Faculty of Accounting and Informatics
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Item Cost control and operational performance at eThekwini human settlement unit(2024) Jwara, Msawenkosi Cedric; Marimuthu, Ferina; Nzuza, Zwelihle WisemanGovernment 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.Item 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, FerinaThere 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.Item Towards a framework for Improved Organizational Performance at the Department of Transport, eThekwini region(2021-08-31) Martin, Adele Alice; Green, Paul; Olugbara, Oludayo O.For more than a decade, the South African local government has been in the spotlight for the provision of appalling services, resulting from the incompetency and inefficiency of South African public servants. The introduction of a performance management system (PMS) is expected to safeguard the utilization of resources more efficiently and to ensure that objectives of an organization are appropriately implemented towards yielding the desired growth impacts. However, the current PMS utilized within South African government departments presents one key concern regarding the effective management of employee performance. This research examines the implementation and effectiveness of the current PMS in the Department of Transport, eThekwini region.