Exploring the barriers to effective strategy implementation in a petrochemical organisation

Abstract: Organisations have increasingly become aware of how crucial developing strategies and plans are, in order to remain competitive. Organisations have in most cases been able to develop strategies, however one of their biggest challenges is during the implementation or execution of the set strategies. Without execution, strategies are deemed to be useless. The aim of the study was to explore the barriers to effective implementation of strategy at a petrochemical organisation in South Africa. Based on its exploratory nature, the study was conducted using a qualitative research method. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were used and the collected data was analyzed with the use of open, axial and selective coding techniques

Investigating the use of business, competitive and marketing intelligence as management tools in the mining industry

The main objective of this research study is to investigate the extent to which business intelligence, competitive intelligence and marketing intelligence are used within the mining industry. Business intelligence, competitive intelligence and marketing intelligence are the management tools used to mine information to produce up-to-date intelligence and knowledge for operative and strategic decision making. A structured questionnaire is used for the study. A total of 300 mines are randomly selected from a research population of mining organizations in South Africa, Africa and globally. The respondents are all part of senior management. A response rate of 64% is achieved. The results indicat that more than half of the respondents do not have real-time intelligence and proper data mining tools to identify patterns and relationships within a data warehouse. Although a large proportion agrees that their organizations have systematic ways of gathering these different types of intelligence and use them for strategic decision making, there is a significant proportion that did not have any systems. Statistically and practically significant positive relationships with a large effect are found among the dimensions of business intelligence, marketing intelligence, competitive intelligence and perceived business performanc

Investigating the use of knowledge management as a management tool in the mining industry

The main objective of this research study is to investigate the extent to which knowledge management is used within the mining industry. Knowledge management includes the identification and examination of available and required knowledge and the subsequent planning and control of actions to develop knowledge assets to accomplish organizational objectives. A structured questionnaire is used for the study. A total of 300 mines were randomly selected from a research population of mining organizations in South Africa, Africa and globally. The respondents were all part of senior management. A response rate of 64% was achieved. A significant number of respondents indicates that there is no transfer of knowledge about the best practices within their organizations. Some of the participants indicate that their organizations do not have the required technical infrastructure to enable knowledge sharing whilst some agree that the culture in their organizations is not conducive to the sharing of knowledge. A statistically and practically significant positive relationship with a large effect is found between the construct of knowledge management and perceived business performance. The mining organizations in Africa are ranked the lowest in terms of applications of knowledge management principle

Investigating the use of strategic management process in the mining industry

The objective of this study is to investigate the extent to which strategic management process is utilized within the mining industry. Strategic planning is an organizational management activity that is used to set priorities, focus energy and resources, strengthen operations, ascertain that employees and other stakeholders are working toward common goals, establish agreement around intended outcomes, and assess and adjust the organization’s direction in response to a changing environment. A typical strategy management process has the following steps: initial assessment, situation analysis, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The other objective is to determine which analytical tools are commonly used for situational, internal and external assessment as input to the strategic management process. A structured questionnaire was used for the study. A total of 300 mines were randomly selected from a research population of mining organizations in South Africa, Africa and globally. The respondents were all part of senior management. A response rate of 64% was achieved. The results indicated that about 20% of the organizations did not institutionalize their strategic planning functions and did not have a good strategic foundation. The results also showed that 60% were not satisfied with their productivity and 30% indicated that their cash flows were not stable at all. There was a significant number of organizations who do not use strategic analytical tools. A statistically and practically significant positive relationship was found between strategic management dimensions and business performance implying that the use of strategic management process can lead to improved business performance. Keywords: strategy, strategic management, strategic planning, mining industry, strategic analytical tools. JEL Classification: M10

An exploration of the effect of employee engagement on performance in the petrochemical industry

Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.The general aim of the study was to determine the effect of employee engagement on performance in a form of quality in the petrochemical industry. This type of study has never been conducted within this particular environment and as such a valuable contribution could be made to more effective performance management within this context. Two questionnaires were administered, namely the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and Total Quality Management. A response rate of 83% was obtained from a sample of 200 employees. The data showed a statistically significant positive relationship between employee engagement and TQM dimensions. The data also showed that there were some significant differences for various demographic groups and their level of engagement. Managers need to enable an organisation to attract, develop and retain highly engaged employees to ensure a sustainable competitive advantage. Limitations within the study were identified and recommendations for future research were made.Master

Innovation and Intellectual Capital Competency Factors Influencing SMEs Competitive Advantage in South Africa. A Conceptual Framework

This paper examines the innovative intellectual capital variables of SMEs, such as business culture, knowledge intelligence, business communication, and digital business, using the intellectual capital theory as a frame of reference for SMEs in South Africa. The phenomenal rise of SMEs and a gap in the existing literature on innovative intellectual capital served as the driving forces behind this study. Lack of innovative skills brought on by low levels of intellectual capital are seen as the driving force behind this unwelcome phenomenon. This conceptual paper aims to bring a broader understanding innovative competencies which are crucial for businesses to sustain themselves, grow, and perform well SMEs will be helped in the development of platforms to enhance their operations and advance the South African economy. A detailed evaluation of secondary sources of information provided by the University of Johannesburg was used in this paper. This paper analyses the relevant conceptualization of key concepts and the literature on intellectual capital implementation. Based on the conceptualization and literature, this study found that the performance of SMEs is significantly influenced by innovative intellectual capital variables and that for SMEs to have a competitive advantage in the long-run the SMEs should embrace the intellectual capital variables covered in this paper. Adequate knowledge of intellectual capital by SMEs operating in South Africa can be use to improve their capacity for innovation and expand their operations. The literature from the study revealed that intellectual capital contributes to the development of competitiveness in SMEs through the use of business culture, knowledge intelligence, business communication, and digital business processes

Identifying barriers to internationalization: a study on service quality strategies for SMMEs in South Africa

This study looks at potential barriers to internationalization that SMMEs in South Africa may face while implementing service quality strategies. The contingency theory, which underpins this essay, emphasizes the necessity for SMMEs to employ a variety of techniques for resolving issues that may impede the implementation of a service quality strategy for the international market. Thematic analysis methods were used in this paper's qualitative research technique, and secondary sources were predominantly used to acquire data on both the private and public sectors. A comprehensive search was used to find the foundational literature for the qualitative study. The results obtained indicate that SMMEs struggle to put their specific strategies into practice because of things like management support, vision barriers, resource barriers, organizational leadership and commitment issues, a lack of knowledge about international markets, technological barriers as a barrier to strategy implementation, and culture, environment, and change management. The authors recommend small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs) devote sufficient effort, resources, and staff to the implementation of their service quality improvement strategy for internationalization. Furthermore, it is advised that SMMEs prioritise service quality strategies for internationalization as well as the necessity of pursuing joint ventures with other multinational enterprises. High leadership dedication, increased global technology improvement, and consideration of environmental considerations will all contribute to improved service quality for the international market. All of this is done to make it easier to implement a strategy and supply appropriate services to all SMMEs in South Africa

Influence of SMEs Electronic Human Resource Management on Organizational Performance

Regardless of the size of the organisation, electronic human resources management (e-HRM) systems are crucial because of their influence on risk reduction and prevention. The relationship between e-HRM and small and medium-sized organisations (SMEs) is, nevertheless, the subject of few studies. Although SMEs are essential for the nation's financial stability, they are thought to be less knowledgeable about e-HRM in developing nations. In order for SMEs to survive and have an impact on the economy of the nation, this conceptual paper seeks to provide a wider understanding of SME organisations. This study examines pertinent literature from the last ten years on the adoption of e-HRM, the awareness of SMEs organisations regarding the quality implementation of e-HRM systems, the survival of SMEs, and their effects on the national economy. A fundamental challenge is the widespread and persistent belief that only large firms can use e-HRM systems. This study found, based on the literature, that SMEs may adopt any effective and efficient e-HRM systems and enhance the performance of their organisations. The adoption of e-HRM systems by SMEs could be improved by the provision of suitable knowledge and training by SMEs organisations. The study's literature indicated that better e-HRM system deployment will raise South Africa's GDP level as a result

Identifying barriers to internationalization: a study on service quality strategies for SMMEs in South Africa

This study looks at potential barriers to internationalization that SMMEs in South Africa may face while implementing service quality strategies. The contingency theory, which underpins this essay, emphasizes the necessity for SMMEs to employ a variety of techniques for resolving issues that may impede the implementation of a service quality strategy for the international market. Thematic analysis methods were used in this paper's qualitative research technique, and secondary sources were predominantly used to acquire data on both the private and public sectors. A comprehensive search was used to find the foundational literature for the qualitative study. The results obtained indicate that SMMEs struggle to put their specific strategies into practice because of things like management support, vision barriers, resource barriers, organizational leadership and commitment issues, a lack of knowledge about international markets, technological barriers as a barrier to strategy implementation, and culture, environment, and change management. The authors recommend small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs) devote sufficient effort, resources, and staff to the implementation of their service quality improvement strategy for internationalization. Furthermore, it is advised that SMMEs prioritise service quality strategies for internationalization as well as the necessity of pursuing joint ventures with other multinational enterprises. High leadership dedication, increased global technology improvement, and consideration of environmental considerations will all contribute to improved service quality for the international market. All of this is done to make it easier to implement a strategy and supply appropriate services to all SMMEs in South Africa