During the past decade, advances in information technology have profoundly impacted the business sector. In this dissertation, we focus on three aspects of the changes that influence firms' strategic and operational decisions. For the first research problem, we attempt to understand the competition between an online store and a traditional brick-and-mortar retailer. We incorporate multi-channel customers in our model, and investigate the implications of existence of multichannel customers on the effectiveness of profit-enhancing strategies for the retailer and online store. For the second problem, we study how manufacturers may incorporate information on anticipated demand and supply into its pricing and inventory allocation decisions. Our pricing policy highlights the interaction among the demands for multiple substitutable products as well as limited resource availability shared by the products. For the third problem, we study the complex tradeoffs that network planners face between minimizing the total cost of the network configuration while meeting end-to-end service requirements such as limits on traversal time or reliability. We propose a service network design model formulation for finding a minimum-cost network design in which the selected routes satisfy service requirements.

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published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

Due to the nature of the digital economy, multi-national entities are able to trade in countries over the internet without a physical presence, they are setting up group structures across the world, housing intellectual property in tax havens and shifting profits between jurisdictions, lowering their group tax rates. This treatise considered the OECD/G20 BEPS Project 2015 Final Report on Action Plan 1 which discusses the nature, risks and proposed options to combat base erosion and profit sharing (BEPS). Although the OECD have made no recommendations in their report many countries have taken action to protect their tax bases. The scope of this treatise is limited to multi-national entities who avoid tax presence in a country or shift profits to off-shore entities in low/no tax jurisdictions. The aim of this treatise is to identify the risks posed by the nature of the digital economy to direct taxation and analyse proposed solutions to respond to these risks. A comparative study of the proposal and changes implemented in the UK, Australia and India was undertaken to gain an understanding of international thinking regarding the best way to combat BEPS. These proposals were then compared to the South African perspective in order to determine which of the proposals would be feasible to combat BEPS in South Africa.

Technology enables progress for individuals and organisations; however, adopting technology may not always be simple. Cloud computing technology has revolutionised how one consumes IT. Governments too can leverage the advantages of adopting cloud computing. A review of the literature reveals a gap in research on the adoption of cloud computing by the South African public sector. Limited research has been done on the topic of cloud computing and none of them are from a quantitative perspective. This study set out to answer the question, “What is the extent (current state, benefits, barriers and readiness levels) of the adoption of cloud computing by the South Africa public sector?” The study is of much value to the public sector of South Africa and other countries and organisations wanting to understand what to consider when adopting cloud computing. The study used a survey research strategy that was exploratory in nature. The sample comprised government CIO’s and government Senior IT management. Questionnaires were sent via a web link and 51 responses were completed. The results revealed that more than half of the South African public sector has adopted cloud computing; however there is a lack of visibility of government initiatives that promote cloud computing. The study shows that public organisations that have adopted cloud computing significantly perceive more benefits of cloud computing than organisations that are yet to adopt. The Technology Organisation Environment (TOE) framework tested the barriers to adoption, revealing areas of concern that are limiting successful cloud computing adoption and adoption rates. The study uncovers a timeline for further cloud computing adoption in the South African public sector.

The purpose of this research was to identify factors that impact on tablet PC usage in low-income communities. In order to determine and identify these factors a main research question and sub-research questions were formulated. The primary research question of this study was "What factors impact on tablet PC usage in low-income communities?" This main research question was answered by creating three sub-research questions followed by triangulating the results from these questions. The first sub-research question was aimed at determining whether prior exposure to touch screen technology impacts the user experience. In order to reach this objective an extensive literature review was conducted on the tablet PC landscape in South Africa. This literature review, coupled with the case study helped answer this first research question. The second sub-research question was concerned with determining whether existing user experience guidelines are relevant to South African users. A thorough literature review was conducted on user experience guidelines and related studies. This literature review, together with the results from the case study helped answer this second research question. The third sub-research question involved identifying specific factors which help improve the user experience of tablet PC users in a specific context. This research question was addressed in the case study. Each sub-research question provided results which were analysed in order to answer the main research question. The factors which impact on tablet PC usage were thus identified and recommendations were proposed.

This research studies normative pricing strategies for information technology (IT) used by suppliers to supplement an underlying primary good. Transactions with consumers and customer firms are considered. Characteristics of IT are divided into IT impacts on customers, and IT impacts on suppliers. IT impacts on customers include vertical differentiation or reduced turnover costs for the primary good, and positive IT adoption costs. IT impacts on suppliers include reduced production costs for the primary good, and the costs of IT. Optimal pricing for the IT and the primary good is modelled for monopoly, and Bertrand competition based on IT and the primary good is modelled for oligopoly. Two part tariffs are used for the IT and IT enhanced primary good. Results of pricing to consumers show that the fixed component of an optimal (or equilibrium) two part tariff can either be a net tax or a net subsidy, confirming the possibility of taxed or subsidized IT adoption. For the monopolist offering the IT and IT enhanced primary good only, the consumer's adoption/switching cost limits the possible subsidy. Consistent with previous economics research, in a duopoly where one supplier has IT, the IT supplier abandons the original primary good. Two suppliers with identical IT cannot attain a positive profit equilibrium. Analogous results obtain for a special case of pricing to customer firms. Empirical results support differential (premium) pricing for an IT enhanced primary good over an original good. / Business, Sauder School of / Operations and Logistics (OPLOG), Division of / Graduate

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Engineering 2019 / Successful adoption of new technologies is critical for the improvement of efficiency and the enhancement of health and safety in South African mining industry operations. However, the process of new digital technology adoption in the South African mining industry has been slow and difficult. This research is aimed at addressing some of the problems associated with the process. As part of this research, a new blueprint has been developed to guide the commissioning entity through the entire process of new digital technology adoption and installation. The new blueprint will provide capability to monitor the quality of the work during adoption, as well as assessment of the outcome of the adoption by measuring the level of compliance for every activity performed by the commissioning entity during the adoption. The reliability of the new blueprint was verified by assessing the performance of the Wits Mining Institute (WMI) in its installation project of the Schauenburg system. The outcome of the new blueprint verification reveals poor planning and inadequate preparation during the installation of this project. The outcome also indicates that application of the new blueprint will reduce the problems associated with the adoption and speed up new digital technology adoption and its installation for better functionality. / NG (2020)

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A major trend from an information era towards a knowledge economy is currently being experienced, which can be ascribed to the growing importance of knowledge in various countries. The anatomy of the knowledge economy concerns an overall view from the perspective of the organisation. The knowledge economy is analysed in terms of what it involves, its effects on the workplace, the role of information and communication technology (lCT), and emergent key ethical issues. Production and exploitation of knowledge will become the main source of wealth in the knowledge economy. Knowledge can be regarded as value-added to data and information that can be located in organisations either explicitly or tacitly. Tacit knowledge is most prevalent and underutilised form in organisations, and can be exploited to its full extent in the form of intellectual property. A printing metaphor is used to illustrate the extent to which knowledge can become embedded in products, thus increasing intangibility levels within products. Knowledge, as a strategic asset for any organisation, can be generated by innovation and dissemination processes. Knowledge also results in more customised high-valued goods, for which clients are willing to pay more. In facilitating a favourable environment for knowledge development in organisations, governments have an essential role to play. This role includes establishing cultures of entrepreneurship, innovativeness and competitiveness through education, training and funding of appropriate organisations. In order to reap substantial benefits from the knowledge economy, various countries are transforming their economies accordingly. The United States of America, Sweden, Finland and Singapore are currently leading in this respect while others like Canada and the United Kingdom have committed themselves to the new economic order. The measurement of knowledge within organisations has not yet been resolved due to difficulties in isolating the value of knowledge at various levels within the organisation. The escalation and importance of information and knowledge in work processes have resulted in the emergence of knowledge workers at the expense of workers involved with the physical dimension of work. By defeating spatial and temporal limitations through virtualisation, ICT will offer organisations and their workers the necessary agility for survival in the knowledge economy. In response, management will have to change organisational structures and increase innovativeness. Technology, as in the past, will increase capabilities of people even more, for example in the form of supporting tools, automation, controlling devices and connectivity. ICT, being the core technology in the knowledge economy, will have a major role to play relating to knowledge development within organisations by means of the knowledge value chain. The Internet will become an important technology in the knowledge economy. Concerns about unethical and criminal practices in knowledge economies centre around the violation of rights in terms of privacy and freedom, protection of property rights, accountability and liability, reliability of systems and quality of life. To sustain a prosperous knowledge economy and just society will involve innovative stakeholders who participate actively in achieving and maintaining goals of common interest. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tans vind 'n belangrike neiging vanaf 'n inligtingsera na 'n kennisekonomie plaas, wat toegeskryf kan word aan die toenemende belangrikheid van kennis in verskeie lande. Die anatomie van 'n kennisekonomie behels 'n oorsig vanaf die perspektief van die organisasie. Die kennisekonomie word beskou in terme van wat dit impliseer, die effek op die werksplek, die rol van inligtings- en kommunikasietegnologie (lKT), en opkomende etiese aangeleenthede. Die produksie en benutting van kennis gaan die belangrikste bron van welvaart word in die kennisekonomie. Die verskynsel van kennis kan beskou word as waarde toevoeging tot data en inligting en is sigbaar in organisasies in die vorm van óf eksplisiete óf verskuilde kennis. Verskuilde kennis is die mees algemene, maar onbenutte vorm in organisasies kan tot sy volle potensiaal ontgin word as intellektuele eiendom. Die drukkuns word as metafoor gebruik om aan te dui tot watter mate kennis deel geword het van produkte, wat lei tot verhoging van die nie-tasbare komponent in produkte. Kennis, as 'n strategiese bate vir enige organisasie, word geskep deur middel van innovering en verspreiding. Kennis bied ook hoë-waarde aan goedere tot so 'n mate dat kliënte bereid is om daarvoor meer te betaal. Om 'n gunstige omgewing vir kennis ontwikkeling te verkry, het regerings 'n belangrike funksie met betrekking tot die daarstelling van kulture wat betref entrepreneurskap, innovering en mededingendheid deur middel van opvoeding, opleiding en befondsing van toepaslike organisasies. Verskeie land is besig om hul ekonomieë te omvorm om die beduidende voordele wat die kennisekonomie bied, te benut. Die Verenigde State van Amerika, Swede, Finland en Singapoer is tans leiers in dié verband, terwyl Kanada en die Verenigde Koninkryk hulself ook tot die nuwe ekonomie verbind het. Om kennis binne organisasies in finansiële terme te meet is nog nie uitgepluis nie, vanweë die probleme om waarde van kennis by verskeie vlakke binne die organisasie te isoleer. Die toename en belangrikheid van inligting en kennis in die werksplek het gelei tot die verskynsel van kenniswerkers, ten koste van diegene betrokke met die fisiese sy van werk. Deurdat die beperkinge van ruimte en tyd deur middel van virtualisasie opgehef is, maak IKT organisasies en sy werkers meer rats en lenig - eienskappe wat vir oorlewing in die kennisekonomie vereis word. In reaksie hierop, sal bestuur hul organisasie strukture moet aanpas en innoveringsvermoë moet opknap. Tegnologie, soos altyd, sal vermoëns van mense verder verhoog, byvoorbeeld in die vorm van ondersteunende hulpmiddele, outomatisering, beheermiddele en skakeling. IKT, as kerntegnologie in die kennisekonomie, gaan 'n sentrale posisie inneem in die ontwikkeling van kennis in organsasies met behulp van die kennis waardeketting. Die Internet gaan 'n sleutel tegnologie in die kennisekonomie word. Kommer oor onetiese en kriminele praktyke in die kennisekonomie hou verband met die oorskryding van regte in terme van privaatheid en vryheid, beskerming van eiendomsreg, aanspreeklikheid en verantwoordelikheid, betroubaarheid van IKT stelsels en lewensgehalte. Om 'n voorspoedige kennisekonomie terselfdertyd met 'n regverdige gemeenskap te handhaaf, beteken dat innoverende rolspelers aktief sal moet deelneem om gemeenskaplike doelwitte na te streef en te verseker.

published_or_final_version / abstract / China Development Studies / Master / Master of Arts