Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management (ETDs)

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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    The Adaptation of the Shadow Corpse Belief System for Change Management in Corporate Organisations
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Chazuza, Richard G.; Maier, Christoph
    This thesis examines how the use of an African natural idea and practice, Mumvuri loosely translated in English to the Shadow on the Corpse Belief System can be adapted and used to understand change management in corporate organisations. While the talk of Ubuntu and other African ideas has received a lot of prominence in organisations and academia of its potentially untapped value in management, few to non-existent African ideas and practices are known to realistically permeate and guide management thinking and practices in corporate organisations. This thesis is informed and guided by the interpretive paradigm. It adopted and followed the qualitative approach where the basic interpretive qualitative research design was used. In-depth, semi-structured, open ended and thematised interviews were used to collect data from 35 carefully selected experts that were placed into 3 homogeneous groups. Thematic analysis was used as the data analysis method aided by ATLAS ti version 8 software package, a computer assisted data analysis software package (CAQDAS). The evidence from the research revealed that Mumvuri is a known and commonly practised African socio-cultural belief system. Even though it is rooted in the Karanga ethnic culture of modern day Zimbabwe, its traces are found in other African cultures. Despite the prevalence of Mumvuri in African culture, it has not been adapted and used in corporate organisations. The main contribution was the development of a conceptual framework for change management in corporate organisations and the accompanying guidelines of implementation for executives and practitioners. These guidelines outline the process of adaptation of Mumvuri as an African idea, belief and concept in management. The thesis makes an empirical, methodological and practical contribution. Further research is suggested in testing this conceptual framework in corporate organisations.
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    Barriers to digital transformation in a South African water utility
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Paima, Veshal
    This study offers a qualitative examination of the barriers hindering a leading South African water utility, referred to here as Organisation X, from fully embracing digital transformation. The qualitative case study scrutinises the utility's attempts at digitalising its processes for better efficiency and the significant barriers that disrupt the realisation of its digital initiatives. Through interviews, this study captures the perspective of these challenges from individuals deeply engaged in the digital transformation journey. The findings shed light on the intricate barriers that Organisation X faces, encompassing organisational culture, the integration of new digital tools with existing systems, governance, leadership, impacts on the value chain, and the overarching capacity for innovation. The conceptual framework of this study delves into the relationship between the organisation's strategy and its business model, focusing on how digital transformation can drive value creation by refining business operations. By investigating these factors, the study seeks to deeply understand the barriers that Organisation X faces in its quest to effectively implement digital strategies and advance its digital maturity. Furthermore, by evaluating the operational strategies of Organisation X, the research pinpoints congruencies, and disparities with its digital ambitions
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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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    Culture, contraceptive attitudes and advertising perceptions: the case of rural Zimbabwe
    (2021) Jaravaza, Divaries Cosmas
    This study examined information processing and behavioural responses to reproductive health advertising in subsistence marketplaces, providing an opportunity to advance marketing science through deepening our understanding of rural consumers‘ patterns of advertising responses (cognitive and affective) and how they relate to values, social axioms, contraceptive attitudes and socio-demographic factors. Birth control and safe sexual practices are important concerns, but, are least understood in the institutional context of subsistence marketplaces (Burgess & Steenkamp, 2006). Study 1 was on relations between culture and contraceptive attitudes and study 2 was on latent classes of advertisements responses to advertisement stimuli designed for subsistence markets. Study 1 and 2 had 395 and 225 respondents respectively. Measurement scales for study 1 were: the Portrait Values Questionnaire, the Social Axioms Scale, and the Contraceptive Attitude Scale. Study 2 used the same scales which were used in study 1 plus Mitchell and Olson‘s (2000) Attitudes Towards the Ad Scale items to evaluate four poster advertisements designed through qualitative research in rural Zimbabwe. Structural equation modeling was done using the rigorous two step approach of Anderson and Gerbing (1988), of which study 1 established that resultant self-conservation and religiosity had positive relations to contraceptive attitudes, whilst, fate control had negative relations to contraceptive attitudes. In study 2, the best fitting model, using latent class analysis, identified three segments of subsistence women‘s cognitive and affective perceptions of poster ads. Rural women‘s public health poster ads responses have not been previously studied. The four poster ads and the cues designed specifically for the unique context of subsistence markets rural consumers are a contribution to advertising research and practice. Also this study is the first to combine contraceptive attitudes, culture and advertising perceptions. Important lessons on ads design, measurement properties of scales and constructs relations are outlined
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    Executive coaching as a vehicle to enhance organisational performance and culture in a mining company in the Northern Cape
    (2021) Nkomombini, Sipho
    This qualitative study explored executive coaching as a vehicle to enhance organisational performance and culture. The study was undertaken in an open cast mine in the Northern Cape, the mine is part of a bigger multinational mining group. The mine experienced a few leadership challenges when it came to holding leaders to account in driving high performance and to shape the requisite organisational culture. The key motivation of the study was that the study will help better understand the role of executive coaching and its impact on organisational performance and culture in a mining context. The main purpose of the study was to examine executive coaching as a vehicle to enhance organisational performance and culture within a mining company. The data was collected by means of face-to-face semi-structured open-ended interviews. The sample consists of 20 senior managers who have all undergone executive coaching within the company. The key findings of the study were that executive coaching plays a significant role in driving high performance and culture in organisations. The study contributes to an existing body of knowledge and positions executive coaching as key driver of high performance and culture in an organisation. In conclusion the study found that it is beneficial for companies deploy executive coaching as a leadership development tool. The results show that organisations that implement executive coaching have a high-performance culture and this will ultimately positively impact the organisations culture and strategy. the study has practical and theoretical implications for the leadership of the organisation, coaching practitioners, and coaching bodies because it outlines the role executive coaching played in leadership development. The study makes detailed recommendations for future research in the field of executive coaching
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    The perceptions of South African executive coaches on the role of cultural intelligence in cross-cultural executive coaching
    (2021) Matambo, Chipo
    The South African environment is markedly diverse and multicultural in character. Cultural Intelligence is a capability that allows an individual to function effectively across cultures in multicultural societies. More and more South African organisations are turning to executive coaching as a strategy to boost their leadership capabilities. This study explored South African executive coaches’ understanding of Cultural Intelligence and their experiences of the concept in cross-cultural executive coaching in the South African context. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposefully selected black and white executive coaches to gain in-depth insights on executive coaches’ understanding of Cultural Intelligence in cross-cultural coaching and how executive coaches in South Africa are using Cultural Intelligence to navigate cultural differences between themselves and coachees. Data generated from the interviews was transcribed, thematically analysed and seven themes emerged. Research findings demonstrated that South African executive coaches understand the anatomy of Cultural Intelligence in coaching to be made up of four constructs: coach’s cultural awareness, coach’s intercultural knowledge, coach’s curiosity, interest and openness to learning other cultures and coach’s appropriate behaviour. South African executive coaches are using these four constructs when engaging with coachees from other cultures to themselves. Research findings also revealed that the coach’s Cultural Intelligence enhances coaching efficacy in cross-cultural coaching as a result of three attributes: Coach’s willingness to challenge own assumptions and worldview, coach’s awareness of coachee’s norms and values and the coach heeding culture as an enabler to connect effectively with the coachee. Racial diversity in South African organisations presents a unique opportunity for executive coaches with high Cultural Intelligence to coach more effectively in cross-cultural coaching engagements and positively contribute to the on-going transformation process in the South African workplace
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    The influence of cultural values on consumer buying behaviour: a case of the wine industry in South Africa
    (2020) Chiswanda, Tafadzwa F
    As of two decades ago, the South African wine industry has been experiencing an incremental decline in exports as a result of major social and environmental changes, as well as a global oversupply of wine. In light of these negative changes, the South African wine industry is now turning some of its focus towards the domestic market. The biggest challenge is that there is insufficient information on the South African wine consumer behaviour, especially the underlying cultural values. The purpose of this study was to review and understand the influence of cultural values (individualism/collectivism, masculine/feminine and extended/limited family) on wine consumers' buying behaviour based on the perceived influence of two extrinsic attributes (price and packaging) in South Africa. The study also briefly explored the impact of demographic variables (gender and age) on wine consumer behaviour. An online survey and pen-and-paper questionnaire were utilised to collect data from 151 wine consumers, primarily from Soweto and Sandton in Johannesburg. Data was analysed using multiple-linear regression conducted on IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 25. The results of the study indicated that cultural values do have an influence on consumers’ purchase decisions. Consumers with individual and extended family cultural values were found to associate wine quality with price and packaging perceptions when purchasing wine, while consumers with collective and limited family cultural values did not believe there was a relationship between wine quality and the two perceptions (price and packaging). However, the value of masculine/feminine was not supported. The demographic variables did not show an impact on purchasing intent.