Research Publications (Management Sciences)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/217
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Item A 21st century framework for quality management(Academic Journals, 2012-02-07) Moonsamy, Gonasagren Vimlan; Singh, ShaliniEmerging trends such as globalisation, customer power and sophistication, social responsibility and environmental sustainability consciousness are creating new business challenges and market demands for organisations. In order for the business world to realise growth and sustainable success in this environment, many organisations changed the strategy they followed in the last three decades. The new strategies moved from being predominately product-focused, using process management and cost reduction, which used to be core functions to quality management, to more risk mitigation, revenue generation and reputational focused drivers. Hence, in the last twenty years the world of business has changed significantly, whereas the field of quality has not correspondingly changed in thinking or form. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the supposition that quality has become out-dated over the last two decades. This paper will focus on the change that quality management as a discipline should undertake by proposing a quality stewardship and leadership (QSAL) framework for managing quality, under a new definition, namely, quality stewardship, into the future. In addition, this study will also include an empirical study which was undertaken to evaluate the support for the proposed framework.Item Access to finance problems for small retail businesses in South Africa : comparative views from finance seekers (retailers) and finance providers (banks)(LLC CPC Business Perspectives, 2017-06-23) Holger, J. Schmidt; Mason, Roger B.; Bruwer, Juan-Pierré; Aspeling, JonathanSmall retail businesses are essential for the growth of the South African economy. Though many of these business entities need more assets to seize business opportunities, previous research studies suggest that their overall access to finance through banks and other finance providers seems to be limited. In general, small retail businesses are usually managed by entrepreneurs who lack financial knowledge, but banks, when deciding on credit applications, rely heavily on financial information, which is provided by these entrepreneurs. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, this study aimed to explore barriers that limit access to finance for South African small retailers, from the perspectives of finance providers (banking institutions) and finance seekers (small retailers). Additionally, measures were highlighted to show how those hurdles could be overcome. Qualitative research was conducted, whereby data were collected via semi-structured interviews with management personnel at banks and other financial institutions, as well as independent experts and small retail business owners and managers. The findings show that many financing opportunities are available to small retail businesses, but access to these opportunities is limited mainly owing to, inter alia, strict bank regulations and factors that are inherent to small retail business owners.Item Addressing student dropout rates at South African universities(DHET, 2015) Moodley, Padhma; Singh, Rachael JesikaThe excitement of a South African University acceptance is shortlived, for many students, as the challenges faced is often overwhelming, resulting in many dropping out in their first year of study. This has negatively impacted on the desired national norm of an 80% success rate targeted by the Department of Higher Education and Training. This study aims to explore ways in which the dropout rates can be reduced thereby increasing the throughput levels of universities in South Africa. A qualitative study was conducted to identify the challenges students encounter that lead to the high dropout rates. Students who had previously dropped out from universities in South Africa were interviewed in order to examine their perceptions of how dropping out of university could have been avoided. Snowball sampling, a type of purposive sampling was used in this study. The findings indicate incorrect career choice, inadequate academic support and insufficient funding as being primary factors that led to the drop out of students. One of the recommendations this study makes is that university departments must align their support programmes with modules that have a high failure rate to help students cope.Item Adjustment experiences of first-year students in South Africa(2020) Dlamini, Bongani Innocent; Tom, Reyagalaletsa Felicity; Nel, Kathryn Anne; Zogli, Luther-King JuniorBackground and Objective: For most students, adjusting to both social and academic life entails engenders a modicum of stress and emotional challenges for most students, resulting in risks of students drop-out. The current study sought insight and understanding into the adjustment experiences of first-year students at a previously disadvantaged tertiary institution of Higher learning in South Africa. Materials and Method: Qualitative research was conducted to establish the lived experiences of the participants. Four focus with eighteen first-year participants from different departments were utilised for data collection. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews, which allowed probing. Thematic Content Analysis was employed to gather themes from the data. Results: The main results indicated that first-year students found life was different, many old familiar and predictable relationships disintegrating. However, they also found independence and the resilience to adapt to change. Positive adjustment experiences and coping mechanisms included working hard, interacting with lecturing staff and attending religious events, while negative ones included drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana. Conclusions: The study recommended that orientation for first-year students is imperative and should incorporate a programme that helped first-year students understand the challenges they are likely to face in this new phase of their academic and social development.Item Administrative practices for improved environmental compliance of manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises in South Africa(LLC CPC Business Perspectives, 2023-10-23) Maphumulo, Jabhisile; Dongwe, Khethiwe; Nyide, CelaniThe main constraints on SME growth in developing countries are regulations and legislation. Poor administration of environmental regulatory compliance is shown by the high number of SMEs in the manufacturing sector closing down annually in developing economies. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of administrative practices on environmental compliance by manufacturing SMEs in a developing country. This study adopted a quantitative research approach. A sample size of 215 administrative personnel and managers from manufacturing SMEs operating within Msunduzi Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, was selected. Managers and administrative personnel were selected to eliminate biased answers that favor organizations and because both may have had an opportunity to enforce administrative practices that adhere to environmental regulations. The sample size was selected using a probability sampling method. The study shows that respondents agree that environmental compliance is a mandatory practice for SMEs in the manufacturing sector. Although results show that SMEs are complying with environmental regulations, they still face challenges. The study further demonstrates a disregard for the organization and storage of assessment reports by administrative personnel working in manufacturing SMEs.Item The adoption of financial technology to improve the financial capability of peri-urban teachers(2023-01-01) Jali, Nkosinathi Prince; Nyide, Celani JohnThere is a need for more studies exploring how financial technology tools can enhance the financial skills of teachers in peri-urban areas of South Africa. This study aimed to investigate how financial technology can enhance the financial skills of teachers living in peri-urban areas. Exploring the adoption patterns, challenges, and impact of fintech in this context could provide valuable insights to scholarly research and educational policy. The study utilised a positivism research paradigm with a questionnaire survey as the research instrument. 246 high school teachers took part in the study and were chosen through systematic random sampling. The research results showed that most teachers in peri-urban areas had a strong understanding of financial technology. They utilised this information to participate in online shopping, complete electronic bill payments, and carry out cash transactions over the internet. In addition, their proficiency in financial technology allowed them to utilise online financial services, resulting in them favouring internet banking as the most convenient banking method over branch banking and ATM services. Nevertheless, these educators raised issues regarding the security risks linked to internet banking, highlighting the possibility of online hacking or scams leading to financial losses.Item The adoption of innovative approach in research proposal development in the Management Sciences of the Higher Education sector(International Journal of Special Education, 2022-03-03) Zondo, Robert Walter DumisaniSeveral innovative factors transforming higher education provide opportunities of changing its context. This influence the sector to continuously learn new ways of conducting business and introduce innovative methods in its post- graduate research-based teaching. Thus, the future of academia in Higher Education lies in the continuous search for innovative methods of evaluating students’ research proposal. This sentiment underpins the significance of the Research Proposal Evaluation Tool (REPRET). REPRET is a computer-based innovative tool that assists emerging research supervisors (or promoters) in the management sciences in evaluating students’ research proposals effectively. It has built-in functions that provide technical and methodological guides regarding students’ proposals. It assists students in improving the quality of their research proposals, the efficiency of research proposal development, as well as throughput. It is a Microsoft Excel-based tool managed by the research supervisor (or promoter), covers various sections of the research proposal and is compatible with quantitative, qualitative and mixed paradigms. The contribution of REPRET as an innovative tool relies on higher education’s ability to adapt to new processes. REPRET represents an innovative practice in education. It helps the higher educational sector, particularly the management sciences, to achieve competitive advantage and higher performance.Item Aligning strategic human resource management to Human Resources, performance and reward(The Clute Institute, 2013-11) Brauns, MelodyIn a rapidly changing business environment, one may recognise the words “the only thing constant in life is change” by French author Francois de la Rockefoucauld. Yet, with on-going change, it can be difficult to know what to do and how to do it. The world out there is harsh and competition is fierce. Indeed, the world is changing at a rapid pace. Therefore, both public and private sectors have to plan for the future and prepare for any unforeseen circumstance. This paper will discuss the link between Strategic Human Resource Management, Human resources, Performance and Reward, what we know, and the future direction of Strategic Human Resource Management. Strategic Human Resource Management involves making those decisions that define the overall vision, mission, core values and objectives of the organisation, thus determining the most effective utilisation of its resources. Walker (1992: 16) states that Strategic Management enables managers to respond to environmental changes based on a defined business mission, vision and values. Strategies are directional plans that guide management actions in the pursuit of opportunities. In essence, strategies point the way for the most promising changes. They are plans that give direction and address people related business issues. Human Resource strategies are important because they help determine how to manage people in relation to business strategies. Strategic Human Resource Management aligns Human Resources, which is necessary for the success of the organisation.Item Ambient situation and customer satisfaction in restaurant businesses: a management perspective(2022-01-01) Agbenyegah, Albert Tchey; Zogli, Luther-King Junior; Dlamini, Bongani Innocent; Mofokeng, Nyane Ezekiel MacDonald; Kabange, Martin MulundaThe current study illustrates the influence of restaurant ambient conditions on customers satisfaction in the tourism and hospitality industries through cluster and simple random techniques. The primary objective was to ascertain the relationship between the restaurant ambient conditions and customer satisfaction in rural restaurants. A closed-ended questionnaires with varying options were designed to collect primary data from randomly selected customers from 11 restaurants from the study settings. Primary data was analysed via the SPSS software based on statistical tools of regression analysis to determine the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. Final outcomes indicated significant relationship between the dependent and independent variables. The restaurant ambient conditions have significant relationship with customer satisfaction. Based on the findings, this study recommends that owner-managers of restaurants in rural areas need to improve the bulk of the ambient situations to attract more customers. This empirical study contributes to existing literature on the tourism and hospitality industry with specific reference to the restaurant businesses.Item Analysis of social crime patterns in regions based on demographic (geographical) distribution(Review of International Geographical Education Online, 2021-11-15) Nguyen, Nam Trung; Lourens, Melanie Elizabeth; Manjre, Ramkishan; Prakash, Vishal; Patil, Swati; Kamaluddin, Mohammad RahimAim: In this research paper different factors that are able to make impact on criminal activities are being critically evaluated. This paper is aiming to prove different geographic regions have different issues that enhances criminal activities. Therefore, different states of India have different rate of criminal activities. Methods: The methods of the topic have been as per the statistical analysis where the entire information has been related with the southernmost crime rate higher and a very low crime rate in the easternmost states. Main findings: The highest crime rate has been recorded at Tamil Nadu with lowest in Nagaland and Mizoram. The rate of crime increases with religious nature and nature of the crime as per metropolitan culture. The rate has been higher due to wealth, and other factors where the value of the regression has been higher between the northern and southern region respectively. The nature of the murder crime rate has been found to be higher in South Africa compared to online dating scam in Malaysia. Along with that, as a prime part of South-East Asian countries, the crime rates of Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong have also discussed with the help of graphical illustration. Conclusion: The selected states are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Assam, Telangana, Karnataka, Nagaland etc. it has also been identified in different states criminal activities during 2020 get reduced compared with criminal activities in 2019. Punjab is ranking on top in the India due to Drug cases as 35.8% of drug cases in the country belong to Punjab as well. Moreover, it has also been summarised that Vietnam has a higher crime index rather than other south-east Asian countries.Item Analysis of the effect of post-covid office hybrid work arrangement on employee health and safety : a case study of uni4 online Westville Durban South Africa(The International Institute of Knowledge Management, 2023) Bangura, S.; Lourens, Melanie ElisabethAs a result of the COVID-19 pandemic economy, health, and care systems were disrupted and this affected and shaped the future of work. The pandemic augmented many trends in employee work arrangement that had a major impact on businesses and employee health and safety and one of these trends is hybrid work arrangement. Globally, employers, government officials, health organisations, unions, and professional associations struggled to stay compliant. Occupational exposure and working conditions can have an undesirable or positive effect on the safety, health, and well-being of workers. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the effect of post-COVID office hybrid work arrangement on employee health and safety: a case study of Uni4 Online Westville Durban South Africa. Taking into consideration the aim of the study the following objectives guide the study i) to understand what hybrid work arrangement is. ii) to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected employee work arrangement, iii) determine the perceived challenges and opportunities in the application of hybrid work arrangement iv) make recommendations on the effective application of hybrid work arrangement at Uni4 Online Westville Durban South Africa. For this study, a secondary approach to data collection was undertaken. In this regard a total of 15 relevant articles were searched from different databases and search engines, The keywords were explored in three databases namely, Google Scholar, Ebsco-host, and Emerald. The findings from the literature showed that post-COVID hybrid work arrangements can affect workers psychologically because physical distancing through staying at home contributes to isolation and a lack of distinction between work life and home life. Furthermore, it was deduced that hybrid work arrangement creates challenges for workers because it creates fewer opportunities for career development and promotions because of weakened ties. In addition, workers in a hybrid work arrangement who were more dependent on others and generally received more feedback had fewer positive appraisals than those with more independent roles. The study recommends that both employees and managers need to develop new skills and capabilities to adjust to the new ways of working and utilising the prospects of Post COVID hybrid work. Also, firms should be concerned about sustainability implications when developing guidelines for Post COVID hybrid work, both in terms of social and ecological aspects.Item An analysis of the judicial review of the impeachment procedures in Anambra, Oyo, and Plateau in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic(Romanian Cultural Foundation, 2020-06-11) Fagbadebo, Omololu M.; Dorasamy, NirmalaBackground: The Nigeria’s presidentialism recognises the interdependence of the three branches of government: the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, in a system of separated but shared powers. In furtherance of its oversight role, the Constitution grants the legislature the power, through a prescribed procedure, to remove the heads of the executive guilty of gross misconduct while in office. However, some state legislatures removed their governors in violation of the constitutional requirements. This prompted judicial intervention in interpreting the actions of the legislatures vis a vis the constitutional provisions. This paper reviews the intervention of the judiciary in the cases of impeachment of the governors of Anambra, Oyo and plateau States, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This is a qualitative study with primary and secondary data generated from court judgments, public and archival materials, key informants’ interviews and extant literature. Result: Upon judicial review of the three cases, the judiciary declared the legislative process that led to the removal of the governors unconstitutional and ordered their restoration. However, the decisions of the courts were based on the violation of the constitutional procedures rather than on the merits of the allegations of gross misconduct. The Constitution ousts the jurisdiction of the courts to inquire into the allegations of gross misconduct. The paper discovered that while the judicial review gave reprieve to the governors, the pronouncements were indication that the legislature could rebound and exercise their power according to the set rules. Conclusion: The paper concluded that the breach of the constitutional procedure by the legislature was an indication that the lawmakers were not originally interested in the effective exercise of the oversight power of impeachment to advance accountability. The lawmakers were motivated by the pursuit of self-interest rather than desire for the public good. The indictment of the legislature by the outcomes of judicial review was an indication that the members of the legislature were not independent minded as envisaged by the constitution to make decisions in the interest of the public.Item Application of explainable artificial intelligence technique to model the predictors of South African SMMEs resilient performance during the Covid-19 pandemic(Center for Strategic Studies in Business and Finance SSBFNET, 2024) Zhou, Helper; Chamba, Lucy T.; Zondo, Robert Walter DumisaniVarious studies have been carried out to establish the key drivers impacting small enterprise sustainable performance in developing countries. Despite many policy-oriented studies to uncover the factors influencing SME resilience in emerging markets, these firms continue to register high failure rate, which has been further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Guided by a history of linear- and log-linear econometric model estimation that ignores potential network effects, our study extends the literature by implicating SMME resilience as a production network. Utilising data from both incubated and non-incubated SMMEs, marking a departure from traditional linear econometric models, radial basis function artificial neural network algorithm was invoked to establish the drivers of SMME resilience during Covid-19 regime. The study extends the literature by implicating eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) methods. Specifically, optimal SHapley Additive Explanations values (SHAP values) were computed to enhance the prediction output from the machine learning algorithm. The XAI analytics provide insightful findings on the key drivers which influenced the resilience of SMMEs during the Covid-19 pandemic. The importance of innovation through introduction of new products, company age and higher number of marketing mediums is confirmed however total assets, analytics, educational level and number of workers surfaced as a threat to these enterprises’ sustainable performance. The study recommends that both the government and SMEs should leverage XAI to identify their heterogeneous attributes and inform intelligent decision-making which necessities their resilient performance.Item The appropriateness of the design of experiments to support Lean Six Sigma for variability reduction(AOSIS, 2018-09-27) Zondo, Robert Walter DumisaniA Design of Experiment (DoE) is a strategy for planning, conducting, analysing and interpreting the experiment so that valid conclusions can be drawn efficiently and economically. It has the ability to reduce product and process variability. Hence, this study examined if DoE is an appropriate tool to support Lean Six Sigma in selected automotive component manufacturing companies in South Africa. The automotive component manufacturing sector uses various tools aimed at reducing variability. This includes Lean Six Sigma. Consequently, companies that participated in the study have (over and above Lean Six Sigma) adopted a DoE strategy. Thus, the study was designed to establish if DoE is an appropriate tool to support Lean Six Sigma. Of the 123 participants identified, 107 completed the questionnaires. Middle managers of four automotive component manufacturing companies in the eThekwini District Municipality participated in the study. The study investigated production and the related experiences of the automotive component manufacturing companies. Descriptive and correlation were used to analyse data. Results indicated that the appropriateness of DoE to support Lean Six Sigma in various business activities (like finance, strategy and product development) has no relation to both product improvements through reformulation during product development and process optimisation using quality control tools. However, study participants provided a number of reasons for implementing DoE in the automotive component manufacturers. It is advised that the automotive component manufacturers develop a comprehensive variability reduction policy that aligns DoE tools to business performance.Item Are higher education institutions positioned to reap the dividends of open education resources? : the case of Durban University of Technology(The Clute Institute, 2013-09) Van der Merwe, Alexander DawidThe potential benefits of open education resources (OERs) are well documented in the literature. These include cheaper education, improved equity in respect of educational prospects, greater access to higher education opportunities for non-traditional learners, encouraging new modes of collaborative learning and leveraging public funds by sharing knowledge. So compelling are these advantages that leading universities globally are currently experimenting with new business models calibrated to extract value from educational offerings that, increasingly, will be expected to include free content. In spite of the obvious merits of OERs, the open education movement faces challenges which are rooted significantly in educators' perceptions of these resources. This descriptive case study sought to examine the attitudes Durban University of Technology (DUT) faculty have towards OERs with the aim of gauging their capacity to be actively involved as developers and users of these materials. The study found that in spite of respondents' recognition of the advantages of OERs and even a degree of superficial employment of these instructional aids, there appears to be no real open education ethos at the institution. Evidence of this includes the relatively low level of sharing of content amongst faculty an d the consensus of respondents that there is no institutional support for OER initiatives. The study concludes that for the university to retain its relevance in an evolving educational landscape, it should create a framework that will not only create space for OER projects but should also address the very human need for recognition and acknowledgement that developers of free and open content have.Item Are we equal in the eyes of the law : comparison of criminal cases amongst black and white people in South Africa?(2020-11-10) Mbandlwa, ZamokuhlePeople who are committing a white-collar crime has been able to get away with it without any legal consequences. Democratic South Africa has experienced different types of criminal activities in the past 25 years. The apartheid government committed several criminal activities against black people and the court of law favored white people against black people. Crime in South Africa was labeled and associated with the black race. A black man was always a suspect in the apartheid era and a white man was always innocent regardless of his wrongdoing towards black people. even though the current government from 1994, is a democratic government led by black people, the courts are still applying the same principle. The objectives of this paper are to show the inconsistency in criminal cases that are the same but the sentences are not the same because of the skin colour. The judiciary system in South Africa is still treating people differently, based on various cases, this paper argues that money and race is a contributing factor in decisions made by the courts in South Africa. The paper applied secondary research methodology, newspaper reports on various cases were reviewed, criminal justice reports were analyzed, and lastly, the journal papers that are related to this study.Item Assessing customer service quality in banking by an alternative service provider: An African perpective(HOEHERE BUNDESLEHRANSTALT UND BUNDESAMT FUER WEIN- UND OBSTBAU, 2015-09) Govender, Jeevarathnam Parthasarathy; Msosa, Steven KayambazinthuAchieving service quality has been the goal of many organisations over the past decade. ln recent times, the postal business across the world has experienced a sharp decline in the volume of mail due to more efficient alternative channels of communication. The dwindling volumes of mail have made it necessary for public postal operators to diversify into financial services as one way of generating more revenue. However, the influx of many players into the financial service industry has raised the standard of service quality as a tool for business growth and sustainability and as a result, there is no room for mediocre perfom1ance. This paper examines customer perceptions of service quality in the Malawian public postal service. A survey comprising a sample of 400 financial services customers was conducted using the SERVPERF model as the measuring instrument. The results show that customer perceptions of the service quality dimensions are satisfactory. There were significant differences between education level and the perceptions of tangibles and reliability and between region and the perception of tangibles. There were no significant differences between gender, age and occupation and the perception of empathy, tangibles, assurance, reliability and responsiveness. Recommendations are proposed on how the public postal operator can improve service quality among its financial services customers. This study can prove useful as a basis for comparison of customer service quality by altemative providers of banking services in other under-developed countries.Item Assessing successful land claims and the efficacy of co-management in protected areas(International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS), 2020-12-24) Qwatekana, Zikho; Sibiya, Nozipho PrudenceThe aim of this paper is to assess successful land claims as well as the efficacy of co-management in striking a balance between community land rights with the goals of conservation for tourism. The study adopted a qualitative approach, using a case of a successful land claim in the Tala Private Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal Province. A purposive sample was selected from the claimant community and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The findings reflect that co-management may be a logical approach to involving local communities in the management of protected areas. However, as a model used to address land claims by reconciling the necessity of conservation for tourism purposes with land rights, its efficacy remains in doubt. This study thus concludes that unless there is a reassessment of the co-management model and the role of the government in providing post settlement support, the rights of successful claimants will not be realised. It is essential that the government recognizes that sufficient time, support, and resources are fundamental to the success of co-management projects.Item Assessing the effectiveness of an occupational health and safety system in a selected automotive assembly organisation in South Africa(AOSIS, 2021-01-26) Zondo, Robert Walter DumisaniBackground: It has been established that high levels of safety performance are achieved by strong and positive safety climates. Good safety, health and environmental practices reduce the cost of overall healthcare delivery while increasing general productivity. These sentiments underpin the concept of an occupational health and safety (OHS) system. Aim: This study assesses the effectiveness of an OHS in a selected automotive assembly organisation in South Africa. Settings: The automotive organisation that participated in the study has adopted an OHS system. Prior to its implementation, the company experienced an increase in the rate of occupational diseases and injuries. Methods: The study objectives were achieved by examining Health and Safety (H&S) related experiences in the company. The collection of data was carried out in two phases, namely the collection of pre-OHS and post-OHS results from company records for H&S compliance, occupational diseases, as well as workplace injury rates. The pre-OHS results were quarterly data reflecting the company’s H&S performance over the 3-year period prior to the implementation of the OHS system. This company operates in the eThekwini District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. Results: The OHS system has no influence on occupational diseases, or on the workplace injury frequency rates. However, H&S compliance plays a role in the maintenance of the OHS system. Conclusion: In order to maximise performance, a comprehensive OHS policy must be developed that aligns management commitment to the OHS system. Thus, the study uncovered the strengths and weaknesses of OHS in this automotive assembly organisation in South Africa.Item Assessing the effectiveness of Human Resource Management in creating organisational competitiveness in a South African state-owned enterprise(Richtmann Publishing, 2021-05) Dlamini, Bongani Innocent; Zogli, Luther-King Junior; Muzanenhamo, ArvidSouth African state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have been underperforming for the past decade riddled with poor service delivery, employee retrenchments, lack of employee motivation and inability to embrace innovative approaches in management of business. There has been a call from the South African government for SOEs to self-renew and become effective in service delivery. As a result the role of human resource management (HRM) assist organisations to become effective through the use of innovative human resource practices. This paper is an investigation carried out at a selected South African SOE to determine the effectiveness of HRM in creating organisational competitiveness. A qualitative research approach was adopted where interviews were used to gather data from the company’s human resource practitioners and departmental heads. Non-probability sampling was used and 24 participants were purposively selected. The study revealed that HR practitioners do not participate in policy reviews whereas their skills are underutilised, they lack latest technology and it was noted that there is excessive control from high authorities. Received: 11 February 2021 / Accepted: 16 March 2021 / Published: 17 May 2021