Faculty of Management Sciences

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Women in higher education institutions and the challenge of academic progression
(2023-08-03) Anwana, Emem O.; Kayode, Aderinsola E.
Female academics in Africa have historically faced several challenges that have hampered their advancement to positions of leadership in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The study's findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to women's inability to generate research outputs, which are required for advancement in HEIs. This problem was compounded by diverse degrees of infrastructural deficits and poor research funding. This study adopted a qualitative exploratory analysis approach whereby structured interviews were held with 20 female university academics in two African countries to examine the factors that inhibit need for HEIs to review the recognise the additional work that female academics perform in their homes and families. It provides recommendations that may be used by HEI managers to bridge the widening gender gap in leadership positions in HEIs in the selected African countries. The findings cannot be generalised as the sample was taken from female academics from public universities in only two African countries. The study could, however, assist HEI managers and policymakers find solutions to some of the issues affecting women's progression in HEIs.
The role of the law in addressing the challenges facing street vendors in Durban
(2023-04) Ndaba, Noluthando Perceviarance; Reddy, Karunanidhi
Street vendors are a significant part of the economy, and their income supports several families and sustains their livelihoods. However, they are faced with severe problems which interfere with their daily operations. In addition to the general challenges that they face, such as the lack of start-up funds, entrepreneurial skills, and infrastructure, as well as operational challenges, they are also faced with challenges relating to the law or regulatory issues. Such challenges are detrimental to the street vending businesses and, as a result, street vendors lose profits and income, for instance, when they are harassed by police, arrested, or have their goods impounded. The challenges faced by vendors include the fact that, because of low literacy levels, vendors have an inadequate understanding of the laws and bylaws that regulate street vending, and the bylaws require permits for trading. In addition, there are restrictions in place regarding trading in public space where trading is not permitted, in terms of bylaws, and vendors are relocated although they have identified their target markets. Harassment by police officials, and the impounding and confiscation of goods, are also major setbacks for street vendors. Further, there is a lack of access to permits and with municipal authorities in charge of the processes for allocating licences and permits, opportunities for bribery and corruption are increased. Section 22 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) guarantees equal rights and protection, as well as the freedom to choose one's own occupation, trade, or profession. However, street vendors are not adequately protected, and the state places little emphasis on the informal sector. Since street vendors are self-employed, they do not have the same protection and rights as employees in the formal sector. The Businesses Act 71 of 1991 recognizes street vendors as entrepreneurs, and only traders with a trading license are permitted to trade. However, amendments were made in 1993 that gave local municipal authorities more authority to govern and limit street vending. Different bylaws and regulations govern street vendors, which are written in legal terms that are too technical for the traders to understand. The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges faced by street vendors in the Durban area and to examine the role of the law with respect to addressing such challenges. For the purposes of the empirical study, a quantitative approach was chosen. The data for this study was collected through a survey using questionnaires from street vendors trading in Durban, who were over the age of 18 years. The findings from the study show that street vendor challenges, particularly with respect to the law, include the fact that the laws are not understandable, and vendors are not familiar with them; their goods are confiscated; they are harassed by municipality officials and given unnecessary fines. They also face certain general challenges, such as the lack infrastructure and amenities which impacts on their health. The recommendations drawn from the study include the fact that, since street vending plays a significant role in assisting the alleviation of poverty, the constitutional right to equality should be applied to the vendors’ right to trade and the limitations to such right should not be unreasonable. In keeping with the social justice concept, the municipality should review the restrictions in place which present challenges for street vending as a sector; the relevant legislation/regulations need to be amended to accommodate all persons; and in the event of violations by vendors, the municipal officials should follow due processes. A fundamental standard of the rule of law is that government authorities and their officials should only do what is legally acceptable under an enabling law. This study is critical because street vending plays an important role in improving the livelihoods of vendors and their families and it also contributes to the economy and socio-economic development. By raising awareness of their challenges, particularly with respect to the law, the study will benefit street vendors. Further, the findings and recommendations will also be useful to government at various levels, including municipal authorities and their law enforcement officials, as well as future researchers.
The application of space technology and the challenges of managing water infrastructure in a selected South African municipality
(2023-04) Mokgobu, Matlou Lesley; Mason, Roger Bruce
The installation of water infrastructure in cities poses a challenge to communities, municipalities, and installation contractors. These challenges range from the inaccessibility of streets, the community’s limited access to homes, traffic jams, deep trenches with few or no barricades, leaking water pipes, water supply cut-offs, electricity supply cut-offs, vandalism, and theft of water pipes and accessories. The research problem, therefore, revolves around a better understanding of these water infrastructural problems, how to mitigate such problems caused by inadequate planning, leading, organising, controlling, and coordination by management, arising from various technical aspects of water infrastructure. The need for this study arises from the inconvenience and dangers experienced by communities with heaps of materials lying around causing disturbances to traffic flow, open hazardous trenches becoming dangerous to children playing in their vicinity, vehicle accidents because of the trenches, and damaged kerbs. The study aimed to investigate the challenges of managing water infrastructure in a selected South African municipality to find possible ways to resolve such challenges with the help of space technology. The study achieved the objectives, namely, to identify the challenges experienced by the municipality during and after the installation of water infrastructure; to rank the importance of the experienced challenges; to explore the root causes of the challenges experienced during the installation of water infrastructure; to identify how space technology can help with the management of water infrastructure; to develop a framework of the challenges and the causes; and, to explore water management strategies with the effort of finding possible ways to resolve the challenges. The study was exploratory and applied mixed methods research methodology. Data was collected via a survey (402 City of Tshwane residents), in-depth interviews (20 City of Tshwane managers of the Water Division), and two focus groups (7 participants per group of City of Tshwane contractor managers and contractor employees) through the convergent parallel design method. The quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 27), and the qualitative data was analysed using NVivo version 27, charts, tables, and themes. The results from the three sets of participants indicated multiple challenges related to skills deficits, management deficits, political interference, and inexperienced staff in the water infrastructure division. The findings indicated knowledge, ability and performance gaps in human resources, management, technical skills, financial management, socio-politics, and legal frameworks. The study contributed new knowledge to systems theory regarding the policies, systems, installation and maintenance of water infrastructure, and communication, and these aspects are supported by the findings. The application of space technology on a large scale can help the City of Tshwane fight criminal acts of vandalism and theft of infrastructure. This study found that space technology is still in its infancy in the city, and that the application of this technology requires an elevated level of education, experience and specialised technical skills to operate. This study recommended extensive investment in space technology. The study further recommended that the City of Tshwane improve human resources, training, culture, finance, operations, and control measures. The study recommended further research on the proper use of funds, the causes of community violence against the contractors doing maintenance, investigation of the delays in the procurement of services, turnaround time for the various water infrastructure activities, relationship management between the city employees and the contractors, the impact of lack of reporting by the managers and employees to the superiors in the water infrastructure division, and clearer definition of roles between municipal employees and politicians. More academic research into water infrastructure, based on the use of and relationship between water infrastructure and space technology, is warranted.
Challenges with student’s registration processes at the Durban University of Technology : a case study of Midlands campuses of Riverside and Indumiso
(2022) Nzimande, Emmanuel Thabani; Fagbadebo, Omololu M.; Mthalane, Peggy Pinky
In recent times, student protests over the challenges relating to registration have become rampant in South Africa. Consequently, the development often disrupts academic programmes. The implication of the above is the constant loss of time needed by the students to concentrate on their academic studies and its consequences on the quality of services. The study examined the challenges associated with students’ registration processes and how it moulds the perceptions and expectations of the students in terms of service delivery at the Midlands Campuses of the DUT. This study followed a mixed method for data collection and analysis. The questionnaires were distributed to 360 students and interviews were conducted with four staff members of the Student Administration Department of the Midlands campuses of Indumiso and Riverside. The researcher used descriptive statistics based on data collected by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Software (SPSS version 2.0) to analyse the quantitative data. The data that emerged from the interview were deductively coded with the aid of software (NVIVO version 12). The quantitative factor loading reveals a strong loading above the recommended value of 0.5 while the confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) revealed a good fit in the model. However, the findings from the students indicated that Student Administration staff were not exactly meeting the desired and expected registration services. The SERVQUAL dimensions indicated gaps of 0.58 in reliability, responsiveness, and empathy. The qualitative analysis discovered several registration challenges, including NSFAS late payments, which affected late account clearance for registration, incorrect module selection for registration, and incorrect biographical information capturing. It was recommended that the Student Administration Department of Indumiso and Riverside campuses should endeavoured to bridge the gap identified by SERVQUAL dimensions. The department should improve communication services to students. On-time NSFAS payment and student account clearance was recommended to avoid delays and challenges during registration. Proper creation of academic structure from the system was recommended to avoid incorrect module registration. Student biographical information should be always up to date to improve communication with students.
Influence of incubation hubs on start-ups in Harare, Zimbabwe
(2021-11) Karambakuwa, Joe Kumbirai; Bayat, Mohamed Saheed
The thesis examines the effect of business incubation on new businesses. The research sheds light on how incubation centres are being implemented and how beneficial they are. The practice of business incubation is a crucial endeavour that can aid the growth of new enterprises. However, only a few studies have confirmed their influence on start-up survival. This study sheds light on how start-up enterprises evolve when they are exposed to incubation centres. An examination of the literature found that there is a gap in understanding the stages of start-up development because there is no consensus on the specific elements or paths that start-ups take. Literature showed that there was little that was known about what happens during and after company incubation since these aspects were considered black boxes. While there was literature on inclusive entrepreneurship, there was a vacuum in the linkage between the two. This study contributed to the body of knowledge by examining areas where there were gaps. To assess the influence of incubation on start-ups, the study used a qualitative methodology. Focus groups were used to obtain the data. Twenty-one start-up founders who met the requirement of having gone through the incubation phase made up the sample. To present the outcomes of the study, content analysis was done, and the NVivo software was used to analyse the data into thematic areas. The study found that hubs made a reasonable contribution to start-up competence and survival. Hubs aided in the expansion of businesses and assisted start-ups. The lack of capacity to accomplish the desired expansion was blamed for start-ups’ sluggish growth. According to the research findings, start-ups identified incubation hubs as centres that gave exposure and empowerment to start-ups. Several start-up business owners were not aware of some of the training and skills development that was provided to them before they began the incubation phase. Hubs were identified as centres of creativity and the generation of new ideas which aided them in successfully nurturing their businesses. Hubs encouraged serious thinking, analysis, as well as creativity, and the ability to do things differently. According to the findings, incubation centres offered start-ups mentorship as well as networking prospects. Networking was found to be essential since it allowed like-minded entrepreneurs to exchange ideas, opportunities, and open their minds to new possibilities and commercial options. The study found that hubs offered start-ups resources such as space, machinery, and technical assistance. As a result, reliance on standard company growth methods had certain limitations. The findings revealed that hubs bridged the gap between theory and practice, supporting lifelong learning and establishing discipline and professionalism in the business environment of start-ups. The hubs provide a well-structured strategy from beginning to end of the incubation process, allowing for better comprehension and lowering the risk of failure. The findings suggest that hubs offered a conducive atmosphere for start-ups and that respondents saw their firms expand. According to the study, incubation centres may play an important role in inclusive entrepreneurship by providing programmes to marginalised populations who can start businesses. Incubation hubs were found to have a significant impact on start-up survival. Incubators may be a driving force behind the creation of high-impact start-ups. The conclusions of this study have numerous theoretical as well as practical implications for incubation managers, policymakers, academic institutions, and startup entrepreneurs. Future research recommendations were made to better understand the constraints surrounding start-up incubation.
The role of implementing cloud computing technology for addressing critical security issues and overcoming the challenges effectively
(IEEE, 2022-04-28) Lourens, Melanie Elizabeth; Kaushik, Manish; Goyal, Jayanti; Singh, Rajesh; Kuchhal, Shikha; Tiwari, Mohit
The term cloud computing possesses the critical aspect to enhance the network by leveraging the available resources in an effective manner. It has been widely stated that the usage of enhanced IT infrastructure support in realising the goals of the stakeholders in an easier aspect. Cloud computing is a shared pool of operations that is growing in popularity due to its low cost, high efficiency, and high output. Along with its many advantages, cloud computing presents a considerably more difficult scenario in terms of data privacy, intellectual property rights, authenticated access, data security, and so on. Cloud computing technology is becoming ever more challenging in today's society as a result of these challenges. This paper aims to evaluate the security issues in cloud services and implementation of advanced technology to prevent these challenges. In this context, mixed method has been considered (primary quantitative and secondary qualitative) to gather relevant and factual information.
Investigating the challenges of e-learning in a developing institution of higher learning : a hypothetical approach
(Clute Institute, 2019-05-01) Agbenyegah, Albert Tchey; Dlamini, Bongani Innocent
The popularity of e-learning (EL) largely infiltrated into every sector of South African institutions of higher learning. This growing interest in EL is due to the advent of rapid internet technologies. For decades, South African institutions of higher learning have accepted EL as a vital learning tool for the enhancement of learning and teaching within the higher education sector. However, there are countless challenges that continue to hinder learning and teaching activities. This study seeks to determine the relationships between various challenges and EL capabilities through stated hypotheses. The study is a descriptive, qualitative design aided by a quantitative approach that were applied to collect data. In total 150 full and part-time ICT students including four permanent ICT lecturers participated in the study. By means of statistical methods of descriptive, inferential statistics aided by independent t-tests, three stated hypotheses were formulated and tested. The study therefore, recommends that higher institutions of learning should increase investments in various EL programs including relevant ICT infrastructure development and also in levels of connectivity. The study further recommends that EL contents should be designed taking into account the cultural characteristics of students.
Monitoring and evaluation and its impact on the performance of the Sizakala Customer Services department employees at eThekwini Municipality
(2021) Dlamini, Nonkululeko Nonjabulo; Mabila, Ndiphethe Olive
The need to meet the organization’s objectives, to meet the set targets, to detect problems at an early stage is the reason Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) should be executed in the organizations. The objectives of this study were to determine the understanding of M&E on the Sizakala Customer Services department employees and its practice in the municipality, to ascertain the impact of M&E on the performance of the employees in the Sizakala department, to determine how M&E contributes to the attainment of the objectives in the department and lastly, to identify challenges and to make recommendations to overcome the challenges facing M&E within the department. The study is demarcated at the Sizakala Customer Care department under the Sizakala Customer Services unit at the eThekwini municipality. The Sizakala department aims to help the community to obtain equal access to the services rendered by the municipality and other spheres of government. The program forms part of the eThekwini Municipality’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP). The program is to show the municipality’s obligation in keeping up with service delivery and an improved quality of life for all eThekwini citizens. There are (35) Sizakala Customer Service centres. The aim of the Sizakala centres is to bring services closer to all residents. Self-administered questionnaires were given to the total number of 41 participants at the Sizakala departments across the North, South, West and Central offices of the eThekwini Municipality, inclusive of Principal clerks and semi-structured interviews were rendered to cumulate data from 2 Monitoring practitioners, 2 Evaluation practitioners and 1 Sizakala manager. Probability sampling was employed in this study and the stratified sampling technique was used to conduct the research. A total of 31 questionnaires were returned from the participants which yielded a response rate of 76%. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 was used to do the quantitative analysis of data and the qualitative data was converted into the Excel spreadsheet to do the analysis. The study unfolded that the greater number of the respondents have an understanding of M&E and the majority are positive that employee M&E findings are fully implemented at Sizakala department. M&E helps employees to improve on their performance at Sizakala department. The study also unfolded that there are obstacles facing M&E at Sizakala department, which includes not having enough funding for M&E at Sizakala department. Subsequently, the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) unit has not conducted any evaluation for the Sizakala unit and is lacking experienced M&E staff and does not conduct walk-ins to monitor the unit. There is no internal M&E department at Sizakala Customer Services unit. The PME unit is an external unit that is responsible for M&E in the eThekwini municipality collectively. The researcher recommended that the Sizakala department needs to get more funding and resources for the M&E initiatives. The Sizakala department needs to establish its internal M&E department. In conclusion, this study can be seen as a contribution to the M&E philosophy.
Graduate employment in tourism and hospitality : attributes and challenges
(2021-09-29) Stemele, Lukhanyo; Sucheran, Reshma
The tourism sector is often promoted as a significant employment generator. However, critical questions are frequently posed in terms of the nature of tourism employment and the numerous challenges faced by employees in this sector. Despite many employment opportunities being occupied by graduates, the sector is known to have limited potential for employment growth and progression. It is also evident that tourism and hospitality graduates tend to have an inaccurate understanding and unrealistic employment expectations of the sector. This study therefore examines the employment traits and challenges of tourism and hospitality graduate employees. A quantitative research design was utilised for the study, and a structured online questionnaire was used to collect empirical data from 133 tourism and hospitality graduates. The graduates were selected from a University of Technology using a stratified random sampling technique. SPSS was used to analyse primary data and generate descriptive and inferential statistics. The key findings of the study revealed that most respondents were currently employed in the tourism and hospitality industry on a full-time basis, many of whom found employment immediately and easily after the completion of their studies. Compared to the tourism and hospitality sector, graduate employees earned higher incomes in other employment sectors. Moreover, it was evident that graduates employed in the tourism and hospitality sector were faced with far more challenges than those that were employed in other industry sectors
Strategic management in construction firms with focus on small and medium enterprises : a case study eThekwini, South Africa
(2021-06-28) Rambaruth, Amit; Adam, Jamila Khatoon; Krishna, Suresh Babu Naidu
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in the economy and have contributed significantly to the growth of the economy, however, there is still a high-level failure rate. Many face a threat of failure within the first few months of establishment and the lack of strategic planning may prevent them from achieving their full potential. Therefore, the aim of this study is to address the factors that influence the adoption of strategic management in an organization and to identify persuading factors that contribute to strategic management to improve performance and to categorise challenges faced by SMEs in implementing a strategic plan. The results advocate that majority of the eThekwinibased SMEs in the construction industry are applying strategic management practices in their business and through this application they have improved the performance of their business. Furthermore, the study found that there were high levels of agreement with the challenges facing the implementation of a strategic plan in an organization. The research concluded that that majority of the eThekwini-based SMEs in the construction industry are applying strategic management practices in their business and through this application they have improved the performance of their business. The study also concluded that there were high levels of agreement with the influencing factors that drove SMEs to adopt a strategic plan and high levels of agreement with the contributing factors of strategic planning in improving performance of the business. Furthermore, the study found that there were high levels of agreement with the challenges facing the implementation of a strategic plan in an organisation.

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