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Theses and dissertations (Management Sciences)

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    The role of digital marketing in the sustainability of the formal retail sector in Flagstaff
    (2024-03) Noqazo, Zizipho; Madondo, Elvis
    Marketing is a fundamental part of any retail business as it is the means of promoting products and services to the target market (Grönholm 2012). Digital marketing has transformed retailers’ marketing strategies significantly. Online marketing channels are undeniablyoneof the most advanced digital technologies to be used in marketing, which makes it essential for retailers to incorporate these strategies into their businesses. The internet and its rapid technological developments have provided retailers with numerous tools for online marketing, such as email marketing, social media, pay-per- click, search engine optimisation, pop-ups and so forth. While many rural South African businesses are starting to adopt these marketing tools in their businesses, the role of digital marketing in the sustainability of the formal retail sector in the rural areas of South Africa (SA) has not been explored fully. The aim of this study was to explore the role of digital marketing in sustaining retail businesses in Flagstaff, while the primary objective of the research is to identify and describe the role of digital marketing in retail businesses in rural areas. According to Bala and Verma (2018), digital marketing is the greatest platform to transform a product into a brand and has the potential to increase sales tremendously, provided that businesses have knowledge and understanding of how to apply it properly. The study adopted a mixed research method in order to achieve the set objectives. This study followed the probability sampling method in recruiting participants. Random sampling was the probability sampling method employed to generate the sample for this study. Retailers operating in Flagstaff and members of the public (customers) were the two populations targeted for this research. The study used a structured self administered questionnaire consisting of 20 items to collect quantitative data from retailers. Focus group discussions were also conducted with members of the public to gather qualitative data. The researcher adopted the census method, whereby all 52 stores in Flagstaff took part in the study. The sample for the focus group interviews comprised of thirty (30) participants that were allocated into six groupsof 5 participants in each group. The study used version 27.0 of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyse quantitative data, and thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. According to the study's findings,retailersutilise a variety of digital marketing methods, including social mediamarketing, email marketing, andmobile marketing, to exchange information, contact with customers, send them sales pitches and other marketing materials, and interact with them online. Retailers claimed that digital marketing had introduced novel ways to conductonline business,such as onlineshopping.However, this activity is connected to a numberof difficulties in rural areas, which hasprevented many retailers from offering it as a substitute for traditional shopping.As a result, there is little use of online shopping in Flagstaff retail businesses. Consumer feedback indicates that retailers' use of SMS communication, Facebook, and emails to convey information about sales pitches and promotions has inspired and encouraged customers to make purchases from particular retailers. However, participants have stressed that they prefer hearing from retailers through traditional channels sincethey are simpler to access because they have trouble getting information on digital platforms. The study recommends that rural retailers should integrate digital marketing into their marketing activities, which will increase awareness of the brand; reach a wider audience; aid in keeping up with trends and staying ahead of the competition; and maintain their presence on social media platforms. The study suggests that further research be conducted on the impact of specific online marketing tools in order to allow retailers to focus on online channels that align with their brand to generate profitable results for the business
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    Evaluating the sustainability of South Africa’s gambling industry
    (2023) Mlobeli, Siphamandla; Hatikanganwi, Mapudzi
    South Africa is a developing country that prides itself on having in-depth understanding of gambling activities. People engage in gambling activities like casino games and lotteries. Even though gambling activities have evolved from being a relatively unusual occurrence limited to brick-and-mortar casinos, bingo halls, race and sports books, it has become a technologically sophisticated sector that is growing significantly every year. The gambling activities have transforms how individuals gamble. People gamble in the comfort of their own homes. However, the growing importance of unregulated (and thus illegal) gambling in South Africa is a troubling trend. This study aimed at investigating the opportunities for the South African gambling sector to continue operating in the face of declining revenues. To establish the set objectives, this study adopted the use of qualitative methods particularly purposive sampling. The researcher acquired a representative sample of the three CEOs and 12 players from each of the three companies, Gold Circle, HollywoodBets, and Phumelela Gaming. In a similar vein, the 12 clients chosen from the three businesses have a history of doing business with them. The findings of the study revealed that both internal and external elements contributed to the industry's swift drop in fortunes. The internal variables include marketing, culture, issues with tax income, racing, wagering, and the use of human capital. Education, innovation, globalisation, a lack of skilled workers, economic and political instability, legal issues, restrictions on gambling, change, and government backing are some of the external variables. The study recommended significant government assistance for the industry. The national gambling board should also see to the closure of all illegal gambling establishments. The sudden increase in licence renewal costs and tax revenue needs to be investigated, to help the business regain its financial stability.
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    Foreign direct investments as a solution to South Africa’s economic growth
    (2023-03) Muzuva, Meshel; Balkaran, Rishi; Rawjee, V. P.
    Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) as a growth-enhancing component has received growing attention in the global economy and is considered a vital source of external financing for many developing economies. This study examines the impact of FDI on economic growth using a mixed research methodology. The study combines the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach and interviews with experts in the field of international finance and macroeconomics. The ARDL approach was employed to estimate the long-run and short-run relationship between FDI and economic growth using annual time series data for the period 1980 to 2020. The results indicate that FDI has a positive and significant impact on economic growth in the long-run and shortrun. Furthermore, the study found that South Africa has not been able to fully exploit the potential benefits of FDI due to structural constraints such as poor infrastructure, insufficient skills and limited access to finance. This study, therefore, support the hypothesis that FDI has a significant impact on South Africa’s economic growth. Thus, policy makers can formulate policies that attracts more FDIs in the country to promote economic growth. The interviews with the experts in the field provide additional insights into the factors that influence FDI flows and their impact on economic growth. The experts highlighted that FDI has contributed significantly to the country's economic growth by creating job opportunities, promoting innovation and technological advancement, and enhancing competition in the domestic market. The findings suggest that to maximize the benefits of FDI, the government needs to create a favourable investment climate, reduce bureaucratic barriers, and address the skills gap in the workforce. Therefore, policymakers and stakeholders should take steps to promote a conducive environment for FDI to contribute positively to the country's economic growth. The study also sought to conduct an empirical investigation on the determinants of foreign direct investment in South Africa using ARDL. The results revealed the following variables that were significant determinants of FDI, government spending, market size and exchange rates. The findings from the interviews identified market size and growth, inflation, exchange rates, availability of natural resources, infrastructure, openness of the economy and availability of good infrastructure as specific determinants of FDI.This study concludes that increasing economic growth requires attention to be focused on to the fundamental determinants of foreign investments decisions and the underlying relevant microeconomic and macroeconomic outlooks. Furthermore, though there is a prime need to attract more foreign investors in South Africa, it is important to concede that attracting FDIs alone is not enough for sustainable economic growth and development. The policy makers should have holistic policies in place and undertake reforms with clear objectives and commitments.
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    Adoption of social media for effective marketing by micro-hospitality businesses in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
    (2022) Nkosana, Tenson; Mnguni, Erasmus M.; Skinner, Jane Phyllida
    The rise in popularity of social media as a marketing instrument has fundamentally changed the way in which small to medium enterprises, and small hospitality businesses in particular, interact with their clientele, especially in marketing their products and services. These small hospitality establishments (formal accommodation, guest accommodation, game lodges, events centres, restaurants and support services) have been influenced by social media and are compelled to adopt these platforms for effective marketing to keep pace with modern dynamics in tourist behaviour. The literature indicates that social media marketing in general has gained significant momentum across all sectors, with micro-hospitality establishments having embraced it fully in more economically developed countries. Although prior studies indicate that social media, with a particular reference to travel review sites such as TripAdvisor, are now regarded as the major sources of reliable travel information for tourists, as well as influencing their decisionmaking processes, evidence from the literature shows that there is limited industry-specific research into the adoption and utilisation of social media for marketing regarding small hospitality establishments in the context of a less economically developed country, and this is at a time when these establishments are struggling to survive and to regain their market share due to recent and ongoing travel restrictions. Research in this area is limited. This research was conducted to address this gap. The main aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of social media as a marketing strategy taking small hospitality establishments in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa as a case study. To achieve this, a review of literature provided insights into social media adoption for marketing, backed by relevant theoretical frameworks and specifically the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2). For data collection, both electronic and hand-delivered questionnaires were distributed to micro-hospitality establishments in KZN. Telephonic and live interviews as well as observations were also conducted with fifteen small hospitality establishments. A total of 70 respondents we engaged for this study through interviews, observations and questionnaires. The results from the study revealed that although social media marketing has been adopted extensively by small hospitality establishments in KZN, its effectiveness as a marketing strategy is not uniform across establishments and cannot be generalized. Empirical results further revealed that these establishments were not being systematic in the utilization of social media marketing, that other marketing strategies were sometimes as effective in this context and that some were failing to optimise the opportunities that exist. The major challenges highlighted by most small hospitality establishments were: lack of adequate funding, lack of specialized human resources, and the difficulty of measuring the actual impact of social media adoption. The conclusion drawn from the above empirical evidence and from the literature is that social media marketing is not an all-round strategy for effective marketing particularly for small establishments in a rural setting who are competing with hotel chains and franchises in urban areas. It is however the most significant marketing tool. It was therefore concluded that a combination of social media marketing, star grading and other informal means of assuring service quality, along with a clear marketing strategy adapted to the needs of the individual establishment, could provide the optimal matrix for effective marketing of small hospitality establishments in the context of a developing country. This study contributed in two ways: firstly, the research addresses the gap identified in the literature by providing evidence on the relative effectiveness of social media for marketing by small hospitality establishments in the context of a less economically developed country and, secondly, a social media marketing framework was proposed based on the evidence of shortcomings in marketing strategies by this group, highlighted by this study.
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    Workplace inequality and discrimination on individual development and organisational performance, in selected hotels in Durban Metropolitan city, South Africa
    (2022) Vareta, Nyamupachari; Dlamini, Bongani Innocent
    Orientation: Workplaces today consist of many cultures, ages, genders, races, and ethnicities. This varied work environment offers prospects for employers to generate and encourage organisational strategies that value and manage diversity while eliminating workplace inequality and discrimination. This research explores employees’ subjective experiences of workplace inequality and discrimination within South African hospitality contexts. Research purpose: The aim of the research was to understand the implications of workplace inequality and discrimination on individual development and organizational performance in the South African hotel environment. Motivation: The nature of inequality and discrimination in the South African work context and its influence demands the review of the hotel working environment and influence changes to close the existing knowledge gap. Research design, approach, and method: A qualitative case study within the social constructivist/interpretivist paradigms culminated in in-depth, rich, and detailed descriptions of employees’ experiences in the South African Hotel Industry. Purposive sampling with the help of snowballing were used to recruit the participants. Data were collected using informal discussion, observation, and interviews. The interview guide consisted of 14 semi-structured open-ended questions. The interviews were conducted face-to-face, audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim using computer REV transcription. I verified the transcriptions by listening to the audio and making corrections to ensure accuracy. Setting: Participants were recruited from two hotels in Durban City, KwaZulu-Natal. Data analysis: Data were analysed as recommended in qualitative studies. Structured data were analysed using inductive and deductive methods. Thematic analysis and computer software NVivo played a critical role in analysing and refining the results. The search, query, and visualization tools of NVivo effectively verified the networks and patterns in the data and interpretation of the context and identity of participants’ answers. Main findings: The findings identified four main themes: Recruitment and work experience; Emotions; Discrimination at work, and Inequality at work. The study demonstrates the hidden inequalities and discrimination within the industries (the hospitality industry in this case). However, participants confirmed that racism is a severe problem in hotels. The study highlights the experiences of Blacks within the toxic working environment. The research demonstrated the impact of workplace inequality and discrimination on individual development and organizational performance. Practical implications: This study provided valuable insights into the impact of workplace inequality and discrimination on individual development and organizational performance. Contributions/value-adding: The results of this research can be used by human resources managers to (1) create awareness and communication within individuals, organisations, and society regarding workplace inequality and discrimination. (2) insist that trade unions and the government must revisit their mandate to protect workers, irrespective of nationality. This research has shown that vulnerable employees: women, foreign workers, and school leavers are exploited in the hospitality industry. (3) implement training and development programmes to help employees improve their skills and meet the organization’s objectives.
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    Development of a quality management system framework for dental assisting education in South Africa
    (2014-05-28) Muslim, Tufayl Ahmed; Singh, Ayisha; Naidoo, R.
    There has been a call from society for both the provision of a quality education and for a quality “student” who can contribute to the economy and citizenry of South Africa. It therefore makes sense for any educational structure to develop and adopt, strategies and systems in order to meet these new calls, and to provide technologically relevant education that will meet the demands of modern society. This has led to a renewed need for consistency, conformity and quality within higher education. Concerns about students’ capabilities have been raised, and have led to questions about the accountability of higher education institutions. A quality management system framework may ensure that these higher education structures are able to deliver a quality education to their external and internal customers. This research investigated the current quality management systems used in dental assisting both locally and world-wide, and then developed a quality management system framework to suit South African conditions. An action research study, using data gathered from a purposive census sample, and data obtained by means of a mixed-method approach, was conducted in two phases. A preliminary study (Part A) was conducted amongst the four South African dental assisting education programme providers and deficiencies in the quality management systems of these programmes were identified. The preliminary work (Part B) in this study consisted of a comparative analysis of the quality management systems of a convenience sample of dental assisting education providers in twenty countries. Both good practices and deficiencies in practices were identified. A further review of the literature identified possible solutions to improve the quality of the dental assisting education programmes, and was used as the foundation for the development of the Dental Assisting Higher Education – Quality Management Framework (DAHE-QMF). The results of the preliminary study - the comparative analysis and the literature review - revealed that the development and implementation of a quality management system framework for dental assisting in South Africa could lead to an improvement of the standards of training, and thus the competence of the student. The framework will be presented to the four programme leaders at the four Universities of Technology that offer dental assisting education for their consideration of partial/total adaptation of the framework.
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    The impact of strategy change on morale, performance and commitment
    (2008) Mekgoe, Naome; Mason, Roger Bruce
    Strategic change within an organisation is inevitable. Due to the competitive global landscape, organisations have to continuously adapt their strategies to remain in the market. Strategy change is most often met with resistance, and more so when the change involves downsizing. The effects of downsizing on employee morale, performance and commitment have been studied by numerous authors and a number of models for strategy change implementation consequently suggested. However, South Africa is faced with very particular challenges when dealing with change, including a high level of unemployment, fierce resistance to change in the form of collective action such as strikes, stay-aways or go-slows, political and social transformation happening simultaneously, global competition and the conflict between social and free markets within an emerging economy. Irrespective of the vast amount of international literature available on change management, there is a distinct lack of literature investigating the impact of strategy change in an emerging economy and a knowledge gap in terms of applying existing change theories in non-Western environments. This study was aimed at determining the impact of strategy change, particularly downsizing, on employee morale, performance and commitment at a global South-African based Telecommunication Company. The objectives of the study was to determine whether employees in South Africa are negatively affected by downsizing, and provide useful information to strategic managers in terms of implementation of strategy change in a South African environment. To determine the impact of downsizing as a strategy change, a questionnaire was designed based on the literature review to ascertain responses to three sections of questions, respectively measuring morale, performance and commitment. A sample of the target population was chosen based on their position/ employment type i.e. management, supervisor or general staff. The results of the empirical study revealed some very interesting points. Although all respondents demonstrated optimism in terms of their morale, performance and commitment, it was found that comparatively, managers are more negatively impacted during times of downsizing. The Telecommunication Company’s structured nature, advances in political and social reform, and solid Training and Development policy shielded the employees from the full negative impacts of downsizing because of their positive core self evaluation. The substantial amount of neutral responses (especially under management) indicated that not all respondents revealed their true feelings, a common characteristic amongst collective people. It also surfaced that even though the majority of responses indicated positive morale and performance, most respondents were considering positions outside the organisation. Based on the literature review and results from the empirical investigation, a model was proposed to assist strategic managers in South Africa with change implementation.