4. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - Faculties submissions

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    Disruption of creative marketing supply chain due to generative artificial intelligence
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Evertse, Justin
    This study explores the transformative impact of generative AI on the creative marketing industry's supply chain process, focusing on the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in content creation. The advent of AI has revolutionised the way content is generated, leading to a paradigm shift in the creative landscape. The study investigated the implications of this shift for creativity, originality, and efficiency within the marketing and advertising sectors. Through a qualitative research methodology, including interviews with various industry stakeholders, this study delved into the nuances of AI's integration into creative processes and its effects on workflow, production, and distribution channels within the creative marketing industry. The research is grounded in theories of disruptive innovation and technology organisation enterprise theory, providing a theoretical framework to analyse the impact of AI technologies on traditional creative and marketing practices. It addresses crucial concerns such as the ownership of AI-generated content, the role of human creativity in the age of AI, and the ethical considerations surrounding AI in creative industries. The study's findings highlight a dual impact: AI as a tool for enhancing creative processes, enabling more efficient and diverse content generation, and AI as a disruptor, challenging traditional roles and workflows within the industry. Significantly, the study identifies a shift towards more collaborative models between AI and human creativity, suggesting that the future of the creative marketing industry lies in leveraging AI to augment human talent rather than replace it. This balance presents opportunities for innovation and new forms of content creation but also necessitates a re-evaluation of skill sets, job roles, and industry standards to adapt to an AI-integrated environment. The research underscores the importance of ethical guidelines and industry-wide discussions on the use of AI, advocating for policies that support creativity, protect intellectual property, and ensure fair competition in the evolving landscape. In conclusion, this qualitative research study provides an insightful analysis of the complex dynamics between generative AI and the creative marketing industry. It offers a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities AI presents, iii emphasising the need for a strategic approach to integrate AI technologies. By highlighting the potential for AI to augment human creativity and transform supply chain processes, the study contributes valuable perspectives to the ongoing discourse on the future of creativity and technology in marketing and advertising
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    An Assessment of Digital Transformation and Maturity in the South African banking sector
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Garane, Achumile Sinazo; Anning, Thomas Dorson
    The present study investigates the nuances of digital transformation and maturity in the South African banking sector. In the present study, the prevailing problem is that documented scientific evidence seemingly suggests business customers have to wait a long time for their loan applications to be accepted because banks lack the necessary digital capabilities, business processes and IT competencies to respond to all sales requests promptly. To deal with this pressing empirical and practical gap in the literature, this study collected primary data through a semi-structured interview approach. To do this, two samples were drawn from business executives and retail and business client strata from the banking sector in South Africa. A total of 15 interviews were conducted, comprising 7 business executives and 8 from the retail and business clients group. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings suggest that South Africa's banking industry has a well-advanced digital banking system that integrates business and retail clients with the global financial system and makes it easier for them to plan their cash flow streams using different products offered by digital banking platforms. Nonetheless, despite a relatively advanced banking system, evidence suggests that retail and business banking clients lack the knowledge on how to use digital banking applications. As such, the study recommends that financial institutions should develop user-friendly products, increase knowledge of product usage to clients, and eliminate the probability of cybercrime in digital banking platforms
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    The Role of the Business Analyst in Delivering Successful Digital Transformation Initiatives: An Advisory Services Perspective
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Molekwa, Refilwe
    Digital transformation is a vital strategic imperative for organizations in today's fast-evolving digital landscape. Business analysts (BAs) play a crucial role in facilitating successful digital transformation initiatives. However, their roles remain undefined, leading to unexplored impacts on these initiatives. This study, involving 12 participants, aims to scrutinize the roles and challenges of BAs in the context of digital transformation. Drawing on extensive literature reviews and real-world case studies, the research assesses the specific contributions of BAs, challenges they encounter, stakeholder perceptions, and existing support mechanisms. It utilizes the Context, Content, Process, and Outcomes framework to comprehensively examine BAs' involvement in digital transformation projects. Structured interviews were conducted with experienced BAs from Entelect Software South Africa, offering in-depth insights into their responsibilities, challenges, and strategies throughout digital transformation journeys. The findings underscore the BAs' role as essential intermediaries who bridge the business-technology divide, facilitating effective communication, collaboration, and coordination among stakeholders. However, challenges such as resistance and technical knowledge gaps may hinder their ability to propose effective solutions. The study reveals that unclear expectations and adaptation struggles can result from misunderstandings of the BA role. Despite the growing recognition of their significance in digital transformation, ambiguity about their responsibilities persists
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    A human capital perspective of digital business and service delivery in Johannesburg
    (2022) Thari, Kagiso
    The digitalisation of processes and services has grown popular as a result of the fourth industrial revolution. Digital businesses have successfully demonstrated that technology can offer strategic value, inspiring global governments to improve the quality of services offered to the public through digitalisation. The integration of digital technology into the service delivery strategy of the City of Johannesburg remains a subject with limited understanding. This qualitative study explored the level of integration of digital technologies in the delivery of public services by conducting six semi-structured interviews with the middle managers within the city. The collected data were thematically analysed by applying a dynamic capabilities framework with a focus on human capital. It was determined that the level of integration is still in its infancy, owing to the decentralised nature of the organisation. It was further determined that the human capital within the city is adequate to improve the level of integration of digital technology with the service delivery strategy from infancy to an advanced state, provided that there is organisational support for the middle managers.
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    The misalignment of sales and marketing in the digital age: the case of South African small and medium-sized enterprises
    (2020) Armstrong, Richard
    Conceptually the two functions, sales and marketing are closely aligned. In reality, however, there is a tendency for misalignment to develop. This study investigated the misalignment between sales and marketing in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa within the context of the age of digital business. A survey was used to interrogate the extent, nature and causes of such misalignment. This in turn allowed for the support for potential solutions to be measured. The study found that a high degree of misalignment exists between sales and marketing in South African SMMEs. The evidence suggests that such misalignment relates, either directly, or indirectly to ‘lead management’. Potential solutions to the issue were suggested and were overwhelmingly supported by the sample.