Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management (ETDs)

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    The role of organisational culture in adopting digital platforms in South African banks
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Barnes, LeRoy Curtis; Ochara,Nixon
    The advancement and pervasiveness of digital technologies are causing significant disruptions in the banking industry’s market definitions, operations, and business models, resulting in a surge in digital transformation in the banking sector in the past decade. This research contributes to the existing literature by evaluating the organisational culture of South African banks and examining how it promotes or hinders the adoption of digital platforms. This research explored how organisational culture influences the adoption of digital platforms within South African banking institutions. Twelve attributes were used as variables to describe digital organisational culture alongside the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework. The study uses a quantitative approach to validate theory and examine variable interrelations. The study collected responses from 127 South African banking sector employees using non-probability convenience sampling. A Likert scale questionnaire with 17 questions captured respondents’ feedback on digital organisational culture and digital platform adoption. Reliability and descriptive statistical analysis, Shapiro-Wilk test Factor analysis, Regression analysis, Correlation analysis (Spearman’s Rho), Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test were employed to analyse the data. The study found that digital organisational culture positively influences digital platform adoption in the banking sector. The factors within digital organisational culture that have a significant influence are cross-functional teams, digital skills, and start-up mentality. However, mutual decision-making was found to have a significant negative influence on adoption. The Mann-Whitney U test suggests no significant differences in digital platform adoption between traditional and digital banks. The test also suggests no significant differences in the perceptions of digital culture factors between traditional and digital banks, except for failure culture. The Kruskal-Wallis test results indicate no significant differences in the iii distribution of most variables tested across organisational roles, except for cross- functional teams. The study underscores the crucial importance of collaborative, agile, and innovative cultures within banking organisations, as observed through the significant roles of cross-functional teams and the positive correlation of start-up mentality. The study also highlights the need for ongoing investment in digital skills development and the strategic repositioning of IT departments to support digital transformation objectives effectively. Moreover, the strong positive correlation between customer integration and digital platform adoption emphasises the crucial role of customer-centric approaches in the digital transformation process.
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    Factors Contributing to Employee Turnover in the South African Renewable Energy Sector
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Ngema, Dumsile Nondumiso; Seiff, Grant
    The primary objective of this study was to identify the key factors drivingemployee turnover. Concurrently, the study aimed to investigate the underlyingorganisational culture disparities across different age groups and gender profiles.Additionally, it explored the impact of leadership on turnover and the relationshipbetween employee compensation and turnover. Considering the complex natureof employee turnover's impact, the development of effective retention strategieshas become a crucial need for organisations in this rapidly growing industry.Implementing these strategies is vital for retaining top talent, safeguardinginstitutional knowledge, mitigating turnover-related costs, and enhancing overallorganisational productivity. To address the study’s objectives, a digitalquantitative research survey was conducted with a sizable sample of 300employees employed in the renewable energy sector. The survey achieved a95.67% response rate, providing a robust dataset for analysis. The collected dataunderwent rigorous statistical examination, which included both inferential anddescriptive statistics. Among the key findings, organisational culture emerged asthe primary driver of employee turnover within South Africa's renewable energysector. This highlights the significance of elements such as inclusivity, employeesupport, respect, work-life balance, and ethical conduct as crucial components ofthe organisational culture. Employee compensation also played a significant rolein influencing employee turnover in this sector, with job satisfaction acting as acritical mediator in explaining the relationship between culture and employeeretention. Interestingly, the study did not identify a similar mediating role betweencompensation and turnover. Additionally, other factors such as leadership andtraining and development did not demonstrate a significant relationship withturnover. The practical implications of these findings are significant for improvinghuman resource practices in the renewable energy sector. These findings alsohighlight the importance of strengthening organisational culture while alsofocusing on job satisfaction and competitive compensation packages.Policymakers and industry associations can draw valuable insights from thefindings of this study to enhance employee retention strategies. This studycontributes meaningfully to the understanding of employee turnover in thevrenewable energy sector, not only within South Africa but with potential relevancein a broader context
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    A theory of virtual culture formation
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Chitondo, Margaret Zvobgo; Carmichael, Terri
    This research focused on the formation of organisational culture in virtual work teams that exist within the context of a virtual organisation. The concept of organisational culture has been studied since the late 1970s in traditional work contexts. Several studies have subsequently been carried out on the factors influencing and the processes involved in the formation of culture within the context of traditional brick and mortar workplaces. This study focused on the formation of culture in virtual organisations, which have become commonplace in the 21st century and whose key characteristics are technological enablement as well as geographic and spatial distribution. A sensitising literature review was presented to locate the study within the current discourse of organisational culture, process theory and virtual work teams within virtual organisations. A constructivist grounded theory study was carried out to investigate the phenomenon of culture formation in virtual organisations using respondents who were at the time working as part of a virtual team within a virtual organisation. Data from 18 interviewed participants and five sets of archival records were collected and analysed theoretically. The results of the study were integrated with extant literature to find that organisational culture within virtual contexts developed through managing the core theme of virtuality and by dealing with virtuality while maintaining organisational effectiveness and managing interpersonal relationships. The findings from this research are expected to inform stakeholders so that they may better anticipate, facilitate and r respond to organisational culture development within a virtual organisation context.
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    The impact of barriers to Inter-Company Innovation flows and Corporate Entrepreneurship at a Financial Services Organisation in Johannesburg
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Maseko, Buyisile; Matshabaphala, Manamela
    Background: Increasing stability and improving the quality of services are the main challenges facing the financial industry since the 2008 fiscal crisis. In this paper, we explored the barriers within large financial services firms that influence the effectiveness of disruptive and radical innovation. Providing quality services to customers is one of the pillars of financial services companies. It is imperative that they continuously innovate their services in order to sustain their revenue streams in tough macroeconomic times and amid rapid technological growth. Research Purpose: This paper investigated the barriers that impact the inter-company innovation flow in the financial service sector and corporate entrepreneurship. In simple terms, we examined the link between corporate entrepreneurship and financial innovation and how barriers to these flows can impact inter-company innovation. As part of this study, we examined the factors that predict service innovation in the financial services sector such as management support, work discretion, rewards and reinforcement, and organisational boundaries. Setting: A survey questionnaire was conducted with employees within a Financial Services Organisation in South Africa - across various designations. Research Method and Approach: In order to gather responses from all levels of employees within one of the country's leading banks, a case study approach was adopted. To gather quantitative data, an online survey was conducted using scales for corporate entrepreneurship and service innovation. The inferential statistics were based on multiple linear regressions and factor analysis. Main Findings: Several major barriers to innovation and change were identified in the emerging findings, including bureaucracy, poor communication, lack of engagement by employees, management challenges and risk aversion. Based on the study's findings, corporate entrepreneurship predicted certain dimensions of service innovation. There was a significant (p 0.05) correlation between rewards and recognition, management support, and time availability on the basis of service innovation. Service innovation was not significantly influenced by work discretion or organisational boundaries. Using employee perceptions of barriers to innovation and change, this study provides managers and practitioners with insight into how to improve the organizational conditions to support innovation and change. Based on the results of this study, further research can be conducted in this field. Value of Research: The insights gained from this study can help companies improve commercial services and build competitive advantage through corporate entrepreneurship and address inter-company innovation barriers. According to the results, the financial services industry is unable to innovate in response to society's demand for radical change. Identifying the internal barriers to potential disruptions and radical innovations in large financial services firms are the purpose of this study
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    The relationship between working from home and employee productivity
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Naidoo, Daiveshni; Sieff, Grant
    Orientation: The relationship between working from home and employee productivity. Research Purpose: This study aimed to understand if there is a relationship between working from home and employee productivity while also understanding the factors that effect productivity when working from home. The answers received will provide input into policy formation around work from home arrangements. Motivation for the study: With more organisations implementing work from home arrangements, this study was undertaken to investigate if there was a relationship between working from home and employee productivity. The study built upon a rich foundation provided by the literature and gave insight into how organisations can ramp up their employee value proposition and implement policies and procedures to improve employee productivity. Research approach/design and method: The research conducted used an inductive method of thematic analysis of 29 semi-structured interviews of white collared workers who work for organisations based within Johannesburg. Purposive sampling of participants with the common criteria of working from home either full time or at least more than once a week was used. The interviews were semi-structured to elicit as much information from the participants as possible. Main findings: The study showed a positive relationship between working from home and employee productivity in that productivity increased due to ability to focus and minimal distractions. Being disciplined and accountable are vital qualities for employees to have when working from home. Productivity was seen to increase however this could have been attributed to the increase in the number of working hours worked in a day. The participants enjoyed a hybrid working arrangement and preferred to have more days working from home than from the office. Practical/managerial implications: With the changes within the working environment and majority of organisations offering different types of working from home arrangements, policies need to be developed that enhance employee wellness and the employee value proposition to retain and attract employees. Additionally, organisations being able to leverage on the benefits of increasing productivity through working from home arrangements. Contribution/value-add: This study aims to substantiate other similar studies within South Africa for organisations to enhance employee productivity, improve employee engagement and develop deeper human interactions relevant for the different work from home arrangements
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    The effect of the Road Accident Fund’s organisational culture on efficiency and performance
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Mayana, Thokozani; Matshabaphala, Manamela
    This research contributes to the body of knowledge on the organisational culture of State- Owned Entities (SOEs), with the research setting being the Road Accident Fund (RAF). The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of organisational culture on efficiency and performance within the SOE. This is important as SOEs are established to fulfil the delivery objectives of the state while contributing to the fiscus of the country. They are intended to add public value. The methodology applied in the study was a quantitative research approach, using a post positivist paradigm where 156 responses were obtained from employees at different levels at the RAF. The results of the study showed that organisational culture factors such as uncertainty avoidance, customer focus and values system, employee empowerment and involvement and governance were good at the RAF, while innovation and technology, as well as rewards and recognition were low. Additionally, operational efficiency was seldom to sometimes in place at the RAF with only 5% indicating that operational efficiency was in place most of the time. Organisational culture factors, when assessed individually, influence operational efficiency, but when combined, innovation and technology is the main statistically significant predictor of operational efficiency. Furthermore, operational efficiency is a predictor of performance, in particular from the customer perspective, as well as the financial which is aligned to the SOE in terms of the purpose of the SOE whichis to provide services to road accident claimants, their families and their representatives. The research may have been impacted by surrounding circumstances. Although assured of anonymity, some respondents may have not been completely certain that their identities and responses would remain anonymous. Recommendations in line with improvements in the rewards and recognition system, as well as technology and innovation, were made with the intention that if they are incorporated into the SOE’s turnaround strategy, they will improve the organisational culture, operational efficiency and performance of the SOE
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    The influence of organizational culture on the efficacy of the Agile software development methodology. A Case study of one financial institution
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Mapenzauswa, Rumbidzai J.
    This study has been necessitated by the need for companies to adapt to changes in the fast- paced environments they are operating in. Software development is expanding daily at a global level. Software has merged into many diverse fields and is becoming more complex. Changing requirements from customers is making it even more difficult for systems to adapt to the ever- changing customer requirements. The old traditional software methodologies have not been able to satisfy the markets’ ever-changing requirements anymore. Hence this study is therefore exploring how companies can adopt the Agile software development methodology which is more flexible and adapts to the changing customer needs easily. This study’s main goal is to establish the influence of organizational culture on the efficient use of Agile Software Methodology by the financial institution that I work for. A survey was conducted and a sample of 190 participants from my organization was used to collect data. The Data was collected, the findings and recommendations are discussed in this paper. The biggest limitation was that my company refused to have its name published due to competition in the sector. Hence in my study I will refer to the organization of study as a financial institution. It is my hope that my study will add to the literature that already exist and that the findings will help organizations to make wise decisions when choosing new software to use.
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    Factors affecting the adoption of business intelligence solutions in a public sector organisation
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Tshehla, Modiketse
    Business Intelligence Solutions (BIS) continue to play a significant role in organisations and businesses in today’s information age. The adoption of BIS enables an organisation to gain a competitive advantage, generate accurate and faster data reporting, improve customer service, and increase revenue. The benefits of BIS have been realised in private sector organisations. However, the South African public sector is yet to release the benefits of adopting business intelligence solutions. The factors that affect the adoption of business intelligence solutions in a South African public sector organisation have not been fully investigated. This study explores factors that division managers perceive to be salient in influencing the adoption of a visualisation and data exploration BIS available in a public sector organisation in South Africa. The study was underpinned by Tomatzky and Fleischer’s Technology Organisation Environment (TOE) framework which was applied previously in the adoption of information system (IS) at the organisation level.The framework provided the lens from which adoption was studied by considering influences from the technological context, the organisational context and the environmental context. The following main research question guiding the study was addressed: What aspects of the visualisation and data exploration BIS are perceived to influence the adoption of the BIS in the public sector organisation. The organisation in the study provides training and development to public sector employees of the South African government. The study interviewed 10 senior managers with at least three years’ experience in the organisation. It was found that expected benefits from the technology and its compatibility are important for the adoption of BIS. Within the public sector organisation studied, stakeholder engagement; organisational culture; and available financial resources were also found to be important and supported by the literature. While service provider support was found to be crucial in the BIS adoption from the environmental context, the size of the organisation and the government regulations were found not to be influential in the adoption of BIS in a public sector organisation. The stimulation of employee interest and the importance of data quality were discovered to be the most important reasons the BIS was adopted. This research contributed to the improvement of theory by extending IS literature on BIS adoption and by testing the TOE theoretical framework in the South African public sector context. This study adds to the body of knowledge by extending the use of the TOE framework as a suitable tool for the study of BIS adoption. Furthermore, the study contributed by uncovering factors that influence the adoption of BIS in the South African public sector context. The results may help the South African and other countries’ public sector organisations to become more aware of the factors that influence the adoption of BIS. Practitioners and managers could be better prepared and minimise the BIS adoption risks by considering these factors
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    Leadership coaching on organisational culture change in an automotive manufacturing concern in South Africa
    (2022-03) Morkel, Karen
    Organisations whose employees perceive leaders as trustworthy and empathetic to their needs and opinions, especially during times of change, have improved performance, remain competitive and even survive external economic conditions. In this respect, building internal capability through leadership coaching, so as to enable swift adaptability and agility to a changing landscape, mitigate employee resistance and garner trust from employees, becomes paramount. As an established developmental tool to enhance performance, leadership coaching has not gone beyond this developmental requirement towards being viewed as a strategic lever in shifting organisational culture. The purpose of this participatory action research was to explore the perceived influence of leadership coaching on organisational culture and aimed to enhance leadership trust, empathy and change leadership during organisational change within an automotive manufacturing concern in South Africa. This study was conducted with the application of individual coaching sessions, with three managers within an operations department over a five month period, and pre-and post-coaching employee interviews were conducted with six participants, in order to determine shifts in perception and behaviour. Data collection took place during and after leadership coaching sessions and employee interviews, using audio recordings, transcripts and researcher notes. The key findings from the study revealed that through the application of an integrated cognitive behavioural and solution-focused approach to coaching, shifts in leadership behaviour resulted in enhanced engagement, inclusivity, augmented self-efficacy and improved performance delivery during change. This study provides insights into the formidable influence that organisational culture has on newly promoted leaders. Although a powerful tool, the influence of leadership coaching – unaided – is not immune to the potency of an organisation’s overriding culture
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    Monetising big data in South African financial services
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Ramruthan, Desmond
    Big data has grown to be an influential element in society impacting both individuals, governments and businesses. As its impact has accelerated on the corporate world, it was prudent to comprehend the effect that big data will have on these organisations. The purpose of the study was deliberate in its attempt to establish an understanding of the factors which influence an organisations ambition to monetise its big data assets. The study focused specifically on South African based entities operating within the financial services industry. With an increasingly digital financial market, big data contributes to improving revenue, increasing market share along with improving customer experience resulting in creating additional business value. The qualitative research process used semistructured interviews, established a set of principle findings, detailing seven key factors which can influence an organisations data monetisation plan. These findings were categorised into factors that are internal to the organisation suggesting that with appropriate tactics executive leadership can control or influence these factors. Some factors are external to the organisation to which senior management has limited control but can respond to these factors through a coordinated strategic approach. The research provides a suggestion to senior executives with an overview of these factors and recommendations localised to the South African financial markets on how to respond to each of the factors.