Sustainable Local Economic Development: The Role of Informatics in Determining Municipal Revenue Management

This paper discusses the challenges undermining the ability of smaller municipalities in South Africa (SA) to raise revenue to sustain local economic development (SLED). The concept of enactment of technology-in-practice (ETiP) of Structuration Theory (ST) was adopted as a lens to understand and interpret the factors hindering the implementation of relevant legislation e.g., the municipal property rates Act of 2004 (MPRA) for SLED. The purpose of the study was to determine the role informatics can play in the implementation of MPRA to institutionalise its provisions to improve revenue collection. An extensive investigation in twenty-five (25) smaller municipalities across SA indicated a number of factors suggested by ETiP have impacted on the implementation of MPRA and property rates collection. The view is that implementation of legislation e.g., MPRA is similar to the deployment of ICT solutions in governments. Thus, in the world of social theory, legislation implementation is a socio-technical phenomenon with significant political, economic and social components. The findings of the study is a general framework as a lens through which factors influencing SLED can be understood and interpreted to provide a richer understanding of the complexity associated with the role of informatics in government revenue management to support SLED

Proceedings of the International Conference on Business and Management Dynamics 2016

Cape Town, South Africa, 7 Sept. 2016 – 8 Sept. 2016. Theme: Sustainable economies in the information economy. Purpose: To share the quality academic papers presented at the International Conference on Business and Management Dynamics (ICBMD) held from 7 to 8 September 2016 at African Pride Crystal Hotel and Spa in Cape Town. As grey literature, the proceedings are the contributions made by researchers at the conference and are considered the written record of the work that was presented to fellow conference delegates. Methodology: The methodology used varies from researcher to researcher but are suitable for the studies conducted. Thus, on the one hand, studies that were subjective in nature used the interpretive paradigm, where the qualitative approach adopted made used of the interview method to collect data. On the other hand, studies that were objectively inclined adopted the positivist philosophy and used survey questionnaires to collect data. However, there were some academic papers which used mixed methodology because of the nature of the study. Whatever methodology used adhered to the ethos of the philosophies underpinning the methodology. Contribution made to scholarship: The articles come from individual researchers and each article in the proceedings is unique. Mostly, there is no general argument leading from one contribution to the next. However, it is interesting to note that in the area of economic performance it was evident that real exchange rate and net foreign direct investment contribute more towards innovations in economic growth. With regard to human capital development, papers presented evidence that there exists a definite need to explore the phenomenon of personal branding as limited scientific academic research has been done within the field of personal branding or on elements of the topic. Thus, the outcome argues that personal branding has an influence on leadership style which in turn impacts on organisational performance and related hygiene factors. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that current methods or strategies for enforcing institutionalisation of knowledge sharing within an organisation have not been successful, and, as such, new strategies are needed to reinforce efforts to nurture and invigorate the institutionalisation of knowledge sharing within an organisation. With regard to technology and big data impact on organisational performance, it was evident that system performance, memory consumption and CPU utilisation can be used as criteria to compare and evaluate big data technologies to improve organisational performance. Most of the articles’ contribution reemphasised technology education and training as a means of digitising business and improving effectiveness. Target audience: The target readership is academic researchers and business leaders who require access to the latest developments in the fields of economics, information management, business, education, development studies, social sciences and technology. It is also for policymakers and other stakeholders who need a better understanding of the impact of new developments on existing policies and regulations for their review or amendment

Customer relationship management systems for customer retention in a life insurance organisation in South Africa

By examining the role and value of customer retention (CR) in the life insurance sector of the South African insurance industry, this paper seeks to uncover the level of clientele receptiveness and willingness to adopt Information Technology (IT)-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Arguably, there are changing client needs, and market erosion requires innovative processes and particularly a readiness to accommodate the swift changes in technology. This volatile environment has, over the past decade, created increased competition and uncertain economic futures, which has placed life insurers under pressure and facing a steady increase in policy lapses. The primary objective of this paper is to investigate the role and value of IT-based CRM potential on customer retention in the life insurance industry in South Africa. It is argued, that with technological advances, increased competition, tough economic conditions, and clients becoming more financially conscious, insurers need to seek further and newer methods to retain their clientele. The study applied a quantitative research methodology by administering existing structured questionnaires to 100 clients at a Walk-in-Centre of a major life insurance company in South Africa to examine the causal link between IT-based CRM and customer retention. The survey concluded that probing unchartered terrain is required in fluctuating times for insurers to be competitive. The implication of the findings is that the speed, at which technology is evolving, is compelling insurers to evaluate new and alternative means of managing client relationships, as clients now drive the economy, not businesses. The very essence of a good CRM programme is its reliance on an IT system innovation, which is advanced enough to analyse the captured client data, transform that data into usable knowledge, which is then used to drive client retention. Explain who will be interested in the findings and why they should care about them. This paper contributes to the understanding, and implementation, of a successful IT-based CRM tool within the life insurance industr

The impact of high performance work practices on project performance. A case study of construction companies in South Africa

Abstract: A vast amount of research advocates that a tight link exits between High Performance Work Practices (HPWPs) and organisational performance.  Nonetheless, a detailed study indicating which of these practices offers significant performance in relation to multi-project environments is still lacking. Importantly, project performance is a measure of success in multi-project environments evident in construction firms. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of HPWPs’ bundles namely: recruitment and selection (RS), training and development (TD), performance appraisal (PA) and compensation system (CS) on project performance in the construction multi-project companies in Cape Town, South Africa. In this study, perceptual data was obtained using a questionnaire survey of 63 participants working as project team members and administrative staff respectively in select construction companies in Cape Town, South Africa. Stratified and convenience sampling techniques were used to selected the participants. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the help of SPSS, version 24.The statistical results show that out of the four HPWPs, only CS has a significant association with project performance. &nbsp

A Framework For Overcoming M-commerce Adoption Barriers In Angola

Abstract. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the global economy, with brick-and-mortar businesses particularly hard-hit. In Angola, the lockdown imposed in response to the pandemic forced many companies to close their doors, leading to widespread job losses and economic hardship. However, the pandemic also presented an opportunity for businesses that could adopt m-commerce or other alternative sales channels. This study aims to understand the factors that have impeded the adoption of m-commerce by brick-and-mortar retail SMEs in Angola during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also proposes a conceptual framework for overcoming the m-commerce adoption barriers that these SMEs have encountered. The study was conducted using a mixed-method approach, with data collected from 306 retail business managers/owners and professionals through a structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The study's findings suggest that the factors impeding m-commerce adoption were the lack of experience in using m-commerce, skills to configure forward and backward distribution systems, personnel with IT skills; the cost of m-commerce infrastructure; and the lack of support from the external environment. The study concludes by proposing a framework/strategy for stimulating the adoption of m-commerce in Angola. This strategy includes providing training and support to businesses on using m-commerce, developing a supportive regulatory environment, and investing in m-commerce infrastructure

Strategic human resource metrics: a perspective of the general systems theory

Measurement and quantification of strategic human resource outcomes in relation to key performance criteria is essential to develop value-adding metrics. Objectives This paper posits (using a general systems lens) that strategic human resource metrics should interpret the relationship between attitudinal human resource outcomes and performance criteria such as profitability, quality or customer service. Approach Using the general systems model as underpinning theory, the study assesses the variation in response to a Likert type questionnaire with twenty-four (24) items measuring the major attitudinal dispositions of HRM outcomes (employee commitment, satisfaction, engagement and embeddedness). Results A chi square test (chi-square test statistic = 54.898, p=0.173) showed that variation in responses to the attitudinal statements occurred due to chance. This was interpreted to mean that attitudinal human resource outcomes influence performance as a unit of system components. The neutral response was found to be associated with the ‘reject’ response than the ‘acceptance’ response. Value The study offers suggestion on the determination of strategic HR metrics and recommends the use of systems theory in HRM related studies. Implications This study provides another dimension to human resource metrics by arguing that strategic human resource metrics should measure the relationship between attitudinal human resource outcomes and performance using a systems perspective

Evidence-based practices of promoting entrepreneurship education in higher education institutions in Africa

This research applies the changing of cognitive mechanisms of University students through Entrepreneurship Education (EE). The study hypothesises that entrepreneurial orientation (achievement orientation, personal control, innovation and self-esteem) improves after completing the entrepreneurship module. The context of this research involves undergraduate commerce students from the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in South Africa. The study involves quantitative research using questionnaires through a longitudinal approach. The research design consists of a pre-test, post-test and post-test after the intervention. The impact of the training intervention was assessed over a 12 month period based on a randomised control design. This study indicates that entrepreneurial orientation was influenced through this Entrepreneurship module. The practical implications of this study emphasises the importance of training approaches that are based on empirical research. The uniqueness of this paper lies in the pedagogy used that allows the effectiveness of assessing a training program.IBS

Electronic inventory control systems as a competitive tool for e-retailers

Despite technological advances, some e-retail organisations are still struggling to improve their inventory control performance due to a limited application of such technology, a lack of relevant skills and inadequate supply chain management policies. This article explored how EICS can enhance the competitiveness of an online retailer. Adopting the qualitative paradigm, data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Consequently, data analysis entailed identifying common patterns within the responses and critically analysing them to achieve the research objectives. The findings revealed that with the implementation of EICS, the organisation could oversee inventory stock cycle transactions, perform a transparent inter-branch transfer and security control. Also, the vital competitive advantages, achieved through EICS implementation, include high customer satisfaction due to faster system services rendered than previously. Likewise, a rise in customer service efficiency and higher customer loyalty rates. In sum, this research supports the idea that EICS technology is an essential ingredient for e-retailers to thrive and compete. A major recommendation is for e-retailers to clearly define the attributes and metrics of their inventory control performance in line with inventory control objectives as the EICS competitiveness framework

The Impact of High Performance Work Practices on Project Performance. A Case Study of Construction Companies in South Africa

A vast amount of research advocates that a tight link exits between high performance work practices (HPWPs) and organisational performance. Nonetheless, a detailed study indicating which of these practices offers significant performance in relation to multi-project environments is still lacking. Importantly, project performance is a measure of success in multi-project environments evident in construction firms. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of HPWPs’ bundles namely: recruitment and selection (RS), training and development (TD), performance appraisal (PA) and compensation system (CS) on project performance in the construction multi-project companies in Cape Town, South Africa. In this study, perceptual data was obtained using a questionnaire survey of 63 participants working as project team members and administrative staff respectively in select construction companies in Cape Town, South Africa. Stratified and convenience sampling techniques were used to selected the participants. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the help of SPSS, version 24.The statistical results show that out of the four HPWPs, only CS has a significant association with project performance

The role of information systems in legislation led reform : a case study in the context of the new Municipal Rates Act of South Africa

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 258-277).This thesis examines the role of an information system in the implementation of the new Property (Municipal) Rates Act (PRA) 2004 of South Africa as an example of Legislation Led Reform using, as the case study, the property rates policy reform framework implemented as the General Valuation (GenVal) 2000 project of the City of Cape Town. The study applies a range of social theories such as Actor-Network Theory, the Due Process Model and Structuration Theory