Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management (ETDs)

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Behaviours

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    Exploring the mindsets and behaviours necessary for cultivating data-driven decision making within an organisation
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Jacobs, Jef Andreas; Ngubane, Samukelo; Wotela, Kambidima
    The advancement of data storage and processing technologies and the exponential growth in data generated by online activity and smart devices has stimulated a desire by organisations to be more data-driven in their decision making. Adopting a data-driven approach to decision making is associated with improved organisation performance and innovation. However, most organisations are struggling to realise these benefits because crafting clear data use strategies and cultivating a culture of data-driven decision making appears to be more challenging than investing in relevant technologies or implementing organisational processes. Given this situation, the purpose of this study is to investigate the mindsets and associated behaviours of leaders and their teams who are successfully leveraging data to improve market competitiveness or impact. Using a qualitative research strategy and semi-structured interview processes with six experienced professionals, this research paper identifies six mindsets and associated behaviours that senior decision makers should adopt to help overcome the common people related challenges that hinder effective data-driven decision making in organisations. Prime examples include senior leaders as data advocates who communicate and reflect of data-driven decisions and leaders who encourage quick experimentation with an openness to failure. Based on these findings the study recommends that senior decision makers, working in organisations that have invested in data related technologies and skills, acknowledge that their attitudes and behaviours have a direct impact on how successful any data strategy and investment will be. These influential leaders or managers need to understand and believe in the data- driven decision making process and they need to ensure the implementation of key activities that ensure informed actions are eventually taken on the back of data collected. Research in this field mostly predominantly discusses issues related to numerical techniques, technological innovations and studies around impact. This study contributesto the current body of knowledge by investigating leadership and managerial aspects of data use or Big Data in organisational decision making
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    The Role of Leadership in the Implementation of Strategic Projects in a Commercial Bank in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Mutshinya, Phathutshedzo; Wotela, Kambidima; Matshabaphala , Johnny
    This research highlighted the role of leadership in the delivery of strategic projects in a commercial bank setting. The research followed a quantitative research strategy whereby a sample of a commercial bank was approached to gather their insights and perceptions of the leadership role in the implementation of strategic projects. The views of commercial bank employees were analyzed to identify gaps that existed in the leadership behaviours and traits currently adopted in the banks. Findings from this research confirmed that there are indeed gaps in the leadership role that leave room for improvement for a more successful outcome of the strategic project implementation. The study highlighted that leaders in a commercial bank should lean towards agility to guide and support towards a more successfully implementation of strategic projects
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    Business leader’s perceptions of team coaching on team learning: the case of a multi-national organisation operating in South Africa
    (2022) Mathe-Mkhize, Pearl Ntsakisi
    The world is continually presenting changes, urging business leaders to conform to the changes. For business leaders to accustom to these changes, learning is needed. For this reason, multinational organisations employing these business leaders have to pursue a team coach capable of coaching business leaders as a team. Team coaching on its own is not sufficient, data needs to be gathered to assess some of the following aspects, (1) whether business leaders have been able to learn because of the team coaching, (2) whether the business leaders have been able to change certain behaviours because of the learning, and (3) what could contribute to business leaders perceiving TC differently to BLS who have experienced the same TC program. This data gathered is essential for future decision making, explicitly for multinational organisations, these decisions entail whether to coach business leaders in subsidiary locations, whether team coaching has influenced the learning of leaders, whether leaders changed behaviours such that they will adapt to any changes presented by the world. And for coaches wishing to pursue a career in team coaching. With TC introduced to multi-national organisations MNO, these organisations have to be open to creating an environment that encourages leaders who have been coached to practise what they have learnt in the TC sessions in a real-live situation. These organisations have to create an environment which is free from judging leaders, one that views errors as an opportunity for learning. This environment creates a safe space for leaders to learn. Organisations may introduce a coach and not create a learning environment for those coached to implement what they have learnt in the coaching sessions. This inability to create a learning environment for leaders could mean that these leaders may not learn beyond the coaching sessions. Apart from the environment encouraging leaders to learn, leaders themselves must be open to learning. An environment might be created encouraging the Created by Pearl Ntsakisi at the Wits Business School 3 learning. If leaders are not prepared to learn the coaching initiatives introduced in the business might not be practised by the leaders coached. Leaders may perceive the TC coaching differently to BLS coached. Several factors influence this, such as the beliefs of the leaders being congruent with that of the coach and the leaders having a good relationship with the coach. A coach that is skilled needs to assess these aspects and be able to influence the perspective of leaders not aligned with the coach. It becomes essential that the coach selected to coach leader has the skill to coach leaders to learn and change behaviours. MNO must be able to create a learning environment for leaders to learn and leaders must be open to learning, to implement what they have learnt in the coaching sessions. All these three factors ensure TC contributes to the learning of leaders and that leaders can change behaviours as result of the TC.