Research Publications (Accounting and Informatics)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/212

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Accounting skills and the sustainability of small and medium enterprises in South Africa
(Universitatea Danubius Galati, 2021-04-01) Olarewaju, Odunayo Magret; Msomi, Thabiso Sthembiso
The objective of this study is to examine the accounting skills and sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The quantitative research method was adopted for this study and the purposive sampling technique was chosen to select the participants for this study. The study collected primary data from respondents who are owners of SMEs in the retail, construction and manufacturing sectors, etc. Data was analysed using SPSS. A total of 310 research questionnaires were administered and 304 research questionnaires were returned for analysis (giving a 98% response rate). A regression analysis and Pearson’s correlation analysis were conducted. The outcome of Pearson’s correlation shows moderate correlation (r value is 0.531) between accounting skills and sustainable SMEs. There is also a significant effect of accounting skills on sustainability as revealed in p-value <0.0005. Thus, it was concluded that SME owners need more accounting training or bookkeeping awareness. This is because training will equip SME owners with the needed skills to ensure accurate recording of business transactions, which is beneficial when the need for financial assistance from banks or other financial institution arises.
Achieving financial sustainability in Ghana’s banking sector: is environmental, social and governance reporting contributive?
(SAGE Publications, 2021) Maama, Haruna
Despite banks not having any significant direct negative impacts on the environment and society, they adopt environmental, social and governance (ESG) accounting. Meanwhile, ESG reporting consumes additional resources and exposes firms’ strategies to competitors. The study employed a legitimacy theory to investigate the impact of ESG reporting on the financial sustainability of banks in Ghana. The study relied on 10 years of annual reports of all the banks in Ghana. The banks’ ESG reporting practices were assessed based on a content analysis method. The financial sustainability was measured based on return on assets (ROA) and net interest margin (NIM). Evidence showed that environmental reporting (ERI) impacted the banks’ NIM and ROA inversely and significantly, whilst governance reporting had a positive but insignificant relationship with NIM and ROA. The result further demonstrated that social reporting (SRI) impacted NIM and ROA positively and significantly. The overall ESG reporting had a negative and significant relationship with the banks’ financial sustainability. Hence, the ESG reporting did not improve the financial sustainability of banks, and banks in Ghana have less of an incentive to report on ESG as opposed to banks in other countries, where such reporting generally makes financial sense.
African women entrepreneurs and COVID-19 : towards achieving the African Union Agenda 2063
(AOSIS, 2022-01-01) Anwana, Emem O.; Aroba, Oluwasegun Julius
Research on the challenges facing African women entrepreneurship and the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is scant. This article explored the challenges and the impact of COVID-19 on African women-owned businesses and the effect thereof on the 17th goal of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063. African women entrepreneurs experience many social inequalities, ranging from cultural norms to family to legal and regulatory measures to accessing finance. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges as many African women entrepreneurs have been forced out of business because of measures taken by African governments to halt the spread of the disease. The article reviewed current literature on African women entrepreneurs and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic using two databases and is based on a total of 104 published articles. The article provided a foundation for post-COVID-19 policy directives in Africa. The authors recommend measures to mitigate these challenges and discuss strategies for policymakers to re-position African women entrepreneurs for the post-COVID-19 era towards achieving AU Agenda 2063 and realising the Africa we all want. Contribution: The study aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of ending poverty in Africa and the AU Agenda 2063 goal of achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls to achieve the Africa we all want.
Agency in translating Une Vie de Boy into English: Exploring translator identity and translation strategies
(OJS, 2014) Awung, Felix Nkwatta
Recent research in translation studies has underscored the role of translators as agents. This implies that a translator is not just a neutral conduit of a message from one language to another, but someone who is very much involved in the power interplay that determines the decision making leading to the translation product. It is within this context that this paper seeks to analyse the concept of ‘agency’ in translation, with specific focus on African literature in European languages. It is worth mentioning that while this type of literature has been the subject of much research, less attention has been given to it in terms of translation. Focusing on a translation by the late John Reed of Ferdinand Oyono’s Une Vie de Boy, this paper seeks to show how an understanding of the identity of the translator can lead to an appreciation of his/her translation strategies. It should be noted that translating African culture from one European language to another can be quite a challenging task – especially if the culture is foreign to the translator – due to the fact that cultural value systems are difficult to grasp as they are intricately woven into the texture of the native languages (Bandia 2008). Such a task is even more intriguing since the original text is in itself a form of translation, initially conceived in the African language of the author before being rendered into a European language. In this case, the agency role of the translator would therefore be more significant given that s/he is dealing with a peculiar source text that is different from most source texts which are translated between relatively close or non-distant cultures. Through an ethnographic study involving an exploration of the context of the translation production, as well as an interview with Reed, this paper posits that the translator’s socio-cultural background tends to influence the nature and extent of his/her intervention in the translation process. This will contribute in shifting the focus of translation assessment from solely the end product to an inclusion of the translator’s identity.
Analysis of road traffic accidents severity using a pruned tree-based model
(International Information and Engineering Technology Association, 2023-06-30) Adeliyi, Timothy T.; Oluwadele, Deborah; Igwe, Kevin; Aroba, Oluwasegun Julius
Traffic accidents are becoming a global issue, causing enormous losses in both human and financial resources. According to a World Health Organization assessment, the severity of road accidents affects between 20 and 50 million people each year. This study intends to examine significant factors that contribute to road traffic accident severity. Seven machine learning models namely, Naive Bayes, KNN, Logistic model tree, Decision Tree, Random Tree, and Logistic Regression machine learning models were compared to the J48 pruned tree model to analyze and predict accident severity in the road traffic accident. To compare the effectiveness of the machine learning models, ten well-known performance evaluation metrics were employed. According to the experimental results, the J48 pruned tree model performed more accurately than the other seven machine learning models. According to the analysis, the number of casualties, the number of vehicles involved in the accident, the weather conditions, and the lighting conditions of the road, is the main determinant of road traffic accident severity.
Analyzing firm-specific factors affecting the financial performance of insurance companies in South Africa
(LLC CPC Business Perspectives, 2023-04-05) Msomi, Thabiso Sthembiso; Nzama, Smangele
This study aims to investigate the effect that firm-specific factors have on the financial performance of South African insurance companies. This paper looked at the performance of 36 insurers that are publicly traded and have quantifiable markets from 2008 to 2019. The return on assets (ROA) was calculated as a function of the financial performance in this study. While the firm size, leverage ratio, premium growth rate, liquidity ratio, and tangibility of assets were examined as dependent factors using the panel data regression technique, the premium growth rate, liquidity ratio, and tangibility of assets were explored as independent variables. According to the findings of the regression analysis, other firm-specific factors, with the exception of leverage and liquidity ratios, do not have a statistically significant influence on the financial performance of South African insurance companies. A negative and insignificant association was discovered between premium growth rate and ROA at –0.0023 and tangibility of assets and ROA at –0.0113. There was a strong positive and significant relationship between liquidity ratio and ROA at 0.0927, while the size had a positive but insignificant relationship with ROA at 0.0039. Leverage ratio and ROA had a negative but significant relationship at –0.1512. This study suggests that the use of automated systems and insured techs will be advantageous in cutting costs associated with policyholder enrollment, claims agreement, and even easily achieved tailor-made policy initiatives.
Application of stakeholder management for business sustainability in the higher education sector
(Kamla-Raj, 2016) Khanyile, Makabongwe; Green, Paul
Universities have not been able to manage their stakeholder identification and salience correctly, nor to establish the needs of each stakeholder. Stakeholder analysis is deliberately considered as the most important part of university management and marketing, and universities are required to take care of their key stakeholder groups and build long-term relationships with them. The study sought to determine how the university identified and managed stakeholders for its Research and Innovation Month. This single exploratory case study situated in a qualitative paradigm used interviews, questionnaires and a literature review to collect relevant data. This study found that the university, through the Research and Innovation Month, has created a platform for collaboration and partnerships, as well as intellectual engagement. In addition, the study found that the university looks at four components in stakeholder participation.
Assessing the use of environmental management accounting as a tool to calculate environmental costs and their impact on a company's environmental performance
(IJMRBS, 2015-01) Doorasamy, Mishelle; Garbharran, Hari Lall
The aim of this study was to investigate the use of Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) and identify environmental costs and their impact on environmental performance. Over the last two decades, EMA has emerged as an important approach by organizations wanting to improve their environmental and economic performance. However, despite the many pilot projects conducted that demonstrated the positive impact that EMA has on an organization, EMA implementation remains slow and lagging behind in South Africa. EMA is an environmental management tool that traces environmental costs directly to the processes and products that are responsible for those costs, thereby highlighting problem areas that need to prioritized when considering the adoption of cleaner production. Previous research identified that traditional costing systems did not adequately account for the actual environmental costs incurred by companies as much of these costs were hidden under overhead accounts. Hence, production costs were high, resulting in incorrect profit margins being set and ultimately impacting on company profitability. This paper is based on a case study of a paper manufacturing company in KwaZulu- Natal. The scope of this study was limited to the steam generation process and focused mainly on the efficiency of the current coal-fired boilers used in the boiler plant. The research methodology used in the study was both quantitative and qualitative involving triangulation. The results of the study show that EMA can improve environmental and economic performance of an organization by providing managers with more accurate values of their environmental costs.
Assessment of an organisational decision and the financial performance among retail stores in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
(Science Publishing Group, 2023-01) Mbambo, Mzwandile Atkins
The retail sector has become prominent and fast growing since last decade in South Africa and in most countries across the globe. Retailers are making a huge contribution towards the GDP and the sales completed are a central economic measure. The study has found it crucial to scrutinise the decisions made by retailers and find out whether those decisions have an influence on the financial performance of retail stores specifically in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. To satisfy the aim of the study, a quantitative research method was adopted. A total of two hundred copies of questionnaires were administered to participants. The questionnaires were sent out to 5 respondents per retail store. Each retail store chosen to participate in this study consisted of two dissimilar outlets. In total, there were 20 retail stores in KwaZulu-Natal selected to contribute to this research and all these stores are listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Furthermore, the study used Statistical Package for Social Sciences program for coding and data analysis. The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Linear regressions were used with the intention of uncovering the relationships that exist between measured variables. The tests exhibited how organisational decisions impact the retail stores’ financial performance and the results indicated the following coefficients (F (1, 159) = 21.382, p<.0005). The results showed that a constructive association exist between the variables established in the study. Therefore, this study’s findings corroborated prior research findings. The study further makes suggestions to resolve a lot of apprehensions about organisational decisions and how retailers can improve their financial performance since there is a connection between decisions made by the company and financial performance. Taking the suggestions and recommendations of the study into consideration, retailers can enhance their financial performance and make an improvement in future organisational decisions. Additionally, implementing different financial strategies can enhance sales, and growth to meet the company’s objectives. Consequently, as the retail stores progress, the economy is not enfeebled by a diminution from the retail industry’s contribution to the GDP of South Africa
An assessment of management skills on capital budgeting planning and practices : evidence from the small and medium enterprise sector
(Informa UK Limited, 2022-12-31) Nunden, Naresh; Abbana, Sharanam Sharma; Marimuthu, Ferina; Sentoo, Naresh
Budgets are a compass and guiding light for businesses. Therefore, management and owners of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) must carry out suitable and precise capital budgeting activities and methods to ensure business longevity and progression. There is a high risk of SMEs failing soon after they are found, with one likely cause being poor management skills. Thus, the study aims to assess the management skills of the capital budgeting planning and practices of SMEs. The objective is to ascertain the influence of management skills and owners on current capital budgeting planning and practice. The study adopted the quantitative method by administering questionnaires to 108 owners and managers in the Springfield Industrial Park. The findings of the study indicate that owners and managers were solely responsible for decision-making. Secondly, owners and managers lacked the financial skills, ability to control and lead staff. The study was limited to owners and managers in the SMEs and therefore cannot be inferred to any other area or subject/s. Future studies can be conducted in other regions, of which a comparative study is recommended that owners and managers in SMEs improve their business knowledge, as well as upskilling their financial ability in the capital budgeting process. Thus, the implications of improving owners and manager’s business knowledge will lead to timeous, smarter, and informed decision-making. It is therefore recommended that owners and managers take up short courses to improve computer literacy and financial skills in business processes.
Assessment of user authentication risks in a healthcare knowledge management system
(The Clute Insitute, 2015) Adekanmbi, Oluwole; Green, Paul
Risk management is a concept which has becomes very popular with a number of national and international businesses. Many companies often establish a risk management procedure in their projects for improving performance and increasing profits. Projects undertaken in the construction sector are widely complex, often having significant budgets; therefore, reducing risks associated with projects should be a priority for each project manager. Patient information security has become a matter of interest to healthcare professionals, governments and researchers worldwide. This paper proposes a comprehensive risk assessment methodology that provides a decision support tool, directed to a healthcare system, which can be utilized for evaluating risk involved during user authorization and authentication procedures. Within this context, a process technique was implemented to develop a risk assessment model, which is used to derive the relative priorities of the risk factors associated with a healthcare knowledge management system. The study showed risks involved when users are accessing a healthcare system. It proposes a model for assessing each risk occurring during the user authorization and authentication process. The results of the knowledge generated from the risk assessment provide a basis for deriving a system performance that is desirable for evaluating risk.
Assessment of user authentication risks in a healthcare knowledge management system
(The Clute Institute, 2015) Adekanmbi, Oluwole; Green, Paul
This paper proposes a comprehensive risk assessment methodology that provides a decision support tool, directed to a healthcare system, which can be utilized for evaluating risk involved during user authorization and authentication procedures. Within this context, a process technique was implemented to develop a risk assessment model, which is used to derive the relative priorities of the risk factors associated with a healthcare knowledge management system. The study showed risks involved when users are accessing a healthcare system. It proposes a model for assessing each risk occurring during the user authorization and authentication process. The results of the knowledge generated from the risk assessment provide a basis for deriving a system performance that is desirable for evaluating risk.
Benchmarking : a strategy to improve environmental performance by using material flow cost accounting emprical study based on a paper manufacturing company
(AJBM, 2015) Doorasamy, Mishelle
A growing number of organisations have incorporated environmental strategies as part of their corporate business strategies, hoping to improve their competitiveness.To ensure their future sustainability and competitiveness, management needs to consider adopting Cleaner Production (CP) techniques and technologies which will address waste issues at its source and ensure more efficient use of resources. However, management is not keen on this strategy as they perceive CP as a costly strategy that requires innovation with no financial benefits to the company. The aim of this paper is to benchmark the company’s environmental costs by comparing material balance indicators against technological standards and best-available technology. The results are based on a case study which focused on the boiler technology used in the steam generation process. It had been found that benchmarking enabled managers to evaluate and analyse how they can improve both their environmental and economic performance in the future and attain their sustainability targets.
A bisociated research paper recommendation model using BiSOLinkers
(Insight Society, 2022-01-01) Maake, Benard M.; Ojo, Sunday O.; Zuva, Keneilwe; Mzee, Fredrick A.
In the current days of information overload, it is nearly impossible to obtain a form of relevant knowledge from massive information repositories without using information retrieval and filtering tools. The academic field daily receives lots of research articles, thus making it virtually impossible for researchers to trace and retrieve important articles for their research work. Unfortunately, the tools used to search, retrieve and recommend relevant research papers suggest similar articles based on the user profile characteristic, resulting in the overspecialization problem whereby recommendations are boring, similar, and uninteresting. We attempt to address this problem by recommending research papers from domains considered unrelated and unconnected. This is achieved through identifying bridging concepts that can bridge these two unrelated domains through their outlying concepts – BiSOLinkers. We modeled a bisociation framework using graph theory and text mining technologies. Machine learning algorithms were utilized to identify outliers within the dataset, and the accuracy achieved by most algorithms was between 96.30% and 99.49%, suggesting that the classifiers accurately classified and identified the outliers. We additionally utilized the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) algorithm to identify the topics bridging the two unrelated domains at their point of intersection. BisoNets were finally generated, conceptually demonstrating how the two unrelated domains were linked, necessitating cross-domain recommendations. Hence, it is established that recommender systems' overspecialization can be addressed by combining bisociation, topic modeling, and text mining approaches.
Can training in employability skills help adolescent girls and young women in South Africa increase their employment opportunities?
(2023-04-15) Mvunabandi, Jean Damascene; Mkhize, Msizi; Marimuthu, Ferina; Gadzikwa, Lawrence
This article investigated how employability skills training can be used to foster adolescent girls and young women's employment opportunities and to improve their employment pathways in South Africa. This study adopted quantitative and descriptive research approaches via longitudinal data collection. Secondary data was collected from 3584 AGYWs using a questionnaire survey during employability training from July-October 2021. Robustness analysis was performed using descriptive statistics using SPSS version 28.0. The empirical findings proved that employability skills training significantly improved the capabilities of adolescent girls and young women on labour market assessments. Relying on these empirical findings, this study proposes a framework for linking AGYWs and the labour market through an employability skills training capability-based conceptualised model. The results of this study will fill a gap in understanding the twelve dominant employability skills variables identified by this research study which has justified with most relevant literature and theories in particular. This study contributes to the current body of knowledge and further contributes to the career development and employability among adolescent girls and young women required to cope with the labour markets in South Africa. The study recommends schools, Universities and other key role players in skills development among employability skills guidelines for ensuring the readiness of young graduates for employment opportunities in South Africa.
Capital structure of small, medium and micro enterprises : major factors for a developing economy
(LLC CPC Business Perspectives, 2019-05-06) Zunckel, Sharon; Nyide, Celani John
Managing capital structure is an imperative decision made by all firms. The manner in which financing is organized is a strategic financial decision and managers must settle on the amount of debt in relation to equity that it requires to maintain. Despite many empirical studies investigating the choice of capital structure for large corporates, minimal research has been conducted on capital structure decisions in small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs). This study identifies major factors influencing the capital structure of SMMEs in a developing economy and enlightens owners/managers on the importance thereof. This investigation used a quantitative research approach, which was cross-sectional. A convenience sampling method was adopted, and data were collected from 136 respondents, only confined to the retail and whole sector, which is the second largest sector in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The partial least squares structural equation modelling was utilized to determine the statistical results. It was discovered that managerial factors such as individual goals and financing preference of the owner/manager, network ties, attitude to debt, maintaining control and asymmetric information; and firm-level factors such as size of the firm, profitability and firm age are major factors that influence the capital structure of SMMEs. Therefore, capital structure decisions are made motivated by the attitudes of the owners/managers.
A careful blend of general and vocational education: is this still necessary in the education and training of the modern LIS professional?
(2006) Raju, Jayarani
In the context of a rapidly evolving discipline almost completely dominated by digital technology, this paper revisits the long-standing debate on the value of general education in higher education in which professional information and library science (ILS) education and training is located. In doing so it reviews the literature to draw out the dominant discourses on general education as well as refers to findings on the subject in a recent study of library and information services (LIS) employers, employees and ILS educators in South Africa. The purpose of the paper is to examine whether general education is still necessary for the modern information context. The paper concludes that general education is as essential as vocational preparation for the current LIS work environment. It recommends that the modern ILS curriculum must capture a careful blend of general and vocational education.
Cash management challenges of small businesses in a developing community
(MCER Publishing, 2014-12) Mungal, Avika; Garbharran, Hari Lall
Small businesses are vital for employment and job creation in South Africa. The implementation of sound cash management practices is essential to ensure the profitability and sustainability of any successful business. The purpose of this paper is to identify the cash management challenges faced by small businesses in a developing community. This research targeted small retail businesses in the Tongaat area in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The research design for this paper was descriptive, quantitative and cross-sectional. The data instrument was a questionnaire. These findings indicate a significant relationship between cash management knowledge and managing cash flow. The findings also indicate a correlation between profitability in the business and implementation of cash management practices as well as a correlation between the challenges of cash management practices and their ability to ensure profitability in their business. This paper recommends that businesses should implement cash management procedures to eliminate cash management difficulties.
Challenges impeding women into leadership roles in a student-led organization at the South African higher education institution
(Business Perspectives, 2021-12) Jali, Nokwanda; Suknunan, Sachin; Bhana, Anrusha
The study shows that a patriarchal society where women are still in the minority when it comes to leadership positions is still dominating. A few studies are exploring the role of women in leadership in government and industry, and very little focus is paid on higher education institutions and more especially – from a female leadership perspective. Therefore, this paper aims to determine the factors that hindered female students from attaining leadership positions and simultaneously make recommendations to create more leadership opportunities in a nationally recognized student-led organization known as the Student Representative Council at a large public South African higher education institution – the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The target population was 16 female leaders who served in the University’s Student Representative Council from 2019 to 2020 of which 13 had responded. A qualitative approach was followed and interviews were conducted. The study employed inductive qualitative thematic analysis using NVIVO 12. Findings revealed that the Student Representative Council structure at the university was patriarchal with little commitment to gender equality. Males outnumbered women in leadership roles. Portfolios assigned to women were mainly administrative rather than leadership. Females were subjected to stereotypical behavior. The study recommended ways to promote female student leadership whereby policy and constitution change is required to facilitate gender equality and the implementation of quotas. Women should be empowered to enhance their leadership skills via effective leadership development programs specifically designed for females to address the leadership gap between males and females.
Change-point analysis : an effective technique for detecting abrupt change in the homicide trends in a democratic South Africa
(Hindawi Limited, 2020-04-21) Monyeki, Phirime; Naicker, N.; Obagbuwa, Ibidun Christiana
South Africa is considered the murder capital of the world. The challenge for the South African government is to attract foreign investment to boost the economy in a country plagued by homicide. In this study, a change-point analysis was used to pinpoint significant changes in the murder trends in each of the nine provinces in South Africa from 2005 to 2015. This analysis will assist authorities to gain a better understanding of the big picture view in order to mitigate against this crime. Two methods were used in the analysis, namely, CUSUM and Bootstrap. CUSUM was used to analyse data trends, and Bootstrap was used to calculate the occurrence of change points based on the confidence level. The results of the analysis clearly show the abrupt shifts in murder data across the provinces of South Africa. In addition, we used the South African population statistic dataset from 2005 to 2015 to evaluate the relationship between population of the nine provinces and contextualise the murder crime rates year to year and province to province.