Theses and dissertations (Accounting and Informatics)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/4

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Analysing the empowerment of women leadership : a case of the Durban University of Technology
(2016) Ngcobo, Akhona Denisia; Ngwane, Knowledge Siyabonga Vusamandla
The purpose of the study was to explore the empowerment of women leadership, focusing on the Durban University of Technology. Statistics around the world have highlighted that women are under-represented in decision-making positions, with a specific focus on the academic sector; this study aims to review these statistics and establish which barriers prevent females from progressing to leadership positions. The target population was comprised of staff members from the Durban University of Technology and ranged from leadership, management, and lecturing, to entry-level employees. The technique of probability sampling was chosen in this research, with a sample size of 100 participants drawn from the population. Questionnaires were designed with both closed-ended and some open-ended questions, and were personally administered to all campuses of the Durban University of Technology, namely Ritson Campus, Steve Biko Campus, ML Sultan Campus, City Campus, Indumiso Campus and Riverside Campus. This study revealed that, although women are still under-represented in Higher Education, there are efforts being made to bridge this gap. This study found female leaders more productive than male counterparts at the Durban University and are able to run their department smoothly and efficiently. The study also found that there are internal respondents agreed that there are hidden difficulties in their department that women face and prevent them from moving into higher positions. Additionally, the study found that there are programs at the Durban University that empower women into leadership. This study contributes to knowledge of gender-based leadership and female empowerment into leadership positions, in the higher education sector.
The application of real options as an enhancement to the net present value technique : a case of the financial services sector
(2022-07-20) Fitzgerald, Kyle Clifton; Marimuthu, Ferina
There has been an incredible transformation in the capital budgeting literature over the past fifty years. Traditional methods, such as Net Present Value (NPV), are at best arbitrary decision-making tools, causing many uncertainties throughout the project lifespan. A major concern is that traditional investment models such as NPV do not adequately evaluate investments under uncertainty, so they cannot integrate managerial flexibility into decision-making. On the other hand, real option analysis draws on the traditional NPV technique and creates a broader range of investment alternatives, allowing management to effectively account for these uncertainties. This study examined the perceptions of financial planners on the application of real options as an enhancement to the NPV technique in the Durban financial services sector. This study focused on a quantitative research design and used questionnaires to gather primary data. The target population of this study was 286 certified financial planners from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Data analysis comprised both descriptive and inferential statistics, allowing the researcher to draw conclusions about the target population and suggesting ideas for future research. The results of this study concluded that NPV is insufficient as a standalone capital budgeting technique and that the usage of real options within the NPV framework enhances decision-making in investments when uncertainty is present. The results of the study also indicated that some of the financial planners who participated were unfamiliar with or had limited knowledge of real options, which prevented them from applying these judiciously. It is therefore recommended that these participants enrol in a professional development program on this subject to increase their knowledge and competence in dealing with real options appropriately in financial and investment decision-making. The study used certified financial planners from Durban's central business district, who are part of the country's financial services sector. To make the results generalisable in the context of South Africa, future studies should explore the same topic using certified financial planners from other cities.
Bio-inspired optimisation of a new cost model for minimising labour costs in computer networking infrastructure
(2024) Nketsiah, Richard Nana; Millham, Richard Charles; Agbehadji, Israel Edem
This thesis revolves around the bio-inspired optimisation of a newly formulated cost model tailored for initial installation of a user-specified computer networking infrastructure, motivated by requirements of networking industries, with a focal point on minimising labour costs. The new cost function of this infrastructure installation incorporates essential decision variables related to labour, encompassing the daily requirements and costs of both skilled and unskilled workers, their respective hourly rates, installation hours, and the overall project duration. This deliberate emphasis on labour-centric factors aim to offer nuanced insights into the intricacies of project budgeting and resource allocation. The research critically evaluates the effectiveness of the cost function by examining various factors, such as daily fixed costs, a size and complexity factor tailored to individual scenarios, and a penalty coefficient aimed at ensuring compliance with project schedules. Significantly, the deliberate exclusion of equipment, material, maintenance and operational costs underscores the focused examination of labour-related expenditures, providing a unique contribution to the optimisation landscape within the installation of the user-specified computer networking infrastructure projects. Utilising advanced bio-inspired optimisation techniques, alongside real-world data, this study endeavours to gauge the effectiveness of the new cost model in minimising labour expenses while upholding optimal network performance. The anticipated outcomes of this study extend beyond theoretical contexts to practical implications, providing actionable insights and recommendations for network infrastructure planners. The significance of labour-centric considerations in project planning and design is underscored, providing a more encompassing perspective that aligns with the evolving landscape of modern technological infrastructures. By giving attention to labour-intensive aspects within installation of computer networking infrastructure projects, the thesis aspires to enhance budgeting accuracy and streamline resource allocation processes, thereby fostering more efficient and cost-effective project outcomes.
Cost control and operational performance at eThekwini human settlement unit
(2024) Jwara, Msawenkosi Cedric; Marimuthu, Ferina; Nzuza, Zwelihle Wiseman
Government municipalities have encountered notable challenges due to their inability to undergo necessary revitalisation and keep pace with the ongoing modernisation of the contemporary business environment. Within South African municipalities, prevailing cost accounting methods exhibit a lack of alignment with contemporary advancements in cost management. This misalignment has resulted in delays in delivering vital community services due to an insufficient grasp of strategic resource cost control. Consequently, there arises a distinct imperative to undertake an inquiry into the practical cost control techniques employed, the determinative factors influencing cost controls and the resultant effectiveness of such controls in improving operational performance of the eThekwini Human Settlement Unit (HSU). This study aims to identify the role of cost controls in improving the eThekwini HSU's operational performance. Specific objectives include investigating cost control techniques, factors influencing cost controls, and their effectiveness. Employing a quantitative approach, this study used a questionnaire instrument with closed-ended questions to gather data from 44 purposefully selected HSU employees. Data analysis involved descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS (version 27®), ensuring reliability and validity. Ethical considerations were observed throughout the research process. The investigation revealed that the eThekwini HSU implements an array of strategies encompassing budgetary frameworks, audit techniques, cost estimation and cost analysis tools in its pursuit of cost containment. Conversely, negative factors of cost control were identified, prominently including challenges rooted in deficient communication, a lack of administrative accountability and socio-political influences. In the context of perceptions, a notable agreement emerged amongst the surveyed personnel, showing the effectiveness of established cost control mechanisms. Based on the findings derived from this study, it is recommended that the eThekwini HSU take proactive measures to address the identified challenges in cost control. This research contributes to the adoption of modern cost control techniques in the eThekwini HSU and, by extension, other municipalities. Improved cost management processes enhance service delivery and benefit citizens by ensuring efficient resource allocation.
Determinants of participation of Msunduzi local municipality’s peri-urban households in the digital finance economy
(2024) Nyide, Nelisiwe Fortunate; Olarewaju, Odunayo Magret
Digital finance is an instrument that has the potential of improving access to finance to underprivileged groups such as peri-urban communities. Digital financial tools are capable of achieving traditional crisis management objectives with greater potency and accuracy than was historically possible. The financial services sector is in a process of accelerating change by adopting new business models based on convergent technological developments to increase customer participation in periurban areas. Therefore, the financial services sector can use digital finance to improve the availability of household financial services through diversified financial products, thus promoting the growth of household consumption. However, several studies maintain that determinants of digital finance participation of marginalised households, including peri-urban households, are generally underdetermined. Moreover, there is limited literature on the participation of South African households in the digital economy. Scholarly literature asserts that the level of participation of South Africans in digital finance is concerning. This is largely due to a lack of awareness and knowledge of digital financial services that are available to South African households. This study seeks to bridge that gap by examining the determinants of participation of peri-urban households in digital finance in the financial services sector in KwaZuluNatal, South Africa. A quantitative research approach was adopted to answer the research questions. This method was found to be suitable for this study given that the research objectives can be best measured using a structured survey that is quantitative in nature. The target population of this study consisted of peri-urban households located in the Greater Edendale area, which is the largest peri-urban area within the Msunduzi Local Municipality. The sample size for this study was 384 periurban households which were selected using purposive sampling, derived from nonprobability sampling. The questionnaires were in English and were also translated into isiZulu in order to make it easier for respondents to participate in this study. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to compile the descriptive statistics. The results of this study indicate that the general public in economically disadvantaged communities participates in digital financial transactions in the financial services sector on a regular basis. A Spearman correlation analysis found a substantial positive link between the usage of digital platforms by peri-urban families and their degree of participation in digital finance. This association was shown to be statistically significant (r = .649, n = 315, p < .001). However, the results of a Mann-Whitney U test showed that there was no statistically significant difference between genders with regard to involvement in digital finance (Z = -1.804, p = .071). A correlation analysis was undertaken to determine whether peri-urban households’ awareness of digital financial services influenced their adoption of digital platforms. The Spearman correlation analysis (r = .768, n = 315, p < .001) showed a strong and significant relationship between peri-urban households’ knowledge and awareness of digital financial services and their use of digital platforms. Additionally, a Spearman correlation analysis (r = -.524, n = 315, p < .001) revealed a significant negative association between peri-urban households’ adoption of digital financial platforms and their digital literacy. This is despite the fact that literature argues that in South Africa, the adoption of digital financial services is negatively affected by a lack of information and knowledge which is prevalent among marginalised communities.
Development of a web based smart city infrastructure for refuse disposal management
(2017) Oluwatimilehin, Adeyemo Joke; Olugbara, Oludayo O.; Adetiba, Emmanuel
The future of modern cities largely depends on how well they can tackle intrinsic problems that confront them by embracing the next era of digital revolution. A vital element of such revolution is the creation of smart cities and associated technology infrastructures. Smart city is an emerging phenomenon that involves the deployment of information communication technology wares into public or private infrastructure to provide intelligent data gathering and analysis. Key areas that have been considered for smart city initiatives include monitoring of weather, energy consumption, environmental conditions, water usage and host of others. To align with the smart city revolution in the area of environmental cleanliness, this study involves the development of a web based smart city infrastructure for refuse disposal management using the design science research approach. The Jalali smart city reference architecture provided a template to develop the proposed architecture in this study. The proposed architecture contains four layers, which are signal sensing and processing, network, intelligent user application and Internet of Things (IoT) web application layers. A proof of concept prototype was designed and implemented based on the proposed architecture. The signal sensing and processing layer was implemented to produce a smart refuse bin, which is a bin that contains the Arduino microcontroller board, Wi-Fi transceiver, proximity sensor, gas sensor, temperature sensor and other relevant electronic components. The network layer provides interconnectivity among the layers via the internet. The intelligent user application layer was realized with non browser client application, statistical feature extraction and pattern classifiers. Whereas the IoT web application layer was realised with ThingSpeak, which is an online web application for IoT based projects. The sensors in the smart refuse bin, generates multivariate dataset that corresponds to the status of refuse in the bin. Training and testing features were extracted from the dataset using first order statistical feature extraction method. Afterward, Multilayer Perceptron Artificial Neural Network (MLP-ANN) and support vector machine were trained and compared experimentally. The MLP-ANN gave the overall best accuracy of 98.0%, and the least mean square error of 0.0036. The ThingSpeak web application connects seamlessly at all times via the internet to receive data from the smart refuse bin. Refuse disposal management agents can therefore query ThingSpeak for refuse status data via the non browser client application. The client application, then uses the trained MLP-ANN to appositely classify such data in order to determine the status of the bin.
The effect of office setting on employees performance : a case study of eThekwini Municipality
(2016) Mazubane, Nonkululeko Thabisile; Ngwane, Knowledge Siyabonga Vusamandla; Sibiya, Maureen Nokuthula
Office setting is a widely acceptable means of providing an enabling environment that best facilitates employees’ performance and general productivity. This study sought to investigate the impact of office setting on employee performance using, eThekwini (KwaZulu-Natal) municipal offices and employees at the Durban City Hall, as a case study. The objectives of the study were to analyse the office design, finishes and furnishings of the head office building of eThekwini municipality and identify features in the design, finishes and furnishings in terms of their suitability and comfort of the employees; assess the impact of office settings on the performance of eThekwini municipality employees at the City Hall; and propose specific settings based interventions that would address employee health, comfort and wellbeing and thereby enhance optimum performance. The study was based on a sample of 65 City Hall staff randomly drawn from various departments and units, as well as 10 senior managers. Data for the study obtained mainly from the administration of questionnaires was analysed quantitatively using SPSS and Microsoft Excel and presented with the aid of frequency distributions, pie charts, tables, pictures and graphs. The research identified considerable office settings deficiencies which included uninspiring and old-fashioned office design and decor (largely cellular offices), use of dark wooden partitions resulting in poorly illuminated offices, and continued use of old furniture at the City Hall. The study also confirmed that the settings deficiencies had varying adverse effects on the performance of City Hall employees by between (20% - 80%). The study recommends the relocation of the City Hall head office to a new modern facility designed and furnished to suit the particular needs of the organisation. The development and operation of a real estate policy that leverages on the workplace environment to attract, retain and boost employee performance has also been recommended.
Enhancing the usability of a university student support services FAQ Chatbot
(2024) Essop, Luthfiya; Singh, Alveen; Wing, Jeanette
Chatbots play a vital role in customer facing interaction. They offer real-time text or voice responses via intuitive human interaction systems and are often driven by AI technologies. Despite widespread adoption, their optimisation for university environments remains elusive. With a lens on Universities of Sub-Saharan Africa, this dissertation positions usability as essential in a chatbot’s ability to provide effective support for student support services. This dissertation identifies with the dire need for more rigorous design and development in line with the needs of a modern, inclusive university sensitive and responsive to its students’ varying degrees of multiculturalism, multilingualism, socio-economic standing and technology and digital literacy baseline skills. The topic of chatbot integration in University systems has received significant attention in recent years but few have focused on the interplay between usability factors such as, anthropomorphism, NLP, or UX. This has limited our understanding of how best to enhance chatbots, specifically in University student support services. This study aimed to identify the key design factors for an enhanced usability FAQ chatbot, tailored for University student support services. In pursuit of this aim, a usability design framework as well as a FAQ chatbot was developed and tested in a popular University in South Africa. The base functional requirements were inferred from extant literature and then fused with data collected from students and administrative members of staff. The design framework was also influenced by well-known usability principles and standards from ISO, Nielsen and Shneiderman and others. Google Dialogflow was used to develop the chatbot, architected by the design framework. Based on the DSR paradigm, the research followed a systematic approach encompassing usability design, framework development, tool evaluation, and FAQ chatbot development and testing. First-year students and administrative staff members were active participants and served as change agents during the iterative DSR process. Thematic analysis was used to carefully analyse the feedback from participants during the development stages and seed this into the ongoing design process. This iterative process of development and refinement allowed for a richer understanding of how users perceive and interact with the chatbot. During analysis of the final evaluation feedback, PLS-SEM illuminated relationships, dependencies and interactions among various usability design factors which influence the chatbot's overall usability. The major contribution is a blueprint for the design and development of an effective University student support services FAQ chatbot. Theoretical contributions include a usability design framework, iterative DSR development process and evaluation and feedback instruments using robust analysis techniques. There is a need for further research and refinement at the confluence of NLP, anthropomorphism and FAQ chatbot design frameworks.
Evolving a framework to observe and analyse customer experience on the Twitter platform using machine learning techniques
(2024) Moodley, Thaneshni; Thakur, Surendra
Retailers have become more focused on retaining and turning existing customers into longterm clients because retailers have become more competitive, customers more demanding, and competitors more aggressive. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has forced a transformation for retailers. Within months, a revolution has taken place, constituting major changes to how consumers view cash, how they shop online and what they expect from retailers as part of a positive buying experience. Consumers increasingly expect retailers to create a seamless customer experience. This often means leaning on digital capabilities to create a seamless, omni-channel experience by linking different aspects of the customer shopping experience. The usage of big data analytics has primarily been implemented outside of South Africa to better understand customer connections and experiences, highlighting a noticeable research gap in South Africa. It has been proven to be an effective tool for retailers in predicting customer behaviour. There is a need to reduce the complexities in understanding which are the most appropriate machine learning techniques for sentiment analysis of online customer experience and to capitalise on development. Thereafter, online retailers are better equipped to tailor machine learning tools to craft analytical tools. Given the massive migration to online transactions, this work presents a rigorous analysis of social media posts, which is paramount for modern-era retailers. Businesses can use sentiment analysis to determine how well their brand is performing in the marketplace, learn more about the attitudes of their customers and determine whether their items receive more positive or negative feedback. A longitudinal study was adopted to analyse a dataset of retail-related tweets for the identification of customer complaints using a sentiment analysis hybrid approach, which is a combination of lexicon and machine learning approaches. A conceptual framework was developed to observe and analyse customer experiences on the Twitter platform using machine learning techniques. The framework encompasses components such as data preparation, natural language processing pre-processing techniques, calculating sentiment using sentiment lexicon and ML techniques, and thereafter a selection of the best-performing machine learning technique for sentiment analysis within the developed conceptual framework. The extracted dataset contains 240 000 tweets posted between 01 January 2017 and 31 January 2019, out of which 27 233 tweets were selected for the study. Natural language pre-processing techniques were applied to the dataset, including tokenisation, stemming, lemmatisation, part-of-speech tagging, and name-of-entity recognition. Supervised and deep machine learning gave the best results of 61.75 and 60.25. This study has identified deep learning as a good technique for sentiment analysis when NLP pre-processing methods are done in a certain order. A study on analysing retail complaints posted on the Twitter platform using a sentiment analytic framework has not been done in South Africa before. This study has proven that the sentiment analysis hybrid approach is highly capable of analysing social media data.
An expanded tax model to improve tax compliance amongst micro-businesses
(2021-11-03) Mkhwanazi, Sipho S.; Jali, Lulu Fortunate; Ronald, R.
Taxation plays a significant role in any country’s economy, since countries depend on the tax revenues they collect to generate the resources they require to meet their expenditure needs. The contribution of micro-businesses in South Africa, both to society and to the economy, is such that they have the potential to reduce the high rates of unemployment, to reduce poverty and to help address inequality. However, these businesses are known to face challenges with regards to complying with their tax obligations. Therefore, in this study, the conceptual framework presented by Fischer’s Tax Compliance Model is explored and its limitations considered in order to find possible solutions to improve tax compliance amongst micro-businesses. The aim of this study was therefore to expand existing theoretical models to further understand tax compliance behavior amongst these micro-businesses. The study adopted a quantitative research approach and a questionnaire was randomly distributed to micro-businesses in the following areas of eThekwini: a suburban area (Durban North), a township area (Umlazi), a rural area (Umbumbulu) and the city centre of Durban. Of the selected sample of 392 micro businesses, only 242 micro-business owners completed the questionnaires despite an extension of time being granted. Three research assistants were employed to assist the researcher in the data collection. The analytic software (SPSS) Version 26.0 was used to analyze the data. Results include the presentation of biographical data of the respondents, along with factors selected for inclusion which would enable a deeper understanding to emerge of aspects needed to improve tax compliance amongst this group of taxpayers. The findings indicate that these business owners share many of the characteristics of other businesses in their tax compliance behavior, but also that there were specific additional factors which affected them as regards tax compliance particularly involving the three aspects selected as a focus by the researcher: registration for tax, keeping of accurate accounting records, and drawing up of financial statements. These findings enabled an expanded tax compliance model to be presented. The study therefore contributes to improving the understanding of tax compliance behavior amongst micro-businesses in eThekwini Municipality. It recommends that, in order to improve the level of tax compliance amongst this group, the South African Revenue Services (SARS) must find better ways of communicating with, and assisting, micro-business owners to register their businesses for tax and they must emphasize the importance of keeping accurate accounting records, along with the need to prepare accurate financial statements for their businesses.
Exploration of budget, budgetary control and performance of public hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, Durban
(2023) Fada, Sinesipho; Olarewaju, Odunayo Magret
Budgeting and budgetary controls are instruments of financial management that are critical for the accomplishment of objectives and goals of an organisation. Hospitals are amongst vital organisations in every country that citizens rely upon to attend to their different injuries, ailments and more especially in times of crisis such as during the recent corona virus pandemic. It is in this vein that this work set out to explore the budget, budgetary control, and performance of public hospitals in KwaZulu–Natal, Durban. Seven hospitals were the subject of the investigation. The research employed quantitative data collection. A sample of seventy employees from different hospitals participated in the study. Data analysis relied on NVIVO and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The investigation discovered that poor budget planning and a low-income generation base make it difficult for these hospitals to meet their obligations as health care institutions. It is suggested that subordinates are always planning.
Factors influencing innovative leadership in mobilising small and medium enterprises (SMEs) towards smart manufacturing in Pietermaritzburg
(2023) Maphumulo, Sydney Dumisani; Nyide, Celani John
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are regarded as effective drivers of inclusive economic growth and expansion in South Africa and globally. After noting the significance of SMEs and their contribution to the economy, it is helpful to observe how their growth and sustainability is being maintained through the adoption and utilisation of smart manufacturing techniques and innovative leadership. Consequently, this study highlighted the significance of SME adoption of innovative leadership in smart manufacturing. The main aim was to critically examine factors influencing innovative leadership in mobilising SMEs towards smart manufacturing in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. A quantitative research approach was adopted with census sampling; 102 manufacturing SMEs registered in the Msunduzi Municipality database participated. The data was analysed using the latest version of SPSS V 29.0.1. The findings of this research indicate that the use of robotic technology among manufacturing SMEs is very limited. Moreover, the adoption of internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence technologies is still very low. Therefore, the general finding is that the utilisation of smart manufacturing processes by SMEs in the manufacturing sector in Pietermaritzburg is still in its infancy. This study also found that there is substantial evidence supporting the presence of innovative leadership practices in SMEs operating in the manufacturing sector. This provides an opportunity for these companies to advance the smart manufacturing agenda through effective leadership. The study found a number of factors that had an impact on the use of smart manufacturing processes and innovative leadership.
Health insurance cross-selling predictions with machine learning for South African consumers
(2024) Mavundla, Khulekani; Thakur, Surendra
Cross-selling is the practice of selling additional products or services to an existing customer to increase business revenue. Cross-selling health insurance is challenging for companies, as they spend significant time meeting with prospective clients without knowing the likelihood of a sale. A health insurance provider often markets additional insurance products to its clients through different channels. This study aims to develop a robust ML model to help health insurance companies identify potential customers likely to engage in cross-selling. Objectives include extracting and preparing customer data from a large South African insurance company using suitable ML techniques. The study also seeks to determine effective algorithms for predicting health insurance cross-selling and to identify influential features for algorithm selection. This study adopted a quantitative research approach focused on extracting health insurance customer data. To achieve this, the study applied ML techniques by using the Python language using a dataset obtained from a large South African insurance company which is a rich repository that contains demographics, health conditions, and policy information. The study applied various ML algorithms, including Random Forest, KNearest Neighbors, XGBoost classifier, and Logistic Regression, feature engineering techniques were employed to enhance predictive accuracy. Analyzing 1,000,000 customer records with 17 features, Random Forest emerged as the top model with an accuracy of 0.91 and an F1 score of 1.00. The study found that customers aged 2570, with prior insurance and longer service history, are more likely to purchase additional health insurance. This study will assist insurance providers in developing a strategy for reaching out to those clients in order to enhance their business operations and revenue.
The impact of financial statement quality and firm characteristics on access to finance by small and medium-sized enterprises in eThekwini
(2024) Mayendisa, Qiniso Prince; Stainbank, Lesley June; Ramsarghey, Anchal
The South African government has established several public sector institutions that cater to small and medium-sized entities’ (SMEs) needs through the Department of Trade, Industries and Competition. These institutions, known as Business Development Service Providers, assist SMEs in running their businesses more effectively and can enhance access to finance as an alternative form of collateral in circumstances where security for a loan is required. However, most SMEs apply for finance from financial institutions. As access to finance has been identified as a major obstacle limiting the growth and survival of SMEs, the objective of this research was to investigate the impact of financial statement quality and firm characteristics on access to finance by SMEs in eThekwini using the “Applied and Received” approach. The main research objective was divided into three sub-objectives; these were to determine the forms of finance being used by SMEs, to determine the accounting frameworks being used by SMEs, and to investigate whether financial statement quality and firm characteristics affect their access to finance. To achieve these objectives, a questionnaire was administered to owners of SMEs in eThekwini. The results revealed that the main forms of finance used by the SMEs were overdraft facilities, bank loans, factoring, leasing, and hire purchase, and that the average rate of extent of access to finance is 19.10%. The findings also revealed that 4.8% of the respondents were using IFRS, 72.9% were using IFRS for SMEs, and 22.3% were using South African Statements of Generally Accepted Accounting Practice. Lastly, the findings revealed that firm age, firm size, collateral, and financial statement quality have a significant effect on access to finance by SMEs. Therefore, possession of such firm characteristics and financial statement quality are important predictors of SMEs’ successful access to finance. The Government needs to help SMEs by providing them with educational programs that will assist them in compiling and understanding their financial statements to keep them improving and surviving. Furthermore, an SME’s growth and survival also depends on its access to finance.
The impact of the National Credit Act, 2005 on the affordability of home loans in Pinetown
(2015) Sewnunan, Teshani Devi; Green, Paul; Kharwa, Mohammed Saleem Essep
The National Credit Act No. 34 of 2005 (NCA) was introduced by the South African government mainly to bring about accessibility to credit markets, protect consumers from malpractices and market abuses by credit providers and reduce consumer over indebtedness. As a result, credit providers are compelled to apply stringent rules and regulations when assessing a credit consumer’s affordability prior to granting home loans. This study aims at investigating the impact of the NCA on the affordability of home loans within the Pinetown metropolitan area. The literature review presents an overall view of affordability of home loans in developed and emerging countries and also provides an in-depth explanation of factors that affect affordability of home loans in South Africa. The predominant factors, amongst others that hinder the housing market, are: an increase in house prices; elevated interest rates and household debt which include inflation, transportation cost and low wage increase. A mixed methods approach was utilized for the research, analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data. Respondents (home loan borrowers) completed a questionnaire by indicating if assessments were conducted in terms of their affordability prior to the approval of their home loan and their view on the impact that the NCA had on their home loan. The data suggested strongly that credit providers had conducted proper credit and affordability assessments prior to granting home loans and that most home loan borrowers’ level of debt had remained stable since acquiring their home loans as they continue to meet their debts. An overall analysis revealed that the application of the NCA had a positive impact on the affordability of home loans in the research area and that compliance with NCA, when granting credit, resulted in the reduction of reckless lending, a decline in the level of consumer indebtedness and a reduction in payment default.
Implementation of Kaizen costing towards improving cost management at the water and sanitation and electricity departments of the Ethekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal
(2017) Khuzwayo, Siyanda Percy; Stainbank, Lesley June
Little is known about kaizen costing opportunities and challenges in service organizations since little research has been conducted about its implementation in this sector (Singh and Singh 2009: 63). Kaizen costing is a management accounting technique that is mainly focused on improving the cost management of the organisation. Since the cost management performance of South African municipalities is very poor, the purpose of this study is to evaluate whether implementing kaizen costing will improve cost management at the water and electricity departments in eThekwini municipality. Studies have shown that there are a lot of unexploited benefits which can be gained by South African municipalities as well as other organisations by implementing kaizen costing. This is a quantitative descriptive case study of the Water and Sanitation and Electricity Departments in the eThekwini Municipality where data was collected from the target respondents using questionnaires. The 320 questionnaires, which consisted of predominantly closed-ended questions, were self-administered to the target respondents. The results were analysed using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. The findings of this study revealed that the adoption of kaizen costing may be successful in improving the cost management inefficiencies faced by the South African municipalities. Based on the findings, the majority of the respondents indicated that they would embrace and support the application of a kaizen costing at the Water and Sanitation and Electricity Departments in the eThekwini Municipality. The study recommends that the Water and Sanitation and Electricity Departments in the eThekwini Municipality should consider implementing kaizen costing to improve its cost management.
The inclination to pursue fashion and beauty digital entrepreneurship amongst selected final year Diploma students in a South African university
(2024) Maphanga, Ezile; Moyane, Smangele Pretty; Nkomo, Ntando
In the age of digital transformation, the inclination to pursue digital entrepreneurship has become rampant, bringing about a broader acceptance of the idea of conducting business online especially by young people. In that regard, entrepreneurs are seizing the opportunity through digital entrepreneurship, with the fashion and beauty industry being a prominent sector for online business. Despite the growth in online fashion and beauty trading, there is limited research and understanding with the discourse surrounding it. The aim of the study was to examine the inclination to pursue fashion and beauty digital entrepreneurship amongst selected final year Diploma students in a South African university. The objectives of the study were: to establish the level of interest in pursuing digital entrepreneurship with regards to fashion and beauty amongst selected final year Diploma students, to determine factors that would influence the uptake of digital entrepreneurship with reference to fashion and beauty amongst selected final year Diploma students, and to assess using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) the inclination to pursue digital entrepreneurship in fashion and beauty amongst selected final year Diploma students. The study employed the Technology Acceptance Model to determine whether students intended to accept digital entrepreneurship. Methodologically, the study implemented the positivist research paradigm. The research approach chosen was quantitative. A survey research design was conducted through a questionnaire, as a data collection tool, from a census of the 29 final year students studying their Diploma in Fashion Design and 65 studying for their Diploma in Somatology. Instruments were pre-tested on 10 students, 5 in the Advanced Diploma in Fashion Design and 5 in the Advanced Diploma in Somatology at DUT. Findings showed a strong interest to pursue digital entrepreneurship in the fashion and beauty space. However, hesitations related to ‘customer satisfaction’ and ‘trust’ negatively influence the uptake of digital entrepreneurship. The findings also revealed that respondents were most likely to incorporate digital technologies in their businesses and saw the importance of administrative functions and advertising skills to have when venturing into digital entrepreneurship. The study recommends the youth to: be encouraged to consider entrepreneurship by South African universities; familiarize themselves with digital entrepreneurship and get education and knowledge in that regard; acquire the necessary skills in order to venture into digital entrepreneurship.
Intelligent decision support system for selection of Learning Apps to promote critical thinking in first year programming students
(2021-12-09) Singh, Kesarie; Naicker, Nalen; Rajkoomar, Mogiveny
The disruption on higher education across the globe through adverse events such as student strikes, natural disasters and pandemics like Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19), can have catastrophic long-term effects on its sustainability unless there are significant and innovative research endeavours to mitigate this impact. Never before has the desire to keep learners motivated, engaged and successful in advancing their knowledge and perfecting their 21st century skills through student-centred, technology-rich teaching and learning practices, become so imperative across disciplines and job profiles. In particular, the problem associated with teaching programming to novice learners is further exacerbated by the complex and abstract nature of the field and the heavy reliance on 21st century skills such as critical and computational thinking. As a result, a kaleidoscope of research into programming self-efficacy, the complexity of the field, teaching methods and a variety of teaching tools, have emerged over the recent past. In response, the aim of this research was to use decision support systems to obtain student-centred preferences for learning applications to promote critical thinking in first year programming students. This study focuses on the visual programming environment and critical thinking as the gateway skill for student success in understanding programming. The extensive literature review has revealed an array of learning Apps and a multiplicity of critical thinking criteria that serve a diverse set of needs and expectations. Therefore, research to develop a multiple attribute decision-making model is needed to assist academics make quick, scientifically-proven, accurate and collective decisions about which learning App to choose from the range of available alternatives. The study used decision theory and Diane Halpern’s 4-part model for critical thinking as the theoretical frameworks for evaluating and selecting learning Apps on the basis of its capacity to promote critical thinking. As a quantitative study, it randomly selected 217 students from a population of 500 programming students to rate four learning Apps, namely, Scratch, Alice, Blockly and MIT App Inventor, against critical thinking criteria and established Scratch as the App that best promotes critical thinking among first year programming students. Consequently, its distinctiveness lies in its use of the Fuzzy TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Situation) multi-criteria decision-making algorithm to rank criteria for critical thinking, calculate their weights on the basis of informed opinion and hence scientifically deduce the best rated App among the available alternatives that promote critical thinking among first year programming students. Furthermore, the study offers useful, insightful and ranked critical thinking criteria to formulate a user-friendly, transparent and evidence-based framework for App selection among academics teaching programming in higher education institutions.
Intelligent decision support systems for managing the diffusion of social computing in school-based ubiquitous learning
(2022-01-06) Sam, Caitlin; Naicker, Nalen; Rajkoomar, Mogiveny
The past decade has seen an explosion in social media applications. Most adolescents in South Africa have access to social media applications despite the country’s economic inequalities. The drive for social media applications is important to enhance human connectedness. In unprecedented times social computing can be utilised in school-based learning to benefit learners. Climate change has propagated extreme weather patterns which has increased the occurrence of natural disasters and diseases. The emergence of the novel Coronavirus resulted in most countries implementing nation-wide forms of lockdown to curb the spread of infection. Consequently, these adverse phenomena across the globe are disruptive to conventional schoolbased education. Ubiquitous learning (u-learning) relates to learning that occurs at any place without time constraints. In some schools, u-learning has become a conventional learning approach and pedagogy but there are various education and technology attributes that must be addressed for the penetration of social computing in schools. Therefore, there is a need to guide learners and school-based instructors on their preferences of digital access and social media applications. The main aim of the study was to investigate social media-driven Intelligent Decision Support Systems using live data, to assist instructors and learners manage the diffusion of social computing in school-based ubiquitous learning. In pursuing this study, a quantitative research methodology was used for the collection of data from learners and instructors from the schools in the eThekwini Region, namely, Umlazi District and Pinetown District of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. A survey was conducted to elicit data from participants on their use of social computing for u-learning. The approximate target population size was 129 421 individuals with a sample size of 384 participants. There were 260 respondents with an acceptable response rate of 67,71%. The study derived attributes for ranking the social media applications and Principal Component Analysis which is an unsupervised Machine Learning algorithm reduced the dimensionality of the attributes. The multi-criteria decision-making algorithm, Fuzzy Technique of Order Preference Similarity Ideal Solution was implemented to rank the social media applications in line with the dimensionality reduced criteria based on the subjective decisions of expert decision makers. Data Envelopment Analysis, another multi-criteria analysis method was utilised to score the efficiency of the devices for u-learning. The results showed the most precise, mathematically approved social media applications and devices that can support u-learning in schools. An automated application based on research evidence using Intelligent Decision Support Systems was designed as a research output.
Total quality management and competitive advantage of manufacturing organizations in the Steel industry Durban Metropolis
(2024) Mncwabe, Ncazelo; Marimuthu, Ferina; Mvunabandi, Jean Damascene
This study investigated total quality management (TQM) and the competitive advantage of manufacturing organizations in the steel industry in the Durban Metropolis. While a few studies have touched on TQM and competitive advantage in Durban, they did not examine TQM and competitive advantage in steel manufacturing organizations in the city. The literature on the context of business competitiveness, total quality principles, process management and top management and other pertinent concepts was reviewed. Purposive sampling was employed to obtain a total of 100 participants from the 23 organizations in the Durban steel industry. A quantitative research design was adopted, with a questionnaire administered to gather data. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), which was employed to prove or disprove the hypotheses, with the results presented in tables and graphs. The findings suggest that employee training, committed management, a customer-focused approach, sound relationships with suppliers, and clear goals would enable organizations in Durban’s steel industry to improve their performance and thus gain a competitive edge. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on TQM in organizations and its impact in the steel manufacturing industry. Further research is recommended to explore the impact of the adoption of TQM among South African organizations.