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Faculty of Management Sciences

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    The impact of process, people and physical evidence on small retail business performance in Durban Central, South Africa
    (Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, 2024-06-13) Mahohoma, N.; Agbenyegah, A.T.
    The vibrant commercial landscape of Durban Central, South Africa, is greatly influenced by the dynamic contributions of small retail businesses. Beyond their economic impact, small businesses also generate employment opportunities. However, despite their significance, small businesses are often hindered by obstacles to achieving and maintaining sustainable performance. To overcome these obstacles, it is essential to comprehend the influence of different factors on their performance. This study aims to evaluate the impact of process efficiency, people (human factor) and physical evidence (3 selected Ps) on the performance of small retail businesses. Existing research highlights the significance of these 3 selected Ps in propelling the success of small businesses, with a focus on streamlining operations, motivated staff and creating aesthetically pleasing storefronts. A quantitative approach was implemented in this study. This involved the distribution of self-completed surveys of a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire ranging from “strongly agree to strongly disagree”. 190 out of 217 small retail business owners in Durban Central completed the survey, resulting in a response rate of 87.56%. Quantitative data was analysed using the SPSS version 29. Pearson’s Chi square was used to test the formulated hypotheses. The findings showed that small retail business owner/managers hold a strong belief that there is a positive influence between the 3 selected Ps and business performance. This underlines the significance of investing in a favourable physical environment, streamlining internal processes and prioritising employee development and involvement to improve business performance. However, it is worth noting that while many businesses reported positive outcomes, there were also varying perceptions of performance among small retail businesses, indicating that external factors may also play a role in their success. It is recommended that small businesses invest in creating a friendly physical space, streamlining internal processes and providing thorough employee training and engagement.
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    Significant of cultural diversity on business performance in the parts manufacturing organisation in South Africa
    (Bussecon International Academy, 2024-07-22) Khumalo, Philani Mndeni; Zondo, Robert Walter Dumisani
    Organisations are in the midst of cultural change and transformation. Thus, the global market demands that they remain competitive, flexible and relevant in order to adequately react to culturally diverse changes in their human resources. This sentiment describes the importance of cultural diversity in organisations. Hence, this study examines the significant of cultural diversity on business performance in the automotive parts manufacturing organisations in South Africa. The study was quantitative in design, with the participation of middle-level managers in two large automotive parts manufacturing organisations in the eThekwini District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal (in South Africa). Of the 168 individuals identified for participation, 118 participated in the study, representing a 70.2 per cent response rate. Descriptive and t-tests, using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), were used to analyse data. Study results indicate that a culturally diverse workforce is associated with greater organisational performance, improved strategic decision-making and innovation. The original value of this study is its essence in providing opportunities and challenges of cultural diversity on business performance in the parts manufacturing organisations in South Africa.
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    Evaluating the influence of social responsibility practices on the performance of small and medium automotive manufacturers in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality
    (2023-03) Mvakwendlu, Nonophela Buhle; Zondo, Robert Walter Dumisani
    Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are an important business sector in South Africa, while also contributing to new job opportunities and development all over the world. It is assumed the implementation of a strategic philosophy such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can enhance performance of SMEs, as it involves organisations acting responsibly and ethically towards society, the environment and other stakeholders to maximise positive impact, not merely increase profit. CSR has received much attention in the business world, nevertheless, several SMEs in the manufacturing sector do not recognise how their practice closely affects employees, society, and the environment. Studies show manufacturers deposit their waste into some of the country’s main rivers, which affects individuals in the surroundings, demonstrating the lack of business manufacturers involvement in CSR practices. Hence, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the extent to which CSR practices influence SME performance in the automotive manufacturing sector of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. The study objective is thus to evaluate the influence of environmental CSR practices, ethical CSR labour practices, and the public good of CSR, on SME performance. Being quantitative in nature, structured questionnaires were employed to gather data from the targeted population of 120 SME owners in the automotive manufacturing sector, with the sampling size of 110 SME owners and 10 SME owners for pilot study. The study reveals the demographic variables that have a relationship with CSR practices, as well as variables that do not. This includes environmental, ethical labour and public good CSR practices and their relationship with demographic variables. Ethical CSR labour practices showed no relationship with any demographic variable when using ANOVA technique. All statistical results are achieved with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) techniques, including descriptive statistics, chisquare, Pearson correlation co-efficient and ANOVA techniques. The study is limited to automotive manufacturing SMEs and CSR practices.
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    The impact of training and assessment register (TAR) on productivity in the automotive parts manufacturing organisation in South Africa
    (AOSIS, 2019-11-28) Zondo, Robert Walter Dumisani
    Orientation: Organisations are confronted with the challenge of competency among its employees for productivity improvement. They implement strategies that improve employee skills proficiencies for higher productivity. These can also be achieved by implementing a training model that develops employee’s skills and knowledge so that they become the specialists in their work areas. This sentiment underpins the concept of employee Training and Assessment Register (TAR).Purpose: This study evaluates the influence of TAR on productivity in automotive parts manufacturing organisation in South Africa.Motivation for the study: The South African manufacturing sector has a low level of productivity compared to its counterpart industries in the Asian and Western countries. The sector experiences the lack in short to medium term growth in productivity.Research design, approach and methods: The automotive parts manufacturing company that has used a TAR strategy for productivity improvement participated in the study. The study objectives were achieved by examining the production and related experiences in the company. The collection of data was carried out in two phases. This includes the collection of pre- and post-quarterly data for spoilage, overtime and customer complaints. The pre-TAR results were quarterly data reflecting the company’s performance over the three-year period prior to the implementation of TAR. This company operates in the eThekwini District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.Main findings: The results established that spoilage rate has a relationship with company productivity. Any decrease in spoilage rate would result to an increase in company productivity. However, the overtime and customer complaints do not statistically have a relationship with company productivity.Contribution: This article uncovers the strengths and weaknesses of TAR on productivity in the automotive parts manufacturing organisation in South Africa.
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    Perception of the influence of cultural diversity on business performance in the automotive component manufacturing in South Africa
    (AOSIS, 2021-03-30) Khumalo, Philani M.; Zondo, Robert Walter Dumisani
    Orientation: Global market demands that organisations remain competitive, flexible and relevant in order to adequately react to culturally diverse changes in their human resources. This sentiment describes the importance of cultural diversity in organisations. However, cultural diversity phenomenon has not been given serious attention by business.Research purpose: This study examines the perception on the influence of cultural diversity on business performance in automotive component manufacturers in South Africa.Motivation for the study: Cultural diversity in the organisation has grown over the passage of time with an increase in globalisation. People no longer live in an insular environment. They are part of the worldwide economy competing within a global framework. Hence, cultural diversity becomes a way of creating competitive advantage.Research design, approach and methods: The study was quantitative in design, with middle-level managers in two large automotive component manufacturers in the eThekwini District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal participating in the study. Of the 168 individuals identified for participation, 118 participated in the study, representing a 70.2% response rate. Descriptive, correlative and t-tests, using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) were used to analyse the data.Main findings: Study results indicates that a culturally diverse workforce is associated with greater organisational performance, improved strategic decision-making and innovation. Hence, organisations must manage cultural diversity among their workforce for the improvement of business performance.Managerial implications: Culturally diverse workforce are associated with greater organisational performance, improved strategic decision-making and innovation. Hence, management must develop an understanding of their cultural settings if their organisations are to perform effectively.Contribution: The original value of this study is its approach in uncovering the strengths and weaknesses of cultural diversity on business performance in South Africa.
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    Effectiveness of housekeeping methodology on productivity in the automotive parts manufacturing organisation in South Africa
    (SRAC - Societatea Romana Pentru Asigurarea Calitatii, 2021-04) Zondo, Robert Walter Dumisani
    The majority of South Africans expect greater prosperity that can be accomplished through greater employment and high productivity. Thus, the need for productivity improvement in South Africa should be uppermost in both the public and private sector’s agenda. This can be achieved by implementing an effective management system that has a bearing to improved business performance. This sentiment underpins the concept of housekeeping methodology, namely, the 5S. 5S is a housekeeping philosophy represented by the practical approach for sorting, set in order, sanitise, standardise and sustain. As a result, this study evaluates the effectiveness of 5S on productivity in the automotive parts manufacturing companies in South Africa. 5S is an approach designed for achieving overall organisational cleanliness and standardisation at workplace that is motivating and pleasing to all the employees in the organisation. The study was quantitative in design and examined the production and related experiences of the automotive parts manufacturing company that has adopted a 5S strategy. The Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model, using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse data. The company operates in the eThekwini District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. The study was achieved by collecting pre- and post-quarterly data for machine downtime and labour production output rate. The results establish that machine downtime has a relationship and statistically significant to productivity. However, productivity has no relationship with both the 5S and labour production output. This study uncovers the strengths and weaknesses of 5S strategy on productivity in the automotive parts manufacturing organisations in South Africa.
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    HR management in terms of improving employee retention within organizations
    (2022-05-01) Vijayalakshmi, N. S.; Lourens, Melanie Elizabeth; Vyas, Sonali; Bhargava, Amitabh; Pathak, Anchal; Jayadeva, Sujay Mugaloremutt; Sidhu, Kawerinder Singh; Singh, Ankit Kumar; Alanya-Beltran, Joel; Panduro-Ramirez, Jeidy
    The attrition is a dynamic concept which impacts business performance. This required HR management. Generally, managing a highly discerning and independent workforce becomes difficult. The attrition arises due to one or more issues. These include organizational health, morale and motivation, low perceived value and leads up to very tangible aspects such as shareholder return and value. There for required analyze HR management. This invention analyzes HR management in terms of improving employee retention within organizations.
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    The impact of e-marketing on business performance: A case study of the Midlands Meander Association members
    (2015) Wisdom, Elizabeth; Veerasamy, Dayaneethie
    The study was undertaken to establish to what extent the use of e-marketing has impacted on the Midlands Meander Association (MMA) members relationship with their customers and influenced their business performance (during the period August 2013 to January 2014). As stated in the literature review, the utilisation of technology and e-marketing are important areas of future research. The literature review incorporates various studies such as Mathfield (2000), Lourens (2007) and McLaren (2011) which focus on the MMA members and their customers. Moreover, the literature review includes a discussion of several definitions of e-marketing, while the importance of a number of e-marketing techniques was examined. The study was an empirical, descriptive investigation which applied a mixed methods approach. The study utilised three types of data collection methods: online survey, telephone interviews and the analysis of public domain documentation. The research found an extensive difference between how the various MMA members implemented e-marketing within their businesses. The research showed that e-marketing was not utilised or exploited by the majority of the MMA members to its full potential. Also, the study revealed the need for the MMA members to increase their utilisation of social media, search engine optimiser and complementary links to other websites in order to realise the advantages which may be gained. The study found that over half of the MMA members held a moderately positive perception of e-marketing and that the members’ ages might impact on their perceptions of e-marketing. The research suggested that the majority of the respondents recognised that their business performance had increased due to the use of e-marketing. Furthermore, the research found that two thirds of the MMA members acknowledged the importance of e-marketing to connect and build relationships with their customers. Finally, the research highlighted the need for future research to be undertaken to incorporate other tourism routes within South Africa in order to examine the use of e-marketing and its effect on both customer relationships and business performance.