa.
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    The influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on personalised learning in the workplace
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Msimang, Siphamandla; Alagbaoso, Manessah
    This study investigates the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on personalised learning in the workplace, set within the rapidly evolving landscape of digital technology integration in organisational learning strategies and environments. Addressing the gap in literature regarding AI's role in enhancing workplace learning experiences, this research utilises the Technology- Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework and Senge's Learning Organisation theory as its conceptual underpinnings. Through a quantitative methodology, data was collected from 391 participants across various industries via an AI-powered chatbot survey interface, focusing on employees' engagement in self-directed learning activities, perceptions of AI-enhanced personalised learning, and the factors influencing their engagement in workplace learning. The study reveals that employees perceive AI as an enhancer of personalised learning experiences in the workplace, with its adoption being significantly influenced by factors such as technological compatibility, organisational support, and a conducive regulatory environment. The findings offer an understanding of the multifaceted nature of AI in enhancing personalised learning experiences in the workplace, providing insights for future strategies and implementations in this evolving field. The conclusion draws attention to the transformative potential of AI in enhancing personalised learning within the workplace, advocating for its strategic integration to fully leverage its benefits. By aligning AI-driven learning tools with organisational cultures that prioritize continuous learning, organisations can significantly improve employee engagement, skills development, and ultimately, their competitive advantage in the digital era.
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    Perceptions on the adoption or use of waste to energy (WtE) technologies among waste managers in Gauteng
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mokgolobotho, Ingrid Konkong; Ngubevana, Lwazi
    The Gauteng Province, increase in population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation and economic activity has resulted in increased amounts of generated municipal solid waste (MSW). There are concerns about landfill airspace depletion, energy poverty, environmental concerns that create greenhouse gases, air pollution and water contamination. The province also requires electricity to keep its economic activity functional, while providing its citizens with electricity. The research is a qualitative study, with the purpose of understanding how waste managers in the waste industry perceive the adoption or use of waste to energy (WtE) technologies in Gauteng. Semi-qualitative interviews were held, face-to-face and on Microsoft Teams. The sample chosen were waste managers who were knowledgeable on the research topic. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data from the semi-qualitative interviews. Data triangulation was used to establish the credibility/validity of the interview findings. The findings in the study from the semi-qualitative interviews and literature review were aligned with regards to the role waste managers’ play in procuring waste to energy technologies as well as the benefits on the uptake of WtE technologies, which are improved waste management practices, less environmental challenges and the introduction of new revenue streams. Waste managers are also viewed as researchers, collaborators and educators. The study found that some of the factors that influence the perceived ease of use as well as perceived usefulness of WtE technologies include the feasibility and affordability of these technologies, access to finance, the availability of technical, training and skills transfer, potential employment opportunities and the need to diversify the energy supply iii The challenges observed by the participants were the lack of stakeholder engagement and sufficient education, lack of adequate legislature and poor governance as well as lack of access to capital. The enablers were noted as equipment tax returns, introduce landfill tax, high landfill entry gates, energy sales, carbon credits as well as educating and involving all waste generators and recyclers. To attract investors, participants noted that there should be transparency and simplified contracts, having relevant collaborations, the need for grants and assurance on return on investment