Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management (ETDs)

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The impact of Big Data Analytics Capabilities on the performance of South African Financial Sectors
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Molepo, Sinah; Ndlela, Thubelihle
The relationship between big data analytics capabilities and firm performance has garnered a lot of attention from both practitioners and academics recently. Organisations have been investing in technologies like big data analytics to enhance performance, however, not all organisations have proven benefits of its impact to the firm’s performance. The study proposed the big data analytics capabilities conceptual framework, drawing upon the two theories resource-based view and dynamic capability to determine the impact of big data analytics capabilities on the firm performance of the financial sectors in South African, with a mediator of dynamic capabilities. The findings of this study confirm the positive and significant relationship between big data analytics capabilities and the firm performance in South African financial sectors. Moreover, it was found that amongst the three big data analytics capabilities, tangible, intangible and human resources, the human capabilities had the greatest impact to firm performance, followed by tangible capabilities. On the other hand, the intangible capabilities had no significant impact of the firm performance. Furthermore, the study revealed that there is no significant effect of dynamic capabilities mediation on the relationship between big data analytics capabilities and the firm performance.
Enabling Digital Transformation of the South African Coal Mining Industry Through Digital Skills Development
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Moketla, Sewela P.; Pellissier, René
The South African coal mining sector is transitioning from labour-intensive methods to digitally enabled work environments to boost productivity, efficiency, and safety. However, recent studies and literature highlight that the workforce's digital skills remain a significant challenge. This qualitative study explored the factors influencing the development and enhancement of digital skills within the South African coal mining industry. It sought to identify industry-specific barriers to digital skill development and provide a framework for improving workers' digital competencies. The study employed focus group discussions to explore the factors influencing the development of digital competencies. Employees from company X in the coal mining sector participated in three focus groups. Due to participant availability, each focus group consisted of three to four participants and lasted between sixty and seventy-five minutes, with the researcher acting as the moderator. Thematic analysis of participant responses revealed industry-specific determinants of digital skills development. The results highlighted both enablers and hindrances, including the type and rate of technology adoption, its impact on work methods, and the resulting skills gap in the workforce. Human factors such as mindset, motivation, and language proficiency were also significant. Additionally, the organisational environment, rewards, and incentives greatly influence employees' motivation to develop digital skills. Key tactics identified as foundational include the need for industry collaboration with stakeholders and the availability of tailored training and development programs.
Human Capital and insurance coverage accessibility by informal businesses in Dr JSMLM (Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality)
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Manganye, Tsakane; Urban, Boris
Despite the increased need for and the importance of informal businesses in the South African economy, these businesses still face various challenges that prohibit them from meeting their business and financial goals. Informal businesses have a great potential of expanding their business operations and creating new job opportunities. The success of businesses relies on the accessibility of financial services products among other things. The limitation of access to such services is mostly due to a lack of entrepreneurial skills, knowledge, education, experience, affordability and ultimately financial control. Due to these circumstances informal entrepreneurs either end up getting their applications rejected particularly with credit and some end up taking financial services products that are not in line with the business goals and objectives. It is challenging for informal businesses to attract external investors due to their businesses being considered unattractive based on the potential risks these businesses are exposed to. This study has investigated factors that are embedded within the success of entrepreneurship which are important when taking out a financial services product. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between human capital and the insurance coverage accessibility by informal businesses in Dr JSMLM (Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality). This study follows a quantitative data collection approach. Self-administered surveys through Qualtrics were sent to informal businesses operating within the Mpumalanga province particularly in the DR JS Moroka Local Municipality. To effectively test the hypothesis that human capital elements have a positive relationship with access to insurance products correlation, and multiple regression analysis were employed. To test for the validity of the hypothesis the researcher made use of Amos SPSS and Structural Equation Modelling. Even though existing literature indicated that human capital has a positive relationship with financial products and or services, however, for this study the researcher found out that human capital does not have a direct relationship with insurance coverage accessibility. An interesting factor is that when each of the human capital elements increases so does insurance coverage accessibility due to the positive coefficient on all results. This proves that there might be other controlling, mediating, or moderating factors that influence the relationship other than financial control. Future research can focus on exploring factors such as organisational support, social networks, risk tolerance, risk perception, economic factors, political environment, and demographics to name a few. Future studies can use mixed-methods or qualitative approaches to capture the entrepreneur’s diverse opinions and have a broader understanding of this relationship.
Assessing On-Demand Delivery's Impact on Service Quality in South Africa's Construction Material Industry using SERVQUAL
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Madiba , Sello; Sony, Michael
The construction material industry is integral to economic growth, particularly in developing nations like South Africa. However, challenges in supply chain management (SCM), procurement inefficiencies, delivery services and evolving customer expectations necessitate the exploration of digital solutions. This study investigates the perceived impact of On-Demand Delivery (ODD) services on service quality (SQ) within South Africa’s construction material industry, using the SERVQUAL model. The research addresses a critical gap in understanding how digital delivery models affect service quality. The study is guided by the SERVQUAL framework, which evaluates five key service quality dimensions, viz, Tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, and Empathy to determine their influence on ODD effectiveness in construction material supply chains. A quantitative research approach was employed, utilizing a structured questionnaire distributed via online platforms to a sample population of South African consumers engaged in construction projects over the past three years. Responses from 140 participants were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to assess the relationships between SERVQUAL constructs and overall service quality. Key findings indicate that Empathy (β = 0.702, p < 0.001) and Reliability (β = 0.428, p < 0.001) have the strongest positive impact on perceived service quality, suggesting that personalized service interactions and dependable delivery schedules significantly impacts service quality and ultimately enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty. Responsiveness (β = 0.335, p = 0.006) and Assurance (β = 0.143, p = 0.035) also contribute positively but to a lesser extent. Tangibles, while positively perceived, do not significantly impact overall service quality (p = 0.871). The study concludes that ODD services play a pivotal role in improving service quality in the construction material industry, with reliability, responsiveness, and empathy emerging as key drivers. The findings provide potential valuable insights iii for business owners, supply chain managers, and policymakers seeking to optimize digital logistics and customer-centric service strategies. Future research is recommended to explore regional variations, cost implications, and regulatory considerations in ODD adoption.
The effect of cognitive dissonance on customer loyalty among demarketed segments in the banking sector with communication openness as a moderator
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Kigen, Fiona; De Villiers, Marike Venter
A critical challenge for firms is managing customers who are targeted for one product but not another. For instance, banks may need to navigate how to retain a customer who holds a bank account but is declined for a home loan, all while preserving the customer’s commitment, trust and loyalty in the institution. This action of selectively offering products to customers is referred to as demarketing, which is a situation where a seller induces a certain preferred segment of the market to complete a transaction, while discouraging certain other segments from completing the same transaction. A possible effect of the feelings of disappointment from customers who have been demarketed is cognitive dissonance, described as the feelings humans face when they have contradictory thoughts that cause conflict. This study, through cognitive dissonance theory and commitment-trust theory lenses, focused on customer loyalty as an outcome of commitment and trust, following cognitive dissonance arising from a demarketing effort. It also looked at the moderating effect of communication openness on the relationship between cognitive dissonance and satisfaction. The study tested a theoretical model merging the cognitive dissonance model and the commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing to theoretically test the relationships between cognitive dissonance and customer loyalty. This research was quantitative and utilised the experimental method, where a vignette was presented to study participants, followed by a survey utilising validated scales. The target population comprised of adults (over the age of 18) residing in South Africa who are eligible to apply for unsecured consumer credit facilities from a registered credit provider as per the National Credit Act (No. 34 of 2005). Five hundred and five responses were collected for final analysis, and Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modelling (CB-SEM) on SPSS AMOS 27 was used to test the hypotheses. The study findings indicated that being demarketed results in cognitive dissonance in customers, which further results in lower levels of satisfaction, trust, commitment and loyalty. However, dissonance reduction mechanisms that customers deploy were found to moderate this effect. Communication openness on the other hand was not found to have a moderating effect. Empirically, this research may assist firms to understand how best to minimize cognitive dissonance in their demarketing efforts, and thus limit damage to customer relationships. The findings of this study aim to contribute to knowledge in the fields of demarketing, cognitive dissonance and relationship marketing, responding to calls in literature for more research into strategies aimed at reducing cognitive dissonance. This is especially relevant in the South African context which experiences a very high level of loan declines and where consumers generally express low levels of satisfaction with their banks.
Impact of enterprise development training on the performance of small retail businesses in Gauteng
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Kazhila, Cleopatra Mwansa; Urban, Boris
Context - Small, Medium, Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), which include small retail businesses, are considered as how South Africa's national development plan (NDP) will achieve its socio-economic goals. The NDP aims to ensure growth and sustainability in the country by having 90% of jobs created by SMMEs by 2030. Motivation of the study – Many other research studies have investigated how enterprise development training affects small and medium-sized enterprises in South Africa, but few, if any, have zoomed into how it affects small retail enterprises' performance, particularly in the region of Gauteng. It has, however, been argued that SMME owners who possess the right skill set will be able to obtain a significant advantage over their rivals who have not received skill training. Research purpose – This research study, therefore, sought to investigate the impact of enterprise development training on the performance of small retail businesses in the Gauteng province. Methodology – The study was quantitative and comprised 34 closed-ended questions which were designed to draw primary data from the sample population using an electronic interview survey questionnaire. Data from 132 respondents was received, cleaned out and then analysed using various mathematical modelling tools such as the Little MCAR test, regression analysis and multiple linear regression. Main findings – This research study finds that enterprise development training has an impact on the performance of small retail businesses in the Gauteng province. Contributions / Value Add – This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by showing that enterprise training development has an impact on small retail businesses in Gauteng. It also inspires SMME owners of small retail businesses to embrace enterprise training as it has huge potential to unleash them in the South ii African economy. Policy makers have also been challenged to consider making internet connectivity affordable among small retail businesses.
The adoption of big data analytics in South African financial institutions
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Dlamini, Mzwandile; Kalema, Billy M.
Financial institutions by nature of their operations handle a lot of information, to examine and extract value from the data they receive. However, with the increasing automation, the data they receive have change in volume and the speed at which it is generated necessitating them to learn new techniques to analyse this voluminous data also known as Big Data (BD). Much as this is so, there are still fewer frameworks and models that have been developed to guide the adoption of this big data analytics (BDA). More still, the available frameworks are not contextualised to perspectives of South African financial institutions. The main goal of the study was to develop a framework for the adoption of BDA in South African financial institutions. The technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework was used as the underpinning theory for this study based on which a conceptual framework was designed. A close-ended questionnaire was used to collect data from a South African financial institution in the Gauteng Province. Random sampling to select the 130 respondents that participated in the study. Results revealed that technological factors, technological characteristics, users’ perception towards technology, organisational factors due to top management support, individual characteristics and BD characteristics are essential in BDA adoption. However, the results also indicated that organisational factors, organisational factors due to size and structure of the organisation and environmental factors were not significant in the adoption of BDA. This study contributes to the studies of BDA adoption in organisations in developing nations. The degree of influence that different factors have on adoption of technologies differs depending on the context, future studies can leverage these findings to extend research in BDA adoption. This study recommends that future research expand data collection to include more organisations that are categorised as financial institutions to properly generalise the study’s findings.
Consumer-based factors in applying dynamic pricing in a digital context in South Africa
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Demrugaram, Kaajal; Godspower-Akpomiemie, E.
This study examined dynamic pricing, an academic field that analyses and determines the most advantageous selling prices for items or services. The study found consumers are opposed to paying transactions, scarcity, urgency, and specific categories of goods and services fees. They are willing to pay more for personalised offers, fair pricing, transparent pricing strategies, and customer treatment. The study confirms the results of the Ariely experiment, suggesting that customer-based factors influence willingness to pay for a product or service. The study suggests that dynamic pricing can effectively increase revenues and company valuations for online retailers, when implemented fairly and justifiably. Consumers are tolerant of price variations where fluctuating demand is expected, given the price differential is not excessive. Firms in industries with limited resources and fluctuating demand are more able to implement dynamic pricing. Online retailers must allocate resources and determine suitable artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to address negative customer reactions. AI and machine learning (ML) are pivotal in forecasting and facilitating tailored experiences in big data analytics. Adopting AI and ML is key for dynamic pricing, especially regarding price sensitivity and irrationality. Recommendations for sellers include developing consistent, transparent, and simple policies that align with consumer expectations. Companies should carefully consider price discrimination and increase transparency to offset negative effects. Future research should consider Consumer factors, pricing optimisation for lower-income consumers, and longitudinal studies. The study's limitations include insufficient data for younger generations, potential biases due to generational opinions, and a bias favouring individuals with higher socio- economic levels.
A comparative analysis of South Africa's inflation outcomes
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Netshiungani, Takalani; Rangasamy, Logan
An efficient work schedule for medical interns at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Moshenyane, Rebaone Abigail
Medical internship is a period associated with a high risk of fatigue and burnout mainly due to long working hours, negatively impacting the interns’ wellbeing, learning experience, and quality of patient care (Gunasingam et al., 2015). The Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA) serves as the regulatory body overseeing internship training and sets regulations for training institutions, such as Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH), to comply with. The objective of this study is to develop an efficient work schedule for CHBAH interns compliant with HPCSA regulations, ultimately contributing to reduced burnout, enhanced intern well-being, improved learning experience and potentially improved patient care quality. This study demonstrated that the working hours on the actual work schedules for CHBAH interns during the General Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and General surgery rotations were indeed non-compliant with HPCSA regulations and that additional interns will be required during those rotations to ensure compliance. To develop an efficient work schedule for CHBAH interns compliant with HPCSA regulations; ChatGPT 4.0, which is Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), was used in this study and the model was initially trained to fully account for the HPCSA regulations. Following the training of ChatGPT 4.0, the ideal generic intern work schedule was created and coded, with the aim to develop an efficient intern schedule for CHBAH interns for each rotation, adhering to both the HPCSA regulations and the department’s unique work structure. By developing an efficient work schedule compliant with HPCSA regulations, interns at CHBAH will experience less risk of fatigue and burnout, and therefore enhanced intern well-being, improved learning experience and potentially improved patient care quality.

Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management (ETDs)

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