Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The importance of strategy execution to achieve organisational objectives is increasingly recognised. However, successful execution seems to remain problematic, not only in government, but also in the business world today. Because of the gap between strategy planning and execution, the required benefits stated in this planning are seldom realised. The consistent and generally poor execution of strategic plans in the public sector leads to poor service delivery. The objective of the research was to develop, test and further improve a conceptual model that can specifically be applied in public sector organisations (PSOs) to help close their strategy execution gap. According to the research hypothesis, strategy execution will significantly improve by using a simplified, dynamically integrated conceptual model as guide in tailoring strategy execution in each PSO. The qualitative Participative Action Research (PAR) methodology was used based on case studies in Namibia, including ministries, state-owned enterprises and local authorities. The literature gap was found to be the limited number of resources addressing strategy execution in the public sector and the limited number of sources presenting a multi-disciplinary or integrated model involving the whole organisation. Based on previous literature reviews and experience, the researcher developed his first conceptual model in 2006. After the development of four more models, the final MERIL-DE Model was arrived at in 2014 as conceptual model to help close the strategy execution gap in the public sector. Additional literature review and analysis of the public sector context, supported by ten case studies in Namibia over the eight year period (2006–2013), led to the MERIL-DE Model containing and integrating the nine vital strategy execution components. These are as follows: 1) Leadership, 2) Strategic Planning, 3) Project Management, 4) Alignment (with organisational elements), 5) Performance Management (containing the MERIL elements Measure, Evaluate, Report, Improve and Learn), 6) Drive (mostly internal motivation), 7) Engagement (through dialogue), 8) Risk Management and 9) Stakeholder Management. The first seven components were identified through literature review and the last two from considering the unique public sector context. Features of the model include the critical role of leadership, the need to clearly link strategy and projects, the important role of project management, the shorter review periods for both strategic and project plans, the need for an institutionalised quarterly strategy execution cycle and importance of engagement and motivated workforce. The MERIL-DE Model shows the need to build adaptive and sustainable organisations in a complex and challenging public sector. The conventional plan-and-execute processes have to be complemented by sense-and-respond capabilities through a system of Measure, Evaluate, Report, Improve and Learn – linked to Drive and Engagement – in which components are dynamically integrated. Each PSO, however, needs to develop its own unique or tailor-made MERIL-DE model. This tailored model is referred to as the “Stratex Car” to be designed and built by each PSO, considering its own unique conditions. The Strategy Execution Framework (SAF) is presented as tool to assess the strength of each MERIL-DE component with the Total Strategy Execution Capacity (TSEC) to determine the total capacity of the PSO to execute its strategy. It is believed that the use and application of the MERIL-DE Model will significantly contribute to close the strategy execution gap present in the public sector, not only in Southern Africa, but worldwide – to see governments and public organisations deliver real beneficial public service. Monitored application of this model will be valuable for future research towards the ongoing closing of the strategy execution gap. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar word toenemend ag geslaan op die belangrikheid van strategie-uitoefening om organisatoriese mikpunte te bereik. Suksesvolle uitoefening blyk egter problematies te bly, nié net in die regering nie, maar ook in vandag se besigheidswêreld. Weens die gaping tussen strategie-beplanning en -uitoefening word die voordele wat in die beplanning uiteengesit word selde ’n realiteit. Die konstante en oor die algemeen swak uitoefening van strategiese beplanning in die openbare sektor lei tot swak dienslewering. Die doel met die navorsing was om ’n begripsmodel wat spesifiek in publieke sektororganisasies (PSOs) toegepas kan word, te ontwikkel, te toets en te verbeter om die gaping in strategie-uitoefening te oorbrug. Volgens die navorsingshipotese sal strategie-uitoefening kenmerkend verbeter deur ’n vereenvoudigde, dinamies-geïntegreerde begripsprosesmodel te gebruik wat die strategie-uitoefening in elke staatsonderneming aanpas. Die kwalitatiewe deelnemer-aksie-navorsingsmetodologie (Participative Action Research) is in gevallestudies in Namibië toegepas, insluitende ministeries, staatsondernemings en plaaslike owerhede. Die gaping in die literatuur het geblyk die beperkte hoeveelheid hulpbronne te wees wat strategie-uitoefening in die openbare sektor en die beperkte hoeveelheid bronne wat ’n multidissplinêre of geïntegreerde model wat die hele organisasie betrek, aanspreek. Die navorser het in 2006 sy eerste begripsmodel ontwikkel wat op vorige literatuuroorsigte en ervaring gegrond was. Na die ontwikkeling van nóg vier modelle het die finale MERIL-DE-model in 2014 as begripsprosesmodel onstaan om die gaping in strategie-uitoefening in die openbare sektor die hoof te help bied. Addisionele literatuurstudie en -analise van die openbare sektorkonteks, ondersteun deur die tien gevallestudies in Namibië oor die agtjaarperiode (2006– 2013), het gelei tot die insluiting en integrasie van die nege strategie-uitoefeningskomponente in die MERIL-DE-model. Hierdie komponente is soos volg: 1) Leierskap, 2) Strategiese Beplanning, 3) Projekbestuur, 4) Belyning (met organisatoriese elemente), 5) Prestasiebestuur, 6) Dryfkrag (meestal interne motivering), 7) Betrokkenheid (deur dialoog), 8) Risikobestuur en 9) Belanghebberbestuur. Die eerste sewe komponente is deur literatuurstudie geïdentifiseer en die laaste twee deur die unieke konteks van die openbare sektor in ag te neem. Eienskappe van die model sluit in die kritiese rol van leierskap, die behoefte om strategieë en projekte duidelik te verbind, die belangrike rol van projekbestuur, die korter oorsigperiodes vir beide strategie- en projekplanne, die behoefte aan ’n geïnstitusionaliseerde kwartaallikse strategie-uitoefeningsiklus en die belangrikheid van betrokkenheid en gemotiveerde diensnemers. Die MERIL-DE-model wys die behoefte om aanpasbare en onderhoubare organisasies in ’n komplekse en uitdagende openbare sektor uit. Die konvensionele beplan-enuitoefenprosesse moet deur waarneem-en-reageervermoëns gekomplementeer word deur ’n stelsel van Meet, Evalueer, Rapporteer, Verbeter/ ”Improve” en Leer – verbind met Dryfkrag en Betrokkenheid/ ”Engagement” (MERIL-DE) – waarin komponente dinamies geïntegreer is. Elke PSO moet egter sy eie unieke MERIL-DE-model ontwikkel. Hierdie situasie-aangepaste model staan bekend as die “Stratex Car” wat deur elke PSO ontwerp en gebou moet word deur hul eie unieke toestande in ag te neem. Die Strategie-uitoefeningsraamwerk (sg. SAF) word as hulpmiddel voorgestel om die gehalte van elke ‘MERIL-DE’-komponent na te gaan te bepaal met die Totale Strategie-uitoefeningskapasiteit (sg. TSEC) om die totale kapasiteit van die PSO te bereken vir die uitoefening van sy strategie. Dit word verwag dat die gebruik en toepassing van die MERIL-DE-model kenmerkend kan bydra om die gaping in strategie-uitoefening wat aanwesig is in die openbare sektor die hoof te bied, nié net in Suider-Afrika nie, maar wêreldwyd – om te verseker dat regerings en openbare organisasies ware voordelige publieke diens lewer. Gekontroleerde toepassing van hierdie model sal waardevol wees vir toekomstige navorsing vir die verdere vernouïng van die gaping in strategie-uitoefening.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Strategic innovation originated as a concept in academic literature in the 1990’s, and provides companies with the opportunity for substantial value creation. Previous research has shown how the learning or process aspects of a company foster strategic innovation capacity, or the ability of a company to systematically create strategic innovation initiatives. However, an understanding of the role of the content aspects or the drivers of strategic innovation – Strategy Processes, People, Culture and Resources – remains problematic. Despite a heightened awareness and interest by both scholars and practitioners in studying and better understanding strategic innovation, it is still regarded as an emerging field of inquiry. Additionally, limited research has been conducted on strategic innovation in a South African context. As such, a limited base of empirical research for strategic innovation exists. To address this lack of empirical research a literature review of strategic innovation was conducted, highlighting any research gaps; an empirical study was then executed. The literature review first investigated strategic innovation as a topic, identifying the antecedents to; the results of; and motivations for strategic innovation. Subsequently, a theoretical link between strategic innovation capacity and the drivers of strategic innovation was established. Lastly, each driver of strategic innovation was individually explored for the purpose of operationalising each driver for empirical analysis. The review of strategic innovation literature revealed a research gap that culminated in the following research question: How do the drivers of strategic innovation affect the strategic innovation capacity of selected banks? The empirical study consisted of a mixed-methodology design, conducted in two phases. First the sample was narrowed to include only the most appropriate banks, this being the most significant sector of the financial services sector in South Africa. The first phase of research consisted of semi-structured interviews conducted with the six most qualified individuals across the participating banks. This phase of research was used to refine the identified antecedent elements of the drivers of strategic innovation, and develop the sample for the second phase of research. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and subjected to thematic analysis to generate findings. The findings of the qualitative phase show that the antecedent elements of the drivers in South African banks are consistent with the literature. Although no new South African specific elements were discovered, external factors for managerial consideration were noted. This emphasises that South African banks should adopt global best practices for their field, whilst taking into consideration the unique South African circumstances. The second phase of research made use of cross-sectional electronic questionnaires to gather interval data on the drivers of strategic innovation and strategic innovation capacity. The questionnaire was developed from the findings of the first phase of research and distributed to 125 individuals, 53 completed responses were received, yielding a response rate of 42.4%. All the constructs were measured to be reliable using Cronbach’s alpha and the collected data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the quantitative phase indicate that the drivers of strategic innovation have a significant positive relationship with strategic innovation capacity. This finding underlines the important role managers can play in fostering a company’s ability to systematically create strategic innovation initiatives. The driver with the strongest relationship with strategic innovation capacity was shown to be Culture, emphasising the importance of creating an organisational culture geared towards innovation. The second strongest driver was Resources, followed by People, and lastly Strategy Processes which had the lowest significant positive relationship with strategic innovation capacity. The findings also showed that the inter-driver relationships were significantly positive, with Culture once again displaying the strongest correlation values. The most important contribution of this study is the empirical evaluation of the relationship between the drivers of strategic innovation and strategic innovation capacity in the South African banking context. The establishment of this relationship creates a solid platform upon which future studies may build through the highlighted areas for further study. The findings also provide management with a means to assess the levels of the drivers, as well as antecedents on which to focus when staging managerial interventions for their improvement. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Strategiese innovering het ontstaan as 'n konsep in die akademiese literatuur in die 1990's, en bied maatskappye ’n geleentheid vir aansienlike waardeskepping. Vorige navorsing het getoon hoe die leer- of prosesaspekte van ’n maatskappy strategiese innoveringskapasiteit, of die vermoë van ’n maatskappy om stelselmatig innoveringsinisiatiewe te skep, bevorder. ’n Begrip van die rol van die dryfkragte agter strategiese innovering – Strategieprosesse, Mense, Kultuur en Hulpbronne – bly egter problematies. Ten spyte van groter belangstelling in die studie van strategiese innovering vanuit die akademie sowel as die praktyk, word dit steeds as ’n ontluikende navorsingsveld beskou. Verder is slegs beperkte navorsing oor strategiese innovering in ’n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks reeds gedoen. Daar bestaan dus ’n beperkte basis van empiriese navorsing vir strategiese innovering. Om hierdie gebrek aan navorsing aan te spreek, is ’n literatuuroorsig van strategiese innovering gedoen wat navorsingsleemtes uitgewys het; ’n empiriese studie is toe uitgevoer. Die literatuuroorsig het eerstens strategiese innovering ondersoek deur die voorgangers van; resultate van; en motiverings vir strategiese innovering te identifiseer. Vervolgens is ’n teoretiese skakel tussen strategiese innoveringskapasiteit en die dryfkragte agter strategiese innovering vasgestel. Laastens is elke dryfkrag individueel ondersoek met die doel om dit te operasionaliseer vir empiriese ontleding. Die literatuuroorsig het ’n navorsingsleemte onthul wat tot die volgende navorsingsvraag gelei het: Hoe beïnvloed die dryfkragte agter strategiese innovering die strategiese innoveringskapasiteit van die gekose banke? Die studie het bestaan uit ’n gemengdemetodologie-ontwerp wat in twee fases uitgevoer is. Die eerste fase het bestaan uit semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met die ses mees gekwalifiseerde individue vanuit die deelnemende banke. Hierdie fase is gebruik om die geïdentifiseerde voorafgaande elemente van die dryfkragte agter strategiese innovering te verfyn, en om die steekproef vir die tweede fase te ontwikkel. Die onderhoude is opgeneem, getranskribeer en onderwerp aan tematiese ontleding om bevindinge te genereer. Die bevindinge van die kwalitatiewe fase wys dat die voorafgaande elemente van die dryfkragte in Suid-Afrikaanse banke strook met die literatuur. Alhoewel geen nuwe, spesifiek Suid- Afrikaanse elemente ontdek is nie, is eksterne faktore vir bestuursoorweging opgemerk. Dít beklemtoon dat Suid-Afrikaanse banke behoort te hou by die wêreldwye beste praktyke vir hulle veld, terwyl hulle steeds die unieke Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede in ag moet neem. Die tweede fase het elektroniese deursnitvraelyste gebruik om intervaldata oor die dryfkragte agter strategiese innovering en strategiese innoveringskapasiteit in te samel. Die vraelys is ontwikkel uit die eerste fase se bevindinge en is versprei aan 125 individue; 53 volledige response is ontvang, ’n responskoers van 42.4%. Al die konstrukte is met Cronbach se alfa as betroubaar gemeet, en die ingesamelde data is ontleed met beskrywende en inferensiële statistiek. Die bevindinge van die kwantitatiewe fase dui daarop dat die dryfkragte agter strategiese innovering ’n beduidende positiewe verhouding het met strategiese innoveringskapasiteit. Hierdie bevinding onderstreep die belangrike rol wat bestuurders speel in ’n maatskappy se vermoë om stelselmatig strategiese innoveringsinisiatiewe te skep. Kultuur het na vore gekom as die dryfkrag met die sterkste verhouding met strategiese innoveringskapasiteit, wat die belangrikheid beklemtoon van die skep van ’n organisatoriese kultuur wat op innovering toegespits is. Die tweede sterkste dryfkrag was Hulpbronne, gevolg deur Mense, en laastens het Strategieprosesse die laagste beduidende positiewe verhouding met strategiese innoveringskapasiteit gehad. Die bevindinge het ook gewys dat die onderlinge verhoudings tussen die dryfkragte beduidend positief was, met Kultuur wat weereens die sterkste korrelasiewaardes toon. Die belangrikste bydrae van hierdie studie is die empiriese evaluering van die dryfkragte agter strategiese innovering en strategiese innoveringskapasiteit in die Suid-Afrikaanse bankwesekonteks. Die vasstelling van hierdie verhouding skep ’n platform waarop toekomstige studies kan bou. Die bevindinge bied aan bestuur ’n manier om dryfkragvlakke te assesseer, asook voorafgaande elemente om op te fokus wanneer bestuursintervensies gebruik word om hierdie vlakke te verbeter.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Successful strategy implementation is necessary in order for a strategic plan to be worthwhile for a business. Research has indicated that companies are often weak at strategic execution and it is held that weak execution is often the reason for a failed strategy or business. The execution of a strategy is, however, far more complex and difficult than the formulation of a good strategy. A reason for this is the fact that relatively few conceptual models for strategy execution exist while this field attracts less attention in research than the field of strategy formulation. Recent publications focus narrowly on specific areas such as leadership or performance measurement and fail to integrate these traditional views on business management into a single model for strategy implementation. GrainCo Group, a grain supply chain management company, does not follow a pre-defined strategy execution methodology and could, as a result, be missing out on profitable business opportunities. The group’s management team agrees that its ability to successfully execute strategy is hampered by a lack of such a methodology. This forms the basis for this research report where the question asked is the following: What framework can GrainCo Group adopt in an effort to improve strategy execution in the Group? It was found that strategy execution spans all aspects of business management and cannot be viewed in isolation. Strategy implementation should therefore be seen as an integrated, boundary-less set of activities where information flows unrestricted between all business units and constant focus is placed on both “hard” and “soft” management issues. Information flows and clarity about decision rights are of critical importance when applying a process perspective to business management. Strategy implementation cannot be viewed as a distinct event and should become inherent in the company’s management style. It was further suggested that the GrainCo Group adopt a combination of two of the most representative strategy implementation methodologies together with changes to a number of important elements of management style. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vermoë om ‘n sakestrategie suksesvol uit te voer is ‘n noodsaaklike voorvereiste vir ‘n strategiese plan om van waarde te wees. Navorsing het aangedui dat maatskappye dikwels nie goed vaar in die uitvoering van sakestrategie nie en dat swak uitvoering dikwels lei to die ondergang van ‘n besigheid of strategie. Die uitvoering van ‘n strategie is egter baie meer kompleks as die blote formulering daarvan. ‘n Rede vir bogenoemde is die feit dat daar relatief min konseptuele modelle vir die uitvoering van sakestrategie bestaan terwyl hierdie veld minder aandag trek in navorsing as die formulering van strategie. Onlangse publikasies fokus op spesifieke areas soos leierskap en prestasiemeting en slaag nie daarin om hierdie tradisionele areas van bestuur te kombineer in ‘n enkele model vir die uitvoering van sakestrategie nie. GrainCo Groep, ‘n graan-voorsieningsketting bestuursmaatskappy, maak tans nie gebruik van ‘n spesifieke model vir die uitvoering van sakestrategie nie en die groep se bestuurspan stem saam dat sy vermoë om strategie suksesvol uit te voer hierdeur ondermyn word. Voorgenoemde vorm die basis van hierdie navorsingsverslag waarin die volgende vraag gevra word: Watter raamwerk vir die uitvoering van sakestrategie kan die GrainCo Groep aawend om meer suksesvol te wees met die uitvoering van strategie? Navorsing het getoon dat die uitvoering van strategie alle aspekte van sakebestuur aanraak en dat dit nie in isolasie gesien kan word nie. Uitvoering behoort gevolglik gesien te word as ‘n grenslose, geïntegreerde reeks van aktiwiteite waar inligting onbelemmer vloei tussen alle sake-eenhede terwyl gereelde aandag gegee word aan die “harde” en “sagte” aspekte van sakebestuur. Die vloei van inligting en duidelikheid oor besluitnemingsregte is van kritieke belang in so ‘n geïntegreerde model. Die uitvoering van strategie kan ook nie in isolasie gesien word nie en behoort ‘n integrale deel te vorm van ‘n onderneming se bestuurstyl. Dit word voorgestel dat die GrainCo Groep ‘n kombinasie van die twee mees verteenwoordigende modelle vir die uitvoering van sakestrategie aanneem tesame met die aanpassing van ‘n aantal belangrike elemente van die maatskappy se bestuurstyl.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Historically organisations have had the "luxury" of being able to anticipate future developments and respond to them in good time due to, firstly, the comparatively slow pace of change and, secondly, the past being a relatively good predictor of the future. The second half of the 20th Century bears witness to some of the most dramatic changes and developments experienced by mankind. Most notable of these were globalisation, de-regulation, the emergence of the information/knowledge economy and, perhaps most significant of all, the changes brought about by the Internet. The underlying assertion of this report is that, given the current, complex, dynamic and sometimes volatile nature of changes in the external environment, in order to ensure a sustainable competitive advantage, organisations will be forced to consider carefully the dynamics of the environment in which they operate and to build their plans around these dynamics. This report briefly traces the evolution of strategic planning to its current status prior to providing a detailed analysis of the nature of environmental scanning and its applicability to strategic planning. The report provides a theoretical rerview of environmental scanning and a discussion of some of the tools and techniques of environmental scanning. Within this context the report provides a brief indication of the extent of the practice of environmental scanning within the financial services sector of South Africa. The conclusion assesses the findings of the current state of the practice of environmental scanning against the theory, with the view to providing an insight into the extent to which environmental scanning is applied in South Africa. Possible future directions of research and development of the practice are also identified. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Histories gesproke, het instansies oor die "luukse" beskik om toekomstige ontwikkelinge vooruit te kon waarneem en betyds op hulle te reageer, eerstens weens die betreklike stadige pas van verandering en tweedens, omdat die verlede 'n betreklike goeie voorspeller van die toekoms was. Die tweede helfte van die 20ste eeu getuig van sommige van die mees dramatiese veranderinge en ontwikkelinge wat deur die mens ondervind is. Die mees uitstaande was globalisering, deregulering, die verskyning van die inligting/kennis-ekonomie en, dalk die mees uitstaande van almal, die veranderinge wat deur die Internet teweeggebring is. Die onderliggende stelling van hierdie verslag is dat, gegewe die huidige, komplekse, dinamiese en soms onbestendige aard van veranderinge in die eksterne omgewing, om 'n mededingende voordeel te verseker, sal instansies geforseer word om die dinamika van die omgewing waarin hulle werk, versigtig te oorweeg en om hulle planne om hierdie dinamika te bou. Hierdie verslag speur kortliks die ewolusie na van strategiese beplanning tot sy huidige status gevolg deur 'n omvattende analise van die aard van omgewingsondersoeke en die toepaslikheid daarvan op strategiese beplanning. Die verslag voorsien 'n teoretiese oorsig tot omgewingsondersoeke en 'n bespreking van sommige van die instrumente en tegnieke van omgewingsondersoeke. Binne hierdie konteks voorsien die verslag 'n kort aanduiding van die omvang van die uitvoering van omgewingsondersoeke binne die finansiele dienstesektor van Suid-Afrika. Die slot som die bevindings op van die huidige toestand van die praktyk van omgewingsondersoeke volgens die teorie, met die oog op voorsiening van 'n insig in die mate waartoe omgewingsondersoeke in Suid-Afrika toegepas word. Moontlike toekomstige rigtings van navorsing en ontwikkeling van die praktyk word ook geidentifiseer.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Business strategy provides direction to Sasol Polymers PP and deserves the attention of all levels in the organization. Strategic management can be defined as an explicit guide that allows the organization to specify objectives, formulate plans to achieve these objectives and then allocate resources to execute the plans to achieve the desired outcomes. The business strategy process involves identifying Sasol Polymers PP's business environment, its resources, circumstances within which it operates and its competitive advantages. There is a basic three step process in formulating a business strategy. 1. Determine where Sasol Polymers PP currently stands. 2. Determine where Sasol Polymers PP wants to go. 3. Determine how Sasol Polymers PP will get there. The research report validates not only the importance of business strategy and the essential components of the strategic management process, but also the importance of strategy execution within Sasol Polymers PP. The implication is that managers within Sasol Polymers PP need to achieve synergy between the strategy of the organisation and the people that must execute the strategy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Bedryfstrategie voorsien rigting aan die organisasie en verdien die aandag van alle vlakke in die organisasie. Strategiese bestuur kan beskryf word as 'n eksplisiete gids wat die organisasie toelaat om doeleindes te spesifiseer, planne te formuleer om hierdie doeleindes te bereik en dan bronne aanwys om planne te implementeer om die verlangde uitkomstes te bereik. Die proses behels identifisering van Sasol Polymers PP se besigsheidsomgewing, sy bronne, omstandighede waarin die maatskappy opereer en sy mededingende voordele. Daar is 'n basiese drie stap proses in die formulering van 'n bedryfstrategie. 1. Bepaal waar Sasol Polymers PP nou staan. 2. Bepaal waar Sasol Polymers PP wil wees. 3. Bepaal hoe Sasol Polymers PP daar wil uitkom. Die navorsingsverslag valideer nie net die belangrikheid van bedryfstrategie en die noodsaaklike komponente van die bedryfstrategieproses nie, maar ook die belangrikheid van strategie uitvoering binne Sasol Polymers PP. Die implikasie daarvan is dat bestuurders binne Sasol Polymers PP sinergie tussen die strategie van die maatskappy en die mense wat die strategie moet uitvoer moet bereik.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 1999. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sasol Technology Engineering Division (SED) is part of the Sasol Group of Companies and was formally established in 1983. The organisation's immediate focus was to render technical and project management support to the operating petrochemical units of Sasol 2 and Sasol 3. During the late 1980's and early 1990's various external drivers appeared that necessitated a review and adjustment to Sasol's strategic direction. Sasol decided to unlock the value in raw materials and embarked on an investment program in major chemical production facilities. With this new drive towards implementing large, multi-million Rand, projects, SED had to re-assess its competencies and focus in order to support this new strategic drive of Sasol. During 1995 an extensive management buy-out (MBO) exercise was concluded whereby most of the technical discipline departments were outsourced. The idea was that all modification and operations support projects be handled by the MBO's. This enabled SED to focus on large projects. With the new strategic direction in place SED launched a Balanced Scorecard (BSG) exercise to convert this strategy into specific goals and communicating the strategy to all employees. This exercise led to the development of a document called the SED Strategic Roadmap. This document explained the goals and interventions required for success until 2003. The review and re-visiting of the SED Strategic Roadmap formed the main focus of this study project. A serious concern identified from the outset was that no realised strategy was drafted before the strategic intent was formalised. Therefore, in order to review the SED Strategic Roadmap a study was done on the realised organisational situation of SED by means of the results of various organisational studies done by consultants. With a realised situation formalised the development and contents of the SED Strategic Roadmap were explained. Following this explanation a broad literature review was conducted to grasp the latest thinking around the management science of strategy. With the realised strategy and theory as background the mere reason for SED's existence was unravelled. A very important finding was that SED should rather focus on improving its operational effectiveness instead of formalising a strategy. SED remains a supporting division that should underline and align itself with the strategic needs of Sasol. For reviewing purposes a "new" set of goals was identified that is closer linked with the purpose of SED. An intervention was allocated to each "new" goal to ensure focused implementation of every "new" goal. A proposal was tabled to conduct and implement the interventions in terms of project-based management, meaning that all interventions are handled as projects with budgets, time spans and specified outcomes. The listed "new" goals serve as an alternative to those in the SED Strategic Roadmap. The "new" goals support the vision of SED and provide the opportunity to excel in improving its operational effectiveness. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sasol Tegnologie Ingenieursdivisie (SED) is deel van die Sasol Groep van Maatskappye en het formeel tot stand gekom in 1983. Die organisasie se onmiddelike fokus was om tegniese- en projekbestuursondersteuning te gee aan die petrochemiese bedryfseenhede van Sasol 2 en Sasol 3. Gedurende die laat 1980's en vroeë 1990's het verskeie eksterne besigheidsdrywers na vore getree wat Sasol genoodsaak het om sy strategiese rigting te hersien en aan te pas. Dit het Sasol tot die besluit gebring om die waarde in rou materiaal te onsluit deur 'n investeringsprogram te loods vir die oprigting van verskeie groot chemiese produksie fasiliteite. Met hierdie nuwe dryf na die implementering van groot, multi-miljoen Rand projekte was SED genoodsaak om bevoegdhede en fokus te hersien om daardeur ondersteuning te gee aan die nuwe strategiese rigting van Sasol. Gedurende 1995 is 'n uitgebreide bestuursuitkoop (MBO) aksie geloods waartydens meeste van die tegniese dissipline departemente uitgekontrakteur is. Die gedagte was dat alle klein modifiserings- en bedryfsondersteuningsprojekte deur die MBOs hanteer moes word. Hierdeur kon SED fokus op groot projekte. Met die nuwe strategiese rigting uitgestippel het SED voortgegaan en 'n "balanced scorecard" (BSG) oefening geloods waardeer die strategiese oogmerke omgesit is in spesifieke doelwitte en na die res van die werknemers gekommunikeer is. Hierdie oefening het gelei tot die ontwikkeling van die SED Strategiese Padkaart dokument. Die dokument beskryf die doelwitte en intervensies benodig vir operasionele sukses tot en met die jaar 2003. Die hersiening en heroorweging van die SED Strategiese Padkaart vorm die fokus van hierdie studieprojek. Vanuit die staanspoor is 'n ernstige bekommernis uitgelig deurdat geen analise gedoen is van die gerealiseerde strategie voordat die strategiese intensie geformaliseer is nie. Derhalwe was dit nodig om eers 'n studie te doen waardeer die huidige, gerealiseerde strategie beskryf kon word. Hierdie studie was gedoen na gelang van die resultate van verskeie organisasiestudies wat deur konsultante uitgevoer is. Met 'n gerealiseerde situasie geformuleer is die inhoud van die SED Strategiese Padkaart verduidelik. Die verduideliking is gevolg met 'n bree literatuuroorsig rakende die wetenskap van strategiese bestuur en die nuutste denke rondom die onderwerp. Met die gerealiseerde strategie en literatuurstudie as agtergrond is die werklike rede vir die bestaan van SED opnuut ondersoek. 'n Belangrike gevolgtrekking wat gemaak kon word is dat SED liewers moet fokus op die verbetering van die organisasie se operasionele effektiwiteit in plaas van die formalisering van 'n strategie. SED bly 'n ondersteuningsdivisie en behoort gerig te wees tot die strategiese behoeftes van Sasol. Vir hersienings doeleindes is 'n "nuwe" stel doelwitte geidentifiseer wat nouer bande het met die rede vir SED se bestaan. 'n Intervensie was toegedeel aan elke "nuwe" doelwit om sodoende gefokusde implementering van elke "nuwe" doelwit te verseker. 'n Voorstel is gemaak om alle intervensies te implementeer in terme van projek-gebaseerde-bestuur. Hierdeur word verwys na die hantering van intervensies as projekte met begrotings, tydskedules en spesifieke verwagte resultate. Die gelyste "nuwe" doelwitte dien as alternatief tot die doelwitte soos beskryf in die SED Strategiese Padkaart. Die "nuwe" doelwitte ondersteun die visie van SED en verskaf die geleentheid om die verbetering van die operasionele effektiwiteit te versnel.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main purpose of this research report is to create a case study of the JSE listed company, Imperial Holdings Ltd. around the theme of strategic leadership, entrepreneurship and organisational development. In a nutshell – the development of an entrepreneurial organisation into a professional organisation. The second purpose is to discuss literature around the theme of strategic leadership, entrepreneurship and organisational development. This topic was further broken down into five topics including strategic leadership, organisational strategy, owner start-up dynamics and entrepreneurship, owner transition and succession management, organisational and cultural change and the theory of organisational maturity development. Imperial Holdings Ltd. is a diversified industrial services and retail group with activities spanning logistics, car rental, tourism, financial services, vehicle distribution and retail operating in South Africa, Africa, Europe and Australia. Imperial is listed on the Johannesburg stock exchange and the group is run on a decentralised management structure that actively encourages entrepreneurship, innovation and industry specific best practice. The Imperial story is presented as two chapters. The first chapter covers the period 1948 to 2007 with a specific focus on Bill Lynch. He was CEO from 1990 to 2006 and was with Imperial from inception. Bill Lynch won the prestigious Ernest and Young World Entrepreneur award in 2006 and passed away almost a year later. With his passing came the world financial crisis in 2008 and a low period in Imperial‟s history. The second chapter in the story brings Hubert Brody in as the new CEO of Imperial. He is a more cautious person with a CA (SA) background that brought many changes to Imperial‟s strategy and financial structure. In late 2009 and 2010 Imperial started to recover in terms of profit growth and share price. Specific literature on the development of entrepreneurial organisations into professional organisations is almost nonexistent according to the researcher. Most literature found deals only with organisational development and transition management. All the literature is captured and summarised into a conceptual model that can be used in the development of entrepreneurial organisations into professional organisations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoel van hierdie navorsingsverslag is om 'n gevallestudie op te stel t.o.v. Imperial Holdings Ltd. ('n gelyste maatskapy op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs) rondom die tema van strategiese leierskap, entrepeneurskap en organisatoriese ontwikkeling. In 'n neutedop saamgevat – die ontwikkeling van 'n organisasie vanaf entrepeneursvlak tot 'n professionele vlak. Die tweede doelwit is om inligting rondom die temas van strategiese leierskap, entrepeneurskap en organisatoriese ontwikkeling te ondersoek en te ontleed. Hierdie onderwerp word verder opgedeel in vyf afdelings wat insluit strategiese leierskap, organisatoriese strategieë, die ontginningsdinamiek en entrepeneurskap van die eienaar, eienaarsoordrag- en opvolgingsbestuur, organisatoriese en kulturele veranderinge en die teorie agter volgehoue organisatoriese groei. Imperial Holdings Ltd. is 'n gediversifiseerde industriële diens- en kleinhandelgroep met aktiwiteite wat logistieke dienste, motorverhuring, toerisme, finansiële dienste en voertuigverspreiding- en verkope in Suid-Afrika, Afrika, Europa en Australië insluit. Imperial is gelys op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs en die bestuursmodel is gebaseer op 'n desentraliseerde bestuursstruktuur wat entrepeneurskap, vernuwende denke en industrie gekonsentreerde praktyke aanmoedig. Die Imperial verhaal word aangebied as twee hoofstukke. Die eerste hoofstuk dek die periode 1948 tot 2007 met 'n spesifieke fokus op Bill Lynch. Hy was die hoof uitvoerende bestuurder vanaf 1990 tot 2006 en was daar vanaf die begin van Imperial se bestaan. Mnr. Lynch het in 2006 afgesterf, amper 'n jaar nadat hy die gesogte Ernest and Young World Entrepreneur toekennning verwerf het. Na sy afsterwe het onder meer 'n wêreldwye finansiële krisis gevolg wat in 2008 'n lae periode in Imperial se prestasiemodel verteenwoordig. Die tweede hoofstuk fokus op die nuwe uitvoerende besturende direkteur van Imperial, mnr. Hubert Brady, se bydrae tot nuwe groei en veranderinge op strategiese en finansiële vlak in die maatskappy. Hy is 'n meer konserwatiewe bestuurder met 'n CA (SA) agtergrond. Dit was baie moeilik vir hierdie navorser om spesifieke literatuur en inligtingsmateriaal te vind oor die transformasie van entrepeursorganisasies na professionele organisasies. Meeste huidige navorsingsmateriaal fokus slegs op organisatoriese - en oorgangsbestuursmodelle. Al die materiaal in hierdie navorsingsverslag is versamel en saamgevat in 'n konseptuele model wat gebruik kan word in die ontwikkeling van entrepeneursorganisasies na professionele organisasies.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / The global business environment has evolved since 1990. This change has brought companies new realities in the form of new business opportunities for growth and, at the same time has exposed them to new competitors. This has caused companies to invest many resources in devising new effective strategies to take advantage of the new opportunities, whilst protecting their market positions, which are crucial to their continued economic existence. Effective implementation of strategy has become the goal of many organisations. However, in translating their grand plans into action, unacceptably high rates of failure have been reported among many companies. In most organisations, this responsibility has been left to lower levels of management. The purpose of this research was to establish what factors affected the implementation of strategy and more specifically, what role lower levels of management play in the implementation process. A qualitative study was undertaken where in-depth interviews were held with a senior executive and middle managers of a global company. Eight propositions were posited after a detailed review of literature on strategy implementation and middle managers. These were tested in relation to the results of the research and conclusions were then drawn. The data was analysed using content analysis and frequency tables. The research findings showed that middle managers play a critical role in facilitating the effective implementation of strategy. It also showed that the execution process is fraught with numerous challenges, some of which are lack of sufficient budgets, high staff turnover affecting continuity and the destructive nature of internal competition.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The following research report is titled “Crafting and executing an operational strategic plan for a retail product line”. The report presents operational analysis which results in creating operational strategy which is relevant to current trading conditions and which is clearly aligned with both the organisation’s group and corporate strategic goals. The primary focus is therefore not on the development of organisational strategy, but on strategic implications, interpretation and operational execution. The central research question is described as follows: How can the current operational strategic planning process be improved in order to deliver strategic plans which are aligned and clearly support the key strategic thrusts at group and corporate level? A literature study was conducted by consulting a vast number of books, articles and websites in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the latest management thinking pertaining to the creation and implementation of strategy. Primary research, which took the form of informal interviews with key personnel, was also conducted in order to ascertain the opinions and insights of individuals who are directly affected by the operational strategic process. The research resulted in a one year operational strategic framework which can be used as a tool by all central buying teams when creating operational strategic plans. The framework allows teams to follow a standardised process which results in concise summary populated with key strategic points. Teams are thus guided by these points and are also prompted to corrective action by ensuring that each strategic action has a measurable outcome. The framework is also populated with group and corporate goals, which act as guiding principles to team members. The final recommendation is that teams allow for a degree of flexibility in the operational strategic actions which were identified in their initial analysis. While key strategic points at group and corporate level will most likely remain unchanged during the course of a financial year, certain operational activities may have to be reconsidered should the micro and macro trading environment change. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die titel van die volgende navorsingverslag is: “Crafting and executing an operational plan for a retail product line”. Die verslag is ‘n weergawe van ‘n bedryfsontleding wat lei tot die ontwerp van ‘n bedryfs-strategie wat van toepassing is op die huidige handelsmilieu. Die strategie is verder in lyn met beide die organisasie se groep en korparatiewe doelwitte. Die verslag fokus hoofsaaklik op strategiese implikasies, interpretasie en operasionele uitvoering en nie op strategiese ontwikkeling nie. Die sentrale navorsingskwessie word soos volg beskryf: Watter verbeterings kan aangebring word aan die huidige bedryfs-strategiese beplannings proses om sodoende strategiese planne op te lewer wat in lyn sal wees en ondersteuning sal gee aan die sleutel strategiese dryfkrag op groep en korporatiewe vlak. ‘n Aantal sekondêre bronne – boeke,artikels and webwerwe - is nageslaan en ‘n letterkundige studie is gedoen om ‘n omvattende begrip te kry van die nuutste bestuursdenke met betrekking tot die ontwerp en implementering van strategie. Onderhoude is gevoer met sleutel personeel wat gedien het as primere bronne. Sodoende is die opinies en insigte verkry van individue wat direk betrokke is by die bedryfs-strategiese proses. Die ondersoek het as gevolg ‘n bedryfs-strategiese raamwerk. Dit kan as instrument gebruik word deur alle sentrale aanskaffingspanne wanneer hulle bedryfs-strategiese planne ontwerp. Die raamwerk maak voorsiening vir ‘n gestandaardiseerde proses wat kulmineer in ‘n een-bladsy opsomming wat strategiese punte bevat. Die opsomming gee dus rigting aan spanne en hulle word aangespoor tot korrektiewe aksies elk met meetbare uitkomstes. Die raamwerk bevat ook groeps- en korporatiewe doelwitte wat deur spanne as riglyne gebruik kan word. ‘n Finale voorstel is dat spanne voorsiening maak vir ‘n mate van plooibaarheid in die bedryfsstrategiese aksies wat aanvanklik in hul ontledings geidentifiseer was. Sekere strategiese punte sal waarskynlik op groep en korporatiewe vlak onveranderd bly na afloop van die finansiele jaar terwyl sekere bedryfsaktiwiteite heroorweeg sal moet word na gelang van veranderinge in die mikro en makro handelsmileu.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research report aims to contribute to the contemporary research discourse within the Strategy-as-Practice (S-as-P) field by studying day-to-day strategising practices that take place within a modern organisation. From an S-as-P point of view, strategy is described as a situated, socially accomplished activity, while strategising comprises those actions, interactions and negotiations of multiple actors and the situated practices that they draw upon in accomplishing that activity (Jarzabkowski, Balogun & Seidl, 2007: 8). Here, strategy is redefined as an action organisations perform rather than a concept organisations ‘have’. This introduces a shift in the strategy process, from a prescriptive approach to a practice approach. In this report, the researcher was able to determine how strategising took place in a Business Unit (BU) at a third-tier level within a multinational engineering organisation. This involved an analysis of how the processes of strategy sense-making and sense-giving took place amongst strategic actors. Furthermore, how this was mediated by strategising methods, strategic tools and artefacts was observed. The research recognised that strategy is socially situated and therefore a social practice. To deal with this dimension, activity theory, discussed by Jarzabkowski (2005), was used as an operational measure to identify micro-social system configurations required to implement strategy. Based on an in-depth single case study of the BU, the researcher’s findings discovered unique roles that multiple actors assume in the strategy implementation process, and how they interacted in the pursuit of goal-oriented strategic initiatives. In that process, different strategising techniques were identified, namely Procedural, Interactive, Pre-active or Integrative. It was also shown how managers used these multiple strategising methods at their disposal to facilitate and mediate strategic initiatives. In an attempt to contextualise these micro-strategising practices, the case study also demonstrated how strategy was translated from broad organisational concepts to BU operational manifestations using internal formal procedures that involved a Strategy Map and Balanced Scorecard. This revealed the cascading effect of top-down strategy translation and the gap-closing effect of down-and-up feedback loops in the system. This also exposed how strategy was ‘operationalised’ by decomposing and breaking it down into sub-strategies for implementation, which then created a hierarchy of strategies that were specific to each level of the organisation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingsverslag beoog om by te dra tot die kontemporêre navorsingsgesprek binne die Strategie-as-Praktyk (S-as-P) veld deur dag-tot-dag strategie praktyke wat binne ‘n modern organisasie plaasvind te bestudeer. Vanuit ‘n S-as-P oogpunt, word strategie beskryf as ‘n geposisioneerde, sosiaal-uitgevoerde aktiwiteit, terwyl strategie-beplanning bestaan uit die aksies, interaksies en onderhandelings van onderskeie betrokkenes en die geposisioneerde praktyke waaruit geput word in die uitvoering van daardie aktiwiteit. Strategie word hier herdefinieer as ‘n aksie wat organisasies uitvoer eerder as ‘n konsep wat hulle het. Dit bring ‘n verskuiwing in die strategie proses mee, van ‘n voorskriftelike benadering na ‘n praktiese benadering. Die navorser het in hierdie verslag daarin geslaag om te bepaal hoe strategiese beplanning in ‘n derde vlak Besigheidseenheid (BE) binne ‘n multinasionale ingenieursorganisasie plaasvind. Hiervoor is ‘n analise gedoen van hoe die prosesse van strategiese sin-maak en sin-gee onder strategiese betrokkenes plaasvind. Daarbenewens is waargeneem hoe mediasie deur strategie-beplanningsmetodes, strategiese gereedskap en voorwerpe plaasgevind het. Om met hierdie dimensie om te gaan, is aktiwiteitsteorie, soos bespreek deur Jarzabkowski (2005), gebruik as ‘n operasionele maatstaf om mikro-sosiale sisteem konfigurasies wat vereis word vir implementasie van die strategie te identifiseer. Die navorser se bevindings, gebaseer op ‘n enkele diepgaande gevallestudie van die BE, het unieke rolle geïdentifiseer wat verskeie rolspelers tydens die strategie implementeringsproses aanneem en ook die interaksie wat plaasgevind het in die nastreef van doelgeöriënteerde strategiese inisiatiewe. In die proses is verskillende strategie-tegnieke geïdentifiseer, naamlik Prosedure, Interaktief, Pre-aktief of Integrerend. Daar is ook getoon hoe bestuurders hierdie verskillende beskikbare strategie-metodes aangewend het om strategiese inisiatiewe te fasiliteer en bemiddel. In ‘n poging om hierdie mikro-strategiese praktyke te kontekstualiseer, het die gevallestudie ook aangedui hoe strategie vanaf breë organisatoriese konsepte deur die gebruik van interne formele prosedures, wat ‘n Strategie Kaart en Gebalanseerde Telkaart ingesluit het, omgesit is na operasionele aanwysings vir die BE. Hierdeur is die waterval effek van top- afwaartse omsetting en die gaping-vullende effek van af-en-op terugvoerlusse in die sisteem blootgelê. Dit het ook aangetoon hoe strategie ‘ge-operasionaliseer’ is deur dit te ontkoppel en af te breek tot sub-strategieë vir implementasie, waardeur ‘n hiërargie van strategieë, spesifiek vir elke vlak van die organisasie, geskep is.