Research Publications (Management Sciences)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/217
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Item Contributing elements and issues to strategic management in the construction industry among small and medium enterprises : a case study in South Africa's eThekwini region(University of Cape Town, 2022) Rambaruth, Amit; Adam, Jamila Khatoon; Krishna, Suresh Babu NaiduSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are vital to the economy and have helped it grow, but they still have a high failure rate. Many businesses fail within the first few months of operation due to a lack of strategic planning. This study aimed to identify persuading factors that contribute to strategic management to improve performance and categorise challenges faced by SMEs in implementing a strategic plan in the eThekwini region of South Africa. The study adopted a quantitative research approach, and the population of interest for the research includes small and medium construction companies, which were sourced via the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb) registry. An online survey tool was used to distribute the questionnaire to 145 small and medium businesses. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The study's findings reveal that most eThekwini-based SMEs in the construction industry use strategic management practices to improve their business performance. The key factors for strategic management in SMEs, such as improving decision-making processes, increasing productivity, and gaining a competitive advantage, demonstrated high levels of agreement among participants regarding improving business performance. This study also found widespread agreement on the challenges of implementing a strategic plan in an organisation. Therefore, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) must develop procedures and policies to deal with the difficulties that arise when drafting a strategic plan. This will ensure that strategic planning works in their operations. This can be accomplished by implementing strategic management into SMEs training programs offered by government and tertiary institutions that support SMEs. The government should also improve education and broaden its business skills curriculum. Keywords: Business, Construction, Performance, Planning, Strategy, South Africa.Item Role of integrated artificial intelligence for knowledge creation and decision making for improving firm performance(IEEE, 2022-04-28) Panduro-Ramirez, Jeidy; Khurana, Shopita; Othman, Bestoon; Lourens, Melanie Elizabeth; Ruiz-Salazar, Jenny Maria; Almashaqbeh, Hashem AliThe present research shed light on the decision-making process of businesses based on integrated AI technology. The technology is very helpful in searching and gathering accurate business information which could further be used in the performance improvement of the business. Moreover, the research depicted several applications of AI technology and the percentage of companies that used such technologies in their business for the motive of performance improvement by achieving all their predetermined objectives of the business.Item The effect of layoffs on the performance of survivors at healthcare organizations(Aliva Global Research and Development, 2021-12-02) Wisetsri, Worakamol; Lourens, Melanie Elizabeth; Cavaliere, Luigi Pio Leonardo; Chakravarthi, M. Kalyan; Nijhawan, GituFor years, workers of an organization have strivedto strengthen it and expand it with fresh concepts and strategies to accomplish new objectives.The layoff is,by definition,a spontaneous release from an institution, i.e. a compulsory resignation for certain purposes of employee categories, of permanent or temporary personnel (economic reasons, downsizing personal management).Outsourcing is a way of reducing costs and changing fixed costs to varying expenses for companies. It transfers work or researches to outside households,which lead to job losses.Finishing is a major business challenge, forced disconnected jobs and survivors.This sudden dismantling was triggered by theeconomic depression,which increased with corruption by governments. The COVID-19spread around the world is further overcome day by day.When the layoff is mass, companies may notify the workers of the reasons for the reduction.Some hospitals issued departed personnel a warning for clarifying things and preparing the workers even though they could do serious harm. This form of warning illustrates a pandemic COVID-19 by delivering unemployment until layoffs explainthe financial downturn for workers.Certain hospitals and organizations offer warning without consideration about the discharged workers on the same day. Moreover, this existed in tiny clinics, where there were not very significant layoffs. Substantial government institutions,including A.U.B.M.C., B.M.G.and other hospitals,prefer cuts as a remedy.This research aims to determine the effect of forced termination health care institutions on survivors' effectiveness, performance, quality of service, and relational resultsItem The impact of leadership on organizational justice on employees turnover intention addressing the three dimensions of organizational justice(2021-11-15) Cavaliere, Luigi Pio Leonardo; Lourens, Melanie Elizabeth; Kankaew, Kannapat; Almahirah, Mohammed; Sathish, M.; Koti, Kartikey; Regin, R.; Rajest, SumanCareer fulfillment was considered a key subjective consideration for a successful career as a metric in assessing the entire career of an employee. Job satisfaction is a representation of a person's income, challenge, or protection values or desires, which may impact the appraisal of the person's achievements in his or her career. The conceptions of justice of multiple workforce growth-linked systems and procedures such as performance evaluations, recruiting decisions, and efforts for mitigation have great consequences for other career-related topics, including critical positions in self-efficacy. A quantitative approach is a methodology used to collect data. A way of calculating the mentality and skills of experience is intended. A study was performed using a questionnaire. The main purpose of a questionnaire is to obtain accurate responses to the survey objectives with the utmost credibility, authenticity, and significance. A questionnaire is often a written list of questions on which respondents report their answers. Questions have been asked in the questionnaire for reading, interpretation, and autonomy of answers. In order to classify the topics into various areas of job satisfaction and performance in their work environment, the respondents were invited to evaluate each object on a 5-point Likert scale of one to five (strongly agree). The hypothesis concerned about perceptions of distributive justice will be positively and directly related to employees’ satisfaction with the performance appraisal. This hypothesis was supported. On average, the higher the distributive justice and performance appraisals satisfaction is in the workplace, the higher the employee satisfaction will be.Item Impact of leadership on organizational performance at pharmaceutical companies(2021-10-20) Cavaliere, Luigi Pio Leonardo; Lourens, Melanie Elizabeth; Chowdhury, Arup Roy; Balasudarsun, N.L.; Soundararajan, Leo Rathinaraj Antony; Thankappan, Sreeja Mannickal; Rajest, Suman S.; Regin, R.Leadership can be characterized in various manners that it is difficult to concoct a solitary working definition. The initiative is not only an individual or gathering of individuals in a high position. Authority is a cycle where the pioneer is given different exercises to accomplish any objective. Authority alludes to the conduct/demeanor to gather and direct the people towards any objective. The initiative is a correspondence cycle of leaders and individuals. So, the ampleness of an affiliation depends on the fruitful pioneer and the ground-breaking pioneer who has a practical power style. The organization is a huge factor for any affiliation or social occasion. At the beginning of this research, the researcher will talk about leadership style and its effects. Qualitative and quantitative analysis will take place in our survey questions that will be sent to Pharmagroup companies. The researcher will try to have some data from other companies if the researcher could, due to covid-19 and the difficulties in having interviews in the companies. So far, 40 responses to the questionnaire from 70 total employees and mainly the primary results show a strong impact of leadership on organizational performance. The key to success in the service sector and the whole company was the leadership behavior at Pharmagroup companies.Item Reflections on the impact of talent management on employee performance: perspectives from Zimbabwe(Advanced Scientific Research, 2020-09-01) Mahlahla, Linah; Lourens, Melanie; Oparinde, KunleThis paper investigates the impact of talent management on employee performance at the Masvingo City Council in Zimbabwe. The main challenge facing the council remains the inability to attract, attain and develop talented employees who perform effectively, which in turn intensifies the service delivery challenges across City Councils in Zimbabwe. Therefore, this study will endeavour to examine the talent management strategies that can be employed by the Masvingo City Council to improve on employee performance. The study adopts a quantitative research approach using questionnaires administered to a total of 67 professionals at the Masvingo City Council. Responses were captured and analysed using SPSS. Statistical tests were used to test six hypotheses which were formulated for the various sections of the study. Findings indicate that talent management has an impact on employee performance at the Council level. It was recommended that the Masvingo City Council provide employees with adequate training and resources, revise and improve personnel policies, and reward employees for outstanding performance.Item Rural-urban comparison of manufacturing SMMEs performance in KwaZulu Natal province, South Africa(Adonis and Abbey Publishers, 2021-03-01) Zhou, Helper; Gumbo, VictorThe paper investigated the role of location on the performance attributes of manufacturing Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa’s second-largest province of KwaZulu Natal (KZN). Panel data from 191 SMMEs covering three years between 2015 and 2017 were analysed using R software. The results utilising the Random Effects Within-Between (REWB) technique show that SMMEs in KZN have related characteristics but the extent to which they influence performance is moderated by location. The findings also indicate that the use of digital media and liability registration negatively affects the performance of urban-based, with no effect on rural-based enterprises. Based on the findings, it was recommended that SMMEs in KZN should focus on productivity, permanent employees, temporary employees and total assets to drive performance despite their locations. Based on this study, the government has an informed basis for the development of effective interventions for SMMEs in the province.Item Effective leadership styles for cooperative banks in an emerging economy(Allied Academies, 2020-07-08) Nyide, Celani JohnCo-operatives are seen as a growing tool to reduce poverty and unemployment. As such, they are the subject of government regulation in many parts of the world. However, a considerable number of co-operatives in emerging economies fail as economic enterprises and as self-help organisations beyond government support. They are unable to cope with modern economic realities due to poor administration, leadership and poor business practices. Studies are emphatic that the style of leadership has an influence on the survival of businesses. This study, therefore, investigated the leadership styles prevalent at a co-operative financial institution. This study used questionnaires as a research instrument to collect data from respondents. Questionnaires consisting test items were administered to 107 eligible participants who were selected using purposive sampling. A Kendall-Tau test was conducted to test the relationship between the leadership styles and their influence on the organisation’s performance. Findings from the primary research show that transformational leadership style is within the investigated co-operative. The results also show that there is a significant relationship between the transformational leadership style and its effectiveness in meeting job related needs. There is evidence that suggests that transformational leadership style is effective in ascertaining the investigated co-operative meets its organisational goals. This study contributes to the literature on the identification and evaluation of effective styles of leadership for cooperative banks in an emerging economy.Item Monitoring and evaluation capacity development of municipalities in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa(Kamla-Raj Enterprises, 2016) Govender, Ivan GunassThe purpose of the study was to assess the monitoring and evaluation capacity development in local municipalities in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The research method included the case study and the mixed method approach. The study found that monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity development is perceived to positively impact staff motivation, training and placement; allocation of resources; and stakeholder participation. The results of the study are relevant to the National, Provincial and the Municipal Councils in exercising their oversight roles to capacitate municipalities to plan, implement and manage M&E systems to ensure an accountable and responsive local government. This study is significant as it provides a platform for the three spheres of government to address the current M&E capacity development gaps and to collectively develop an evidence-based national M&E capacity development strategy. The paper proposes further detailed research be undertaken for M&E capacity needs analysis in each municipality to ensure the developmental mandates are achieved.Item Factors impacting on employee performance: a case study ofthe Royal Swaziland police service(Virtus Interpress, 2015) Dorasamy, Nirmala; Mabila, Ndiphethe OliveThe principal challenge for most organisations is to ensure that the performance of employees will result in the effectiveness and success of any organisation. The Royal Swaziland Police Service (RSPS), in order to differentiate itself from other organisations and ensure survival effectiveness and competitiveness, must render services of high quality. The key findings of the RSPS study suggest that the most positive factors of job satisfaction are receiving respect from the community and relations with colleagues, while the negative aspects are that salaries are not equal to effort put into the job and fear of victimization after voicing a personal opinion.