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Faculty of Management Sciences

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    Systems thinking : a vehicle for the development of knowledge-sharing culture in the University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal
    (2023-06-05) Mhlongo, Patrick Mbongwa; Zondo, Robert Walter Dumisani
    Knowledge is a fundamental source of competitive advantage for both public and private organisations. This includes higher education institutions as they are under constant pressure to meet the needs of their stakeholders. It is thus critical for such organisations to create conducive environments for knowledge-sharing across functional boundaries. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to examine the significant of systems thinking for the development of knowledge-sharing culture in Universities of Technology (UoTs). The study was qualitative in design. Data was collected, through face-to-face interviews, from employees of UoTs in KwaZulu-Natal (in South Africa). Participants were purposively selected. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Hence, study findings indicate that systems thinking serves as a catalyst for knowledge- sharing in UoTs. This suggests that systems thinking plays a key role in creating a conducive environment for knowledge-sharing across the organisation and beyond functional boundaries. Given the need for UoTs to remain competitive, a strong culture of knowledge sharing across functional boundaries is critical. The original value of this paper is in its approach in uncovering the strengths and weaknesses of systems thinking for the development of knowledge-sharing culture in the UoTs in KwaZulu-Natal.
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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.
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    Employee satisfaction with union representation at a selected South African University of Technology
    (2021) Govender, Shamilla; Adam, Jamila Khatoon
    Komsi (2010: 7) identifies three reasons for workers joining a trade union. The first motive is to better know workers’ rights, the second is because of belief in collective action and the third is to promote the interest of one’s self and co-workers. The Durban University of Technology (DUT) has three trade unions on campus, i.e., TENUSA, NEWAHU AND NTEU. Each trade union representatives, known as shop stewards, face the difficulty of having to support two, roles i.e., (i) the role of either a lecturer, administrator or administrator support and (ii) that of a shop steward/executive member. The trade union representatives are elected at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) for a period of between one and three years and expected to perform union activities over and above their own job functions and responsibilities. The aim of this study was to survey employee satisfaction with union representation at a selected University of Technology. The objectives of the study were to determine whether union members are happy with union representation of their interests to identify the areas of representation that is lacking and to recommend ways in which worker interest can be improved. The population consisted of all full-time staff members of the Durban University of Technology. These included academics, academic support and administrative support staff; male and female; of diverse race groups; working on all seven campuses of the University. The initial sampling method used for this study was stratified systematic because the population comprised of distinctly different categories of workers and each category was sampled separately to ensure that it was equally represented. The researcher used questionnaires as the data collection tool. The following factors were taken into consideration in determining the best possible way of distributing the questionnaires: the large sample size of 620 staff that needed to be surveyed and the wide geographic spread of the selected sample elements. To facilitate easy collection the researcher opted to use Microsoft Forms as the data collection tool. Microsoft Forms is a lightweight, simple tool that allows you to easily construct a form, collect real-time responses, and display automated charts to show your data. You can create a form in minutes, no training needed and respondents can fill it out on any browser without downloading a separate app. After numerous followup attempts, the response rate was still very low requiring the researcher to conduct a purposive / convenient sampling method targeting all unionised staff. The study found that the members surveyed were very satisfied with the effectiveness of their unions. Members indicated that union officials were available as soon as you needed them; gave members a choice in how the union works; kept their members updated and treated complaints properly. Members were satisfied with the membership fees and were actively involved in electing their union leadership. Notwithstanding, the fact that there was overall satisfaction by the members survey, the researcher provided recommendations on each of the areas that received a minimally negative rating.
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    Customer service orientation of institutes of higher learning in South Africa: A case study of universities of technology
    (Virtus Interpress, 2014) Lekhanya, Lawrence Mpele
    The purpose of the study was to investigate the customer service orientation of institutes of higher learning in South Africa, with specific reference to Universities of Technology in KwaZulu–Natal (KZN). As an exploratory study, the research aimed at understanding how various factors, of customer service orientation of institutes of higher learning, affected the perceived service quality provided to students. This quantitative survey was conducted among the universities’ students, located in the province of KwaZulu–Natal, South Africa. A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess university of Technology students’ perceptions of customer service orientation, by means of a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. A total of 110 questionnaires were analysed. Findings indicated that, most university of Technology students either agreed or were neutral regarding the customer service orientation they received in their respective universities of Technology, with above average, overall mean scores. The important factors that determined the customer service orientation of universities of Technology in South Africa were facilities, academic staff attendance during lecturing periods, administration of other activities relevant to the students, equal research funding accessibility, as well as ethical behaviour and professionalism of academic staff. The managerial implication is that measuring the customer service orientation of the universities of technology, to prioritize those factors identified as important by the students, for effective management of customer service. Providing good customer services across the universities is critical in gaining a competitive edge in the education sector.