The application of a business intelligence tool for service delivery improvement : the case of South Africa

Abstract: The global environment requires organisations to adapt and respond quickly to the complexity of its nature. Responding to such an environment depends on real-time information. In the last decade, organisations have relied much on human expertise to extract and analyse and process data into meaningful information for decision making. Many will probably agree with the assertion that the complexity of the globalisation has led to a complexity in modern data analysis, which encompasses different elements (technology and innovation, internet of things and influx of data to name but few), resulting in modern scientific problems. It is evident that organisational knowledge has become the enabling factor for decision-making in both the private and public sector. Yet, the study of the opinion that the advancement of technology and internet of things has complicated matters further for humankind to interpret complex and vast amounts of data at the speed required to keep up with the demands of the global environment in which they operate. Therefore, it is likely that the discovered knowledge may be inaccurate at times. In responding to these dynamics, organisations require computational intelligence systems to transform the data they acquire into real-time meaningful information in order to make informed decisions. ..D.Phil. (Engineering Management

The strategically located land index support system for human settlements land reform in South Africa

Abstract: Creating sustainable human settlements is fundamental in fostering spatial and socio-economic integration in South Africa. Policy makers are often faced with the problem of identifying strategically located land for human settlements land reform in South Africa. To date there is no tool or standard framework that assists the government to identify land that is strategically located for land reform. This study proposes the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) to develop a Strategically Located Land Index (SLLI) deployed in a web viewer to identify land that is smart for human settlements land reform. The study demonstrates that GIS,MCDMand the SLLI are invaluable tools in facilitating streamlined, coordinated, standardised and evidence-based decisions for human settlements land reform. However, there is need for capacity building in government departments responsible for land reform and development planning for the SLLI to be fully utilised

Evaluating the impact of operations management on service delivery at a local municipality.

In a larger context, local government municipalities might not only have authority and functionality but also the responsibility to carry out their duties in challenging circumstances. The study's main objective is to assess the operational management variables that affect local government service delivery. The goal of this study is to help local municipality in the Northern Cape management gain a clear understanding of the standard of operations management, the degree of service delivery, and the degree to which operations management factors affect delivery within the organisation. This study aims to assess the operations management factors that affect service delivery at the municipality using a quantitative research method approach and an online survey. Working definitions for both variables for operations management and service delivery were developed based on the literature. In that chapter, it was stated that operations management could be thought of as a process that converts various organisational inputs into outputs of the desired quality and quantity as determined by the organisation and its stakeholders. Additionally, service delivery was defined as a part of organisational performance that is pertinent to the public sector and relates to an organisation's capacity to carry out a process to provide services which the public can derive value from. Overall, the quality of service delivery was poor compared to a marginally higher standard of operations management. Finally, using correlational analysis and regression modeling, the impact of operations management on service delivery at municipality was discussed. The findings showed that the variables had significant positive correlations. Once more, it was discovered that operations management significantly affects the provision of services. The quantitative approach used in this study ensured that the findings were reliable and that they had been evaluated for statistical significance. However, it meant that the study was blind to the rationale behind survey respondents' opinions. Future research should use a qualitative approach or a mixed approach to investigate the qualitative factors that can influence the relationship between operations management and service delivery

The effectiveness of public service delivery : evidence from the uBuhlebezwe Local Municipality waste management system.

Master of Public Management in Management Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2017.The global campaign around the sustainability of the environment has resulted in much emphasis being placed on actions that can save people and the environment. Waste management is vital in this era of sustainability and is of utmost importance to ensure a livable environment for the flora and fauna. The need to create a livable environment has continuously resulted in service delivery protests in South Africa. At the municipal level, there are increasing media reports of service delivery protests over the provision of basic utilities. Against this backdrop, the study examined the effectiveness of the service delivery at the local government level, with specific reference to refuse waste management. The focus area of the study was the uBuhlebezwe Local Municipality (BLM). The aim and objective of the study was to review the waste management practices at the BLM, highlighting the shortcomings/challenges and the discrepancies between policy implementation and management practices. The data for the study was collected through one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions. The face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions were used to elicit information from the municipal officials and community members respectively, to address the research questions and objectives. A total number of five municipal officials were interviewed, while a total number of 45 households were involved in the focus group discussions. In gathering information, the researcher compiled an interview guide: a set of questions that guided the interviews. Content analysis, which involved the use of coding, themes, and clusters, was used for the interpretation and analysis of the data; and the findings from the primary data were supported by the findings from the secondary data. The findings of the study indicated some degree of inefficiency in the municipal refuse management logistics system, which sometimes resulted in illegal dumping. The illegal dumping occurred as a result of the inability of the municipality to purchase a dumping site, due to financial constraints. The study also revealed the unreliability of the transport system in the municipality as a result of the frequent breakdown of the municipal vehicles. The lack of an efficient community participatory platform was also determined, and found to result in service delivery protests. The study recommends the need for educational awareness regarding health hazards, and a ‘reduce/reuse/recycle’ approach to refuse waste

Water Security Issues Affecting Migration and Conflict in the Middle East

Iran is facing a daunting reality regarding the future of their water resources which may result in conflict and migration within the country with the potential to affect the Middle East and North African region and beyond. The country has failed to address critical preservation, risk mitigation, infrastructural, and political efforts to accommodate their rising population due to economic expansion. Water resources are dependent on social, political, economic, and environmental variables related to conflict and migration. Given the recent examples of water security issues in Syria resulting in migration and conflict, this thesis investigates the total available water per capita as a driver for the potential collapse of Iran’s water resources. Portions of two key world system dynamics models were combined to identify interrelated variables leading to migration and conflict. It was found through multiple simulations that decreasing water per capita levels leads to increases in aggregated migration and death rates for this particular investigation. Further experimentation with other interrelated variables such as civil liberties, level of government, and GDP per capita may highlight other drivers and allow extension of this model to other countries of interest

The cost of equality: analyzing the unforeseen financial strains of fee-free higher education in South Africa

In the past, many South African students found it difficult to pursue higher education due to the high expense of tuition, which also restricted their prospects for development on both a personal and professional level. Fee-free education has helped to level the playing field and provide equal access to education, regardless of an individual's financial background. Evidently, financially disadvantaged students now have better access to higher education, and this is attributed to fee-free education in South Africa. However, budgetary restrictions exist in South Africa, and the government's finances are put under strain by the country's policy of free public education for all pupils. The purpose of this article was to discuss unforeseen financial constraints in South African higher education due to fee-free education. In this article, a qualitative content analysis was employed which was grounded on analysing the existing scholarly literary writings. This paper established that enrolment rates in universities and colleges all around South Africa have increased significantly because of fee-free education. This research adds to the continuing discourse concerning the expenses tied to achieving equality and the unanticipated financial pressures stemming from tuition-free higher education in South Africa.

Interventions to Improve Service Delivery in Rural Mpumalanga Hospitals of South Africa

Purpose:  This study investigated the effects of healthcare service quality dimensions on service delivery improvement and patient satisfaction in the South African public healthcare sector.   Theoretical framework: The quality of service delivery in the healthcare sector and its influence on patient satisfaction have gained attention globally, including in South Africa. Factors that affect service delivery, such as empathy, efficiency, tangibility, safety, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, communication, and discipline, have attracted the attention of both academics and healthcare practitioners, particularly in public healthcare facilities.   Design/methodology/approach:  A quantitative research design was followed. A data set of 500 was collected from Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, and a structural equation modelling approach was used to test ten hypotheses using Smart PLS statistical software.   Findings: The research findings supported all the proposed hypotheses, with four hypotheses being insignificant. The study contributes to the literature on the effects of health service quality dimensions on service delivery improvement and patient satisfaction in an often-neglected context, namely Africa.   Research, Practical & Social implications:  The study provides recommendations for healthcare policies and strategies to improve service delivery in the public healthcare sector based on the research findings.   Originality/value: The results indicate that the Healthcare sector needs to focus on quality service to be provided to the public. It also contributed to the body of knowledge on this topic in South Africa