Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management (ETDs)

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Subject: search.filters.subject.SDG-9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 237
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    Business Case: Green-Certified Buildings in South Africa’s Residential Rental Market
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025) Roodt, Ilona
    In this paper, the characteristics of the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) green building certification system is explained, and the energy and water savings in a portfolio of residential units in the EDGE-certified residential building portfolio in South Africa was investigated. This research analysed the efficiency of energy and water usage, following certification, and the contribution to lowering building running costs and increasing property values was investigated. The research revealed that the portfolio design of EDGE-certified buildings results is, on average, a 42% energy saving and a 54% water saving across the portfolio. The research explores the overall reduction in building operating costs and the impact on property return by considering the payback period of the additional investment. The US Green Building Council indicate operating costs drop by 13%, with a drop of 10.5% in the first year and then an average of 16.9% over five years. The research revealed that overall cost savings are significant, the cost of greening is recouped on average over 6 years and this means that property returns increase. The US Green Building Council indicate that property values increase by between 4%-6% for a study relating to LEED-certified buildings. The research signifies the importance of bringing down energy and water costs to preserve and increase return and value, and this may be catalytic in increasing affordable housing investment and tenant standards of living. Where this activity is at scale within the right policy framework, an overall reduction in emissions may occur.
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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
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    The Role of Organisational Culture in Digital Transformation in the South African Retail Sector
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Lehabe, Malebo Lily; Appiah, Erasmus
    The aim of this study is to identify the role of organisational culture in the South African retail sector and determine how it affects digital transformation. The study considers the state of digital transformation in the South African retail sector, the role of organisational culture and the attributes that hinder and propel the success of digital transformation. COVID-19 accelerated disruption in the retail sector, and retailers were compelled to transform digitally. This is a qualitative study that focuses on Fast Moving Consumer Goods in the retail sector. Diverse entities were considered regardless of size or digital maturity. The Westerman Framework was the aspect of digital maturity. It was found that the South African retail sector is in its infancy regarding digital maturity and that retail entities could not provide evidence of the importance of organisational culture. Organisational culture attributes that enable and hinder success and those that currently hinder the success of digital transformation were also considered to understand the impact these attributes have on digital transformation.
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    Digital Equity as a Solution to Digital Redlining in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mokoena, Mashukela Elizabeth
    Introduction: Ensuring digital equity is vital for providing fair access to and benefits from digital resources. Given the persistence of the digital divide, understanding the factors that contribute to digital equity is crucial for creating inclusive digital environments. This study explores three key factors: access to digital infrastructure, digital literacy, and the availability of high-quality content. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to investigate the factors influencing digital equity by examining the impact of digital infrastructure, digital literacy, and high-quality content on digital inclusion. It also seeks to understand how these elements interrelate to promote a more equitable digital environment. Method: A quantitative approach was utilized, involving surveys to measure access to digital infrastructure and levels of digital literacy, complemented by qualitative interviews to assess the quality and impact of digital content. Data analysis focused on exploring the relationships between these factors and their effects on digital equity. Results: The results reveal significant correlations between access to digital infrastructure and digital equity, with improved infrastructure supporting better digital inclusion. Digital literacy emerged as a key factor for effectively utilizing digital resources, while high-quality content was found to enhance the value of digital access. The study highlights the interconnected nature of these factors in advancing digital equity. Discussion and Conclusion: The findings emphasize the need to address digital infrastructure and literacy to achieve greater digital equity. High-quality content is essential for maximizing the benefits of digital access. A comprehensive approach that integrates improvements in infrastructure, digital skills development, and content quality is crucial for promoting a more equitable digital environment. Future research should focus on these interconnected factors to bridge the digital divide more effectively.
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    Measuring resilience in the aviation industry: a case study of a South African Company
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Maphike, Tembisa; Kriek, Driekus
    For organizations operating in high-risk environments, resilience must be a top priority as a key component of their safety measures. In addition to applying Safety I principles, it is also crucial to implement Safety II principles to further improve resilience. This study examines the views of employees within the organization regarding four constructs of Resilience Engineering: the ability to respond, the ability to monitor, the ability to learn, and the ability to anticipate. The evaluation was conducted through an online survey instrument and the sample was drawn from the operational personnel population. Several tests were administered to characterize the sample, assess its reliability and validity, and conduct other analyses. The results indicate that while some elements of resilient performance are visible, the overall picture is that these elements need to be improved upon.
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    The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on digital transformation within South African technology start-ups
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Khumalo, Cebile Bongiwe; Patrick, Zhuwao
    In 2020 the world got faced with the coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic, which brought upon changes that affected many organisations. This study investigates how Covid-19 affected the digital transformation for technology start-ups within the fintech industry. In achieving the objective, the study followed a qualitative approach and interviewed 15 business owners, managers and executives from different fintech companies. The key findings of the study is that fintech companies are digitally matured organisations and had implemented digital initiatives as a result of Covid-19, and these initiatives will be sustained moving forward and set a new trend for the fintech industry. The study has concluded that the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the digital transformation of technology start-ups within the fintech industry through numerous digital transformation initiatives that were implemented. This study recommends that further research should be done on finding interpretative models and frameworks that could be used to evaluate digital transformation within technology start-ups.