More and more organizations are making use of teamwork. Effective teams are also important from an Information Technology (IT) perspective, since teamwork forms an integral part of all software development activities. It is therefore extremely important that IT students are able to work together as an effective team. These statements lead to the following questions – How can IT student project teams be effective and what obstacles need to be overcome in order to ensure effectiveness? This dissertation reports on an exploratory study of second and third year IT project teams and exposes factors that lead to ineffectiveness. Firstly, the problems experienced by the groups seem to have the largest detrimental effect on effective team functioning. Secondly, the project mark is also affected by the priority issue that is associated with the particular task. Thirdly, the issues of time management, communication, conflict management, compromise, social loafing and group cohesion also play an important role in team effectiveness. This dissertation sets out to prove that the key to "effectiveness" lies in empowering the student to deal with all possible dilemmas that may be faced when working in teams in the tertiary team situation. The benefits of these actions will hopefully lead to the realization of “effectiveness” in the tertiary team situation and ultimately, in the student’s work environment.

There is considerable evidence that the strategic use of Information Systems can lead to a competitive advantage. There is however, a marked lack of understanding of the options available, as well as the smooth coordination of Information Systems strategy with Business strategy. This paper provides insight into the role of Information Systems and its link with business strategy. It focuses on Information Systems strategy options, and explores the criteria needed for successful Information Systems strategy and Business strategy alignment. The paper presents and examines the results of a study of strategic alignment at Volkswagen of South Africa. Data was obtained from business and Information Technology executives. The result of the study enables Volkswagen not only to benchmark themselves, but also provides direction to enable successful business/IT alignment. It identifies specific actions necessary to ensure that IT is being used to appropriately enable or drive the business strategy.

M.Comm. / The aim of this study is to consider how to create tomorrow's financial services organisations. Information technology and business reengineering are important within financial services organisations and have a prominent role to play in using the long-term viability of the organisation. Customers' interaction with a new technology environment has resulted in higher levels of customer satisfaction with a corresponding demand for customised and specialised services instead of traditional standardised banking services. The constant challenge of all banks, however, should be to keep abreast of change by translating business intelligence into innovative strategies. Customer's demands will dictate the new wave of banking for years to come. Ultimately, the change will come in whatever form the market and consumers demand. Business success therefore depends not only on the development of an excellent strategy but also on its effective execution. With the best will in the world, companies can develop a convincing strategy to take business forward, provide excellent products and expand the customer base. Unless companies have the appropriate supporting cultural and technological skills to enable rapid and efficient response to customers' needs, they will undoubtedly fail. Another aspect that is discussed in the thesis is the close interrelationship between marketing and business requirements in product innovation within the banking industry, specific to customer demands. The objective of this study is to give an insight into better-informed decisionmaking and the important role that business process re-engineering can play as an overall strategic resource in financial services companies to gain a competitive advantage. The efficient and effective use of information as a strategic resource in a financial services company is becoming more and more important. The real competition is for market share and trying to satisfy the needs of customers. Finally, the aim of this study is to address the importance of how to obtain a better return on information, for managers to make informed decisions that are better, quicker, more accurate and timely.

D.Phil. / The aim of the study was to explore and understand the emerging leadership challenges in order to further enhance the development of leadership and management in the information technology industry in South Africa. A combined casing and life-story approach in this modernist qualitative research study was employed. Selective sampling, as described by Plummer (1983; 2001) as part of his critical humanistic approach, was employed to select the CEO, Mr X, from a particular South African information technology company. Data were obtained mainly from solicited sources, but also some that were unsolicited. This resulted in a life story containing rich descriptive data obtained at first hand from Mr X’s professional career and associated areas of his life. The life -story of this storyteller was organised manually as well as with the aid of ATLAS-Ti 5.0, a computer-based software package suitable for this type of study. The leadership landscape model of Veldsman (2004), a local expert in the area of leadership, together with key theoretical concepts found in the literature, were used to construct an enhanced leadership model. Appropriate qualitative guidelines were used to ensure a study that attends to both academic rigour and aesthetics. The resultant constructed leadership model offers important, if not unique, insights and findings regarding the leadership environment, individual psychosocial dynamics, competencies and capabilities, as well as leadership roles, modes, styles and processes that contribute to personal leadership effectiveness. The thesis illuminates and offers recommendations for a number of methodological and theoretical implications regarding local and global leadership studies, as well as for practice and policy regarding leadership and managerial development.

Modern organisations make substantial investments in Information Technology (IT). Corporate governance practices can no longer ignore the importance of effectively governing IT. Consequently, the third King Report on Corporate Governance (King III) makes specific provision for IT governance, which is implemented through the establishment of an IT governance framework. The purpose of this research is to develop a generic IT governance framework, suitable to any large South African organisation in the public or private sector. The literature considered for this research confirmed the extent of standards and practices available in support of IT governance, together with the roles and structures required to implement them. These included well-known publications such as COBIT, Prince2, ITIL and ISO/IEC27000. Based on the literature review, a theoretical Processes, Enablers and Structures (PES) IT Governance Framework was formulated. The framework was further explored by means of a survey of and structured interview with ten Chief Information Officers (CIOs) of South African organisations with a turnover in excess of R1bn per annum. The final PES IT Governance Framework comprises three dimensions, each of which contains a set of constituent components: • Processes: Strategic Alignment, Value Delivery, Resource Management, Risk Management and Performance Measurement. • Enablers: IT Sub Processes, Supporting Documentation, IT Control Framework, Technology Architecture, Desirable Practice, IT Portfolio Management and Regulation. • Structures: The Board, Office of the CIO, IT Steering Committee, Technology Architecture Forum, IT Programme Management Office and Information Security Organisation. As the number of regulatory requirements and associated compliance pressures grow, the importance of an effective IT governance framework also becomes more prominent. The PES IT Governance Framework offers a uniquely practical approach to addressing IT governance principles that are often regarded as abstract. The final PES IT Governance Framework provides clear guidance on how organisations could implement an IT governance framework, which addresses the strategic alignment of IT to business, value delivery by IT investments, IT risk management, IT resource management and IT performance measurement.

Organisations globally are communicating their environmental sustainability impact to stakeholders by means of the widely used sustainability report. A key benefit of environmental sustainability reporting is that organisations can gain a positive reputation when these reports are presented to stakeholders. Organisations in South Africa are faced with many challenges regarding managing sustainability information and producing an environmental sustainability report. Two of the primary challenges are the many diverse standards for sustainability reporting and data quality issues. Information Technology (IT) can be used to support and improve the process of sustainability reporting but it is important to align the environmental sustainability strategies with the strategies of business and also with the IT strategy to avoid silos of information and reporting. Enterprise Architecture (EA) can be used to solve alignment problems since it supports business-IT alignment. EA is defined by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) as “The fundamental concepts or properties of a system in its environment embodied in its elements, relationships, and in the principles of its design and evolution”. It can be argued, therefore, that EA can be used to support environmental sustainability information management and the reporting process by means of its support of improved business-IT alignment and ultimately integrated systems. The main objective of this study is to investigate how EA can be used to support environmental information management (EIM) and reporting. A survey study of thirty one prominent South African organisations was undertaken in order to investigate the status of their EA adoption and environmental reporting and EIM processes. An EA for EIM Toolkit and a set of guidelines are proposed which can provide support for EIM through the use of EA. These guidelines were proposed based on best-practice for each of the three process levels of an organisation, namely, the strategic level, the operational level and the technological level. The toolkit and guidelines were derived from theory and the results of the industry survey were then validated by an in-depth analysis of a case study consisting of multiple cases with key employees of seven South African organisations which have proved to be successful at EA and EIM and reporting. The results of the case study show that the EA for EIM Toolkit and related guidelines can assist organisations to align their environmental sustainability strategies with their organisational and IT strategies.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Commerce, / Logistics is a management discipline that has been spoken about for years and is yet to deliver the full potential that it purports to bring about. Excellence in logistics has been identified as one of the major challenges that products related organisations currently face to ensure continued success in an increasingly competitive, global market. One of the key enablers to integration is the effective application of information technology. Most managers easily accept this as fact but few are clear in describing how this can be achieved. Two prime works used as reference for this research are Bowersox's research into logistics, providing a reference framework on the role of logistics in organisations, and Cilliers's study of logistics at ISO South African companies, providing a South African reference point, It is the combination of the Bowersox attributes and the Cilliers qualified sample of South African companies that provides the basis for an exciting research initiative establishing the role of information technology in achieving logistics excellence in South Africa Both successful and less successful organisations were measured against a set of attributes to determine which were most crucial in achieving logistics excellence: It is clear from the survey that logistics excellent companies have a marked difference in their approach to information teclmology as compared to those who are not logistics excellent. This is mapped out in the paper in some detail and some of the detailed responses may be somewhat of a surprise to the reader as they challenge conventional wisdom. The results of the survey were encapsulated into a simple model. This should act as a quick reference to IT professionals seeking to playa leading role in driving their company towards logistics excellence. Information technology plays a vital role in achieving logistics excellence. This paper provides some insight into the factors that are critical in achieving this goal. / Andrew Chakane 2018

Risk management is an evolving discipline in the developing and developed world and has received increased prominence from the 1990s’ corporate accounting scandals, the Turnbull study in the US and the 2009 global financial crisis. Within organisations, risk management is competing with profit making whereas the focus of risk management is on improving organisational performance. The aim of this study was to establish the effectiveness of a risk management strategy at an Information Technology organisation in South Africa. An exploratory research approach was used and was conducted using a survey. An extensive literature review was conducted and seven research questions were subsequently formulated to guide the study. A mailed questionnaire designed with a Likert scale was used to collect data and the questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 25.9 percent of employees from a population of 204 employees. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed to interpret data and revealed that the employees believed that risk management is essential and that management support is necessary but not sufficient to implement an effective risk management strategy. A salient feature was that management needed to perform continuous improvement in the ever-changing risk management landscape and in addition, the inculcation of a risk management culture was equally vital. The study recommends that organisations need to assess the current corporate risk maturity level and review the current corporate risk strategy, risk structure, and risk criteria, as part of a risk management programme. The study suggests further research into the impact of industry drivers on risk management. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

Thesis (Mcomm)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The focus of this research was to compile a practical, step by step approach that can be followed by those persons charged with the governance of enterprises in South Africa to successfully bridge the information technology gap. The King Code of Corporate Governance for South Africa and the King Report on Corporate Governance for South Africa (together KINGIII) was identified as a starting point for the compilation of the approach. KINGIII is the corporate governance standard in South Africa and in the introduction to KINGIII it is recommended that the principles contained in the Code should be implemented by all entities. KINGIII is the third report on governance issued by the King Committee and introduced governance principles for Information Technology (IT). The Code contains seven IT governance principles and 24 recommended practices. The application of the IT governance principles of KINGIII, as well as the related recommended practices, is a complicated endeavour. This is partly because IT in itself is complex and also partly because the governance of IT is a relatively new area of corporate governance. Through a detailed study of the seven IT governance principles of KINGIII, as well as the related recommended practices and narrative discussions, it was identified that in order to successfully implement IT governance, a company has to establish and implement an IT governance framework which includes relevant structures, processes and mechanisms to enable IT to deliver value to the business. It was also identified that the IT governance framework has to facilitate and enhance the company’s ability to reach its stated objectives by ensuring that the most appropriate decisions are made in respect of the incorporation of IT into the operations of the business. Lastly, it was identified that a company must acquire and use appropriate technology and people to support its business.To address the requirement for the establishment and implementation of relevant structures, processes and mechanisms, a framework of 33 IT governance practices was identified, mapped to the IT governance principles of KINGIII and an analysis performed. Through this analysis the IT governance practices that can be utilised to implement the IT governance principles of KINGIII were identified and discussed. To address the requirement of ensuring that the framework facilitates that the most appropriate decisions are made in respect of the incorporation of IT into the operations of the business, five key decisions that have to be made in respect of IT was identified and discussed. The five decisions were mapped to (1) the KINGIII principles to demonstrate which of the IT governance principles are addressed by each of the decisions and (2) the IT governance structures identified in the framework above to demonstrate which of the IT governance structures can be used to provide input into taking the relevant decision and which can be used to take the decision. Finally, to address the requirement that a company must acquire and use appropriate people and technology to support its business, a framework of organizational competencies required in small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) was identified and mapped to (1) the KING III principles to demonstrate which of the IT governance principles could be addressed by each of the relevant competencies and (2) to the five key IT decisions identified above to demonstrate which of the competencies can be utilised to make each of the five key decisions. Based on the findings of the research conducted as set out above, the practical, step by step approach was compiled. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die fokus van hierdie navorsing was die samestelling van ‘n praktiese, stapsgewyse benadering wat gebruik kan word deur daardie persone wat verantwoordelik is vir die korporatiewe beheer van ondernemings in Suid Afrika om suksesvol die inligtings tegnologie (IT) gaping te oorbrug. Die King Code of Corporate Governance for South Africa en die King Report on Corporate Governance for South Africa (gesamentlik KINGIII), was geidentifiseer as ‘n beginpunt vir die samestelling van die benadering. KINGIII is die korporatiewe beheer standaard in Suid Afrika en in die inleiding tot KINGIII word alle ondernemings aanbeveel om die korporatiewe beheer beginsels en gepaardgaande aanbeveelde praktyke te implementeer. KINGIII is die derde verslag oor korporatiewe beheer wat deur die King Komitee uitgereik is en het korporatiewe beheer beginsels met betrekking tot IT bekend gestel. KINGIII bevat sewe koporatiewe beheer beginsels wat met IT verband hou, asook 24 aanbeveelde korporatiewe beheer praktyke. Die toepassing van die IT korporatiewe beheer beginsels van KINGIII, asook die aanbeveelde praktyke, is ‘n ingewikkelde onderneming. Dit is gedeeltelik omdat IT self kompleks is, maar ook omdat die korporatiewe beheer van IT ‘n relatiewe nuwe area van korporatiewe beheer is. Deur middel van ‘n in diepte studie van die sewe korporatiewe beheer beginsels van KINGIII, insluitend die aanbeveelde korporatiewe beheer praktyke en besprekings, is daar geïndetifiseer dat ‘n IT korporatiewe beheer raamwerk saamgestel en geimplementeer moet word as deel van die implementering van korporatiewe beheer oor IT. Hierdie IT korporatiewe beheer raamwerk moet relevante strukture, prosesse en meganismes bevat wat IT daartoe instaat sal stel om waarde toe te voeg tot die onderneming. Dit is ook geïdentifiseer dat die IT korporatiewe beheer raamwerk die onderneming se vermoeë om sy doelstellings te bereik moet verbeter deur te verseker dat die mees gepaste besluite geneem word met betrekking tot die integrasie van IT in die bedrywighede van die onderneming. Laastens is daar geïdentifiseer dat ‘n maatskappy toepaslike tegnologie en mense moet bekom en aanwend om die bedrywighede van die onderneming te ondersteun. Om die vereiste vir die samestelling en implementering van relevante strukture, prosesse en meganismes aan te spreek, is ‘n raamwerk van 33 IT korporatiewe beheer praktyke geïdentifiseer, kruisverwys na die IT korporatiewe beheer beginsels van KINGIII en verder ontleed. Deur hierdie ontleding is die IT koporatiewe beheer praktyke wat aangewend kan word om die IT korporatiewe beheer beginsels te implementeer geïdentifiseer en bespreek. Om die vereiste aan te spreek dat die raamwerk fasiliteer dat die mees gepaste besluite geneem word met betrekking tot die integrasie van IT in die bedrywighede van die onderneming, is vyf sleutel besluite wat in verband met IT geneem moet word geïdentifiseer en bespreek. Die vyf besluite is (1) kruisverwys na die IT korporatiewe beheer beginsels van KINGIII om te demonstreer watter IT korporatiewe beheer beginsels deur elke besluit aangespreek word en (2) na die IT korporatiewe beheer strukture wat in die bogenoemde raamwerk geidentifiseer is om aan te dui watter IT korporatiewe beheer strukture gebruik kan word om insette te verskaf vir die neem van die vyf sleutel besluite en watter strukture gebruik kan word om die besluite te neem. Laastens, om die vereiste aan te spreek dat ‘n maatskappy toepaslike tegnologie en mense moet bekom en aanwend om sy bedrywighede te ondersteun, is ‘n raamwerk van organisatoriese bevoegdhede wat benodig word in klein tot medium-groote ondernemings (SME’s) geïdentifiseer en kruisverwys na (1) die KINGIII korporatiewe beheer beginsels om aan te dui watter IT korporatiewe beheer beginsels deur die relevante bevoegdhede aangespreek word en (2) na die vyf sleutel besluite wat hierbo geïdentifiseer is om aan te dui watter van die bevoegdhede aangewend kan word om elkeen van die vyf sleutel besluite te neem. Die stapsgewyse benadering tot die korporatiewe beheer van IT is gevolglik saamgestel met verwysing na die bevindinge van die navorsing wat uitgevoer is soos hierbo uiteengesit.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The objective of this research report is to identify alignment factors, symptoms, and remedies influencing the Business and Information Technology (IT) relationship. To put discussions around this topic in context, a sound theoretical basis is built with a background check on the position of IT, relative to the business of an organisation. Through an in-depth literature review, the business value of IT is explained and the vital importance of interaction between these two 'worlds' is discussed, where after the concept of alignment (the bonding agent between these two worlds) is explained. Factors commonly known to impact upon alignment are discussed, together with symptoms characteristically associated with each misaligned problem factor. Lastly, remedies to misaligned factors are collated. Although alignment factors, symptoms, and remedies proved to be fairly interrelated and intertwined, discussions nevertheless aim to describe these in isolation as far as it logically make sense. The following alignment factors were identified in the literature review, and are summarised in Figure 5.2: • Communications. • Technology Scope. • Competency Value measurements. • Governance. • Partnership. • Skills. Findings in the literature review are summarised and condensed, and symptoms and remedies are categorised on factor level to formulate an alignment-guiding framework (Table 5.1 - 5.6). The application of the framework is explained in these four basic steps: • Step 1: Assess the 'health' of a company' alignment factors. • Step 2: Determine the sub-factors' level of alignment. • Step 3: Remedy misaligned factors. • Step 4: Periodical re-evaluation / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navorsingsverslag is om die belyningsfaktore, simptome, en oplossings wat op die Besigheid en Informasietegnologie (IT) verhouding impakteer, te identifiseer. Om latere besprekings rondom hierdie onderwerp in konteks te sit, word 'n deeglike teoretiese basis gebou met 'n blik op die herkoms van IT, relatief tot die besigheid van die organisasie. Deur middel van 'n deeglike literatuurstudie word die besigheidswaarde van IT en die uiters belangrike interaksie tussen hierdie twee werelde beklemtoon, waarna die konsep van beleining (die gom wat hierdie twee werelde bymekaar hou) verduidelik word. Faktore algemeen bekend as invloedryk op die gebied van belyning, en simptome wat tipies geassosieer word met onbelyningsfaktore word bespreek. Laastens word oplossings vir die geidentifiseerde probleme bymekaar gemaak. Alhoewel belyningsfaktore, simptome, en oplossings bewys is as verbasend naby verwant aan mekaar en deurmekaar gevleg, poog besprekings nietemin am elkeen van die drie in isolasie te bespreek, sover dit logies sin maak. Die volgende belyningsfaktore is deur die literatuurstudie geidentifiseer, en word opgesom in Figuur 5.2: • Kommunikasie. • Tegnologie-dekking. • Bevoegdheid/waarde-metings. • Bestuur. • Vennootskap. • Vaardighede. Simptome en oplossings word op faktor-vlak gekategoriseer ten einde doel die belynings-riglyn raamwerk te ontwikkel (Tabel 5.1 - 5.6). Toepassing van die raamwerk word in vier basiese stappe verduidelik: • Stap 1: "Assess the 'health' of a company' alignment factors." • Stap 2: "Determine the sub-factors' level of alignment." • Stap 3: "Remedy misaligned factors." • Stap 4: "Periodical re-evaluation."