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Theses and dissertations (Management Sciences)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/14

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Start date: 2020Subject: search.filters.subject.Organizational effectiveness--South Africa

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Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Assessing the influence of organizational culture on small, medium and micro enterprise’s business sustainability in the eThekwini Municipal area
    (2024) Khoza, Ntokozo Thanks-Lord
    This research accepted that the government of South Africa supports the development of Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) due to their potential to grow the country’s economy. The research then aimed to ascertain the extent to which the influence of organizational culture on SMMEs can influence business sustainability in the eThekwini Municipal area of South Africa. The study scrutinized the ability of SMME managers and operators on how they can through organizational culture ensure business sustainability in a way that contributes to sustainable economic growth. Additionally, the factors that influence the development and the performances of SMMEs in the eThekwini Municipal area were observed. The study follows the human behaviour of SMME managers, operators, and business owners as to how they can contribute to economic development and survive in the competitive market. Using simple random sampling, data was collected from various SMMEs in the eThekwini Municipal area. A total of 250 entrepreneurs responded to the questionnaire. This data was captured and analyzed on SPSS (version 26) and yielded descriptive statistics. The key findings were that the entrepreneurs revealed that business awareness; transparency; market capturing; opportunity recognition; market intelligence; clarity of purpose; business risk; creativity; self-motivation; and team spirit were all significant in founding and operating a successful business. A challenge that emerged from the respondents was that a high number of entrepreneurs did not give much significance to assuming responsibilities. However, they were taking good care of their environments and using their cultural values to reform the environment. The main objective is that entrepreneurs, operatives and managers must learn to assume responsibly if they are to build their businesses and environment that renounces incorrigible act. This could also be an avenue for further research.
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    An assessment on the impact of employee perceptions on organisational strategic change in the context of CRL commission
    (2022) Mnguni, Phumzile; Mathebula, MM
    This research focuses on the impact of employee perceptions on organisational strategic change with specific reference to the Commission on the Rights of Cultural Religious and Linguistic communities (CRL Commission) at Braamfontein, Johannesburg for the past five years.
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    Role of buyer-supplier relationship on organisational performance of small medium and micro enterprise retailers in Durban
    (2022-09-06) Nzama, Manqoba Lwazi; Olugbara, Oludayo O.; Moyane, Smangele Pretty
    Buyer-supplier relationship plays a huge role in the running of an almost flawless supply chain, being responsible for the efficient supply of goods, services, and information across the entire supply chain. Organisations are faced with pressure to improve their competitive advantage and market share. In that regard, to improve organisational performance, the question arises whether to have a transactional relationship with many suppliers or have a collaborative relationship with a smaller number of suppliers. The research study aimed to examine the role that buyer-supplier relationship plays on organisational performance in the SMME retail industry in Durban. The study objectives were to ascertain the type of a relationship SMME retailers have with their suppliers, establish the influence of inter-organisational factors: trust, satisfaction, information sharing, commitment, and loyalty on the existing buyer-supplier relationships, and determine the implications of the existing buyer-supplier relationships on the organisational performance of SMME retailers. The study tested the following hypotheses: • H1: There is a significant relationship between supplier information sharing and supplier organisational performance. • H2: There is a significant relationship between buyer satisfaction and supplier information sharing. • H3: There is a significant relationship between buyer satisfaction and buyer loyalty. • H4: There is a significant relationship between buyer loyalty and supplier information sharing. • H5: Buyer trust moderates the relationship between supplier information sharing and supplier organisational performance. • H6: Supplier commitment moderates the relationship between supplier information sharing and supplier organisational performance. The study adopted a conceptual framework grounded on two major theoretical standpoints: transaction cost economics and social exchange theory. Within a survey research design, a crosssectional time horizon was employed to obtain the overall picture of the relationship between buyer-supplier relationship and organisational performance. The study targeted 1320 Durban based SMME retailers as per yellow pages of 2019. The sample were 591 SMME retailers that are selected at a 95% level of confidence with a plus or minus 3 margin of error and analysed using structural equation modelling which offers a universal and appropriate framework for statistical analysis including several multivariate procedures that are traditional, a confirmatory factor analysis will be used as the study has several independent variables which are correlated and an intervening variable. The study found that three out of the six hypotheses articulated to be able to accomplish the studies aim were analytically supported and accepted. A conclusion can therefore be made that information sharing between SMME retailers and their suppliers has a role of enhancing the harmonious collaboration as well as trust, loyalty, commitment, and satisfaction that exists amongst these partnerships. Buyer-supplier relationship between SMME retailers and their suppliers will in turn have a huge role in improving supplier organisational performance for these suppliers. The study recommended that SMME retailers should make use of fewer suppliers with collaborative relationships in order to improve organisational performance.
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    The applicability of systems thinking in Universities of Technology (UoTs) in KwaZulu-Natal
    (2021-04) Mhlongo, Patrick Mbongwa; Zondo, Robert Walter Dumisani
    Organisations in both the private and public sectors have to interact with their surrounding and volatile environments in order to survive. Hence it is critical for organisations to remain competitive under such conditions. There is a need to respond effectively to the needs of stakeholders. Universities of Technology (UoTs) are not immune to global and local challenges. For UoTs, their stakeholders include students, government, accreditation bodies and industry. The focus of the study was on exploring Systems Thinking in the context of UoTs. Systems Thinking empowers members of the organisation with the ability to think holistically in terms of how organisations operate. Given the challenges and the environment in which UoTs operate, it was critical to conduct the study to explore an alternative management approach. The study explores the Systems Thinking approach as an alternative management approach to traditional management practices. The research problem identified in this study is silo practices or functional silos in UoTs. The Systems Thinking philosophy has been identified as an effective management approach to deal with unpredictable and complex challenges in both the public and private sectors. It serves as a catalyst in terms of conditioning organisational members to appreciate the interrelations and interdependence of various departments or units within an organisation. The study adopted a mixed methods approach, investigating the applicability of Systems Thinking in UoTs as the aim of the study. Data was collected through a combination of interviews and a survey. Systems Thinking was the phenomenon being explored, thus the study was phenomenological. A Convergent approach was used as both qualitative and quantitative data were collected simultaneously. In other words, the study was cross-sectional. Moreover, data collected was used to develop grounded theory. It was through the inductive philosophy that the study contributed to the development of a theory. Self-administered questionnaires and unstructured face-to-face interviews were used to collect data from the participants. Qualitative and quantitative data were necessary to achieve the objectives of the study and also to answer the formulated research questions. Permanent employees of the Durban University of Technology (DUT) and Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) participated in the study. The population comprised staff from both the administration and academic sectors. Stratified sampling and simple random sampling were used to select manageable sample from the population. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse quantitative data, whilst Nvivo was the computer software used to analyse qualitative data. A response rate of 73% was achieved. The findings indicated that there was a lack of an institutionalised and internalised overarching Systems Thinking in the UoTs. Participants also felt that there was a strong culture of functional silos in the UoTs. The study showed that the focus of employees was more on departmental or faculty goals, instead of broader institutional goals. Participants were optimistic about opportunities for the application of Systems Thinking in the UoTs. Resistance to change was one of the factors identified as a challenge in terms of the implementation of a Systems Thinking philosophy in the UoTs. The study makes a theoretical contribution and provides necessary insights to improve processes and practices in UoTs. The significance of the study is that it identifies a phenomenon that has received no attention from previous researchers. The study deals with the gap in the existing literature as the focus has been more on Systems Thinking in the context of the corporate sector. The significance of the study is that is provides insights that should be considered during decision-making and strategy formulation processes in UoTs. Systems Thinking empowers decision-makers with the ability to consider all relevant variables of the situation.