A research project submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering. Johannesburg, 1995. / This project compares the ISO 9000 series with the Deming-based total quality management philosophy. The series are also equated with the Deming prize and the Malcolm Baldrlge National Quality Award as a trilogy in achieving total quality management. Many companies which have implemented total quality management are requiring their suppliers to meet quality standards to assure a consistent product or service. The SABS ISO 9000 series is presently a prevalent method of assessment of suppliers. Concerns that ISO registration would be the only way LV ensure sales to the European Community have partially diminished, while pressure from domestic firms have increased. especially for companies facing competitive bidding from supplier contracts This driving force may result in companies not reaping the advantages of total quality management, as their quality systems are simply designed to meet ISO 9000 requirements, Analysis, primary and secondary research identified weaknesses and strengths of the ISO standards and Awards. Suggestions are made to those companies in the process ofISO registration in moving to a total quality environment.

Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Masters of Science in Building (Project Management in Construction) to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Construction Economics and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017 / Purpose: There has been much assertion about how ISO 9001 facilitates TQM implementation among ISO 9001 registered construction companies. However, the success rate of TQM implementation among ISO 9001 registered companies varies. The aim of this study was to investigate TQM implementation among ISO 9001 registered construction companies in South Africa. Three objectives were also established to aid in achieving the aim. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey design using structured questionnaire to collect quantitative and qualitative data was adopted. Respondents were purposively sampled among ISO 9001 registered construction companies in South Africa. 70 completed questionnaires were obtained from the target of 100. Text-based (i.e., qualitative) data were analysed using qualitative content analysis while quantitative data were analysed descriptively. Findings: The main three findings include: (1) the prevalence of defining quality as meeting clients’ expectations and assessing quality through internal inspection; (2) highest level of agreement on TQM being implemented through checking design conformance to standards and lowest level of agreement on formal training on TQM; and (3) customer feedback exercises and supplier relationship were indicated as being the least implemented ISO 9001 principles. Implications: The main practical implication of this study is identifying how TQM is being implemented among ISO 9001 registered construction companies in South Africa and the challenges they face. The main theoretical implication is being able to add to the existing studies validating ISO 9001 registered construction companies can and should implement TQM across their processes. Limitations: The main limitation has been restricted to not collecting data on the professional backgrounds and years of experience of the study participants. A finding during the pilot testing necessitated the preference to indicate job roles as against professional backgrounds. / XL2018

M. Tech. Business Information Systems / Business Intelligence is a broad category of applications and technologies used for gathering, storing, analysing, and providing access to data. It provides historical, current and predictive views of business operations. By so doing organizations are in a position of continuously improving their performance in congruency with their mission and vision. As a result, organizations need to have in place effective Business Intelligence systems that could enable them process and access quality information so as support business processes. The ineffective use of Business Intelligence tools and lack of trust on the integrity of data has led to the deployment of duplicate systems and roles within many organisations. This creates an environment where organisations often have multiple systems that are only known in one business unit. More so, it has created isolations and unnecessary independences of business units as they tend to work in silos. In addition, this creates a negative impact on the overall organisational performance leading to the organisation incurring unnecessary costs. This study aimed at developing a model for enhancing Business Intelligence utilization in order to improve organisational performance.

M. Tech. Business Administration / The focus of this study is to understand and examine the challenges of knowledge retention as it relates to knowledge management, types of knowledge, present labour market, workforce crisis, behavioural factors, personality traits and culture. The purpose of this dissertation is to understand the challenges of knowledge retention in start-up, small or medium enterprises, using Machite Engineering Pty Ltd as a case study. The difficulties of retaining knowledge are faced by organizations of all sizes. Hence, this dissertation examines the knowledge retention factors in relation to employees' decisions to stay in an organization; the types of knowledge; the meaning of knowledge worker; the labour market most organizations operate in; work force crises; behavioural factors that influence knowledge retention; organizational structure; personality traits and lifestyle; culture; career development; labour turnover; and other variables that impact knowledge retention as identified in the literature review.

M. Tech. Business Information Systems / The study aimed at conceptualizing a framework for maximizing Information Systems project maturity. Two factors led to the conception of the study namely, delays in Information Systems project maturity within the South African context and the resultant cost-savings that could be realized from applying appropriate Maturity Models, coupled with the proposed framework, towards reaching project maturity on schedule and on budget. To limit the scope, the South African Weather Service has been selected as the case for the research.

M.Tech. Business Administration. Business School. / The purpose and scope of the study is defined by the objectives of the study, which are:  To determine the skills level of TUT Programme managers on the financial management system, Integrated Tertiary Software (ITS).  To determine the extent of the use of financial management system (ITS).  To determine to what extend policies and procedures at TUT are complied with by Programme managers.  To determine whether Programme managers understand and can interpret the general ledger content and where and how all the transactions are generated.  To determine the interventions needed to developed and assist Programme managers to improve their management and control of financial activities in their departments and cost centres. A thorough literature study was and quantitative techniques employed. The questionnaire was developed based on the identifying of shortcomings at TUT relating to financial management by programme managers. These areas include the knowledge and ability to use and interpret the financial information system at TUT. Respondents in the survey were programme managers which can be defined as staff members at TUT that has the responsibility to manage and control cost centre (fund allocations) according to the policies and procedures supplied by TUT. All campuses were included in the survey. Respondents in the survey completed the questionnaire where there were several results obtained regarding biographic variables, variable in respect to the ITS General Ledger system, financial training and variables with respect to policies and procedures at TUT. The objectives of the study were attained, and resulted in several recommendations to extend the knowledge, management and control of finances in academic and administrative departments at TUT. Furthermore it was recommended that training sessions on financial management and awareness campaigns regarding policies and procedures should be launched for staff to attend which will enhance reliable financial governance.

D. Tech. Business Information Systems / Review of previous and related works highlighted significant gaps in the previous strategic information systems planning studies, and these gaps need to be addressed. Firstly, the examination of strategic information systems planning success and five contextual factors (environmental uncertainty, organisational structure, government and policies, business strategy orientation and information systems maturity) has not yet been thoroughly and empirically researched simultaneously, notably in the context of a developing country like South Africa. The investigation of the moderating role of contingency variables in the relationship between strategic information systems planning process phases and strategic information systems planning success in the context of South African medium enterprises provided an empirically informed understanding of these factors and their effect, which tend to be different from that of studies conducted in the developed countries. Secondly, literature lacks a developed and empirical validated contingency model for measuring the success of strategic information systems planning. The present study developed such model, using a Structural Equation Modelling and analysis in the context of South African medium enterprises. That is, the use of Structural Equation Modelling helped provide a validated contingency model which indicates the pertinent factors for measuring strategic information systems planning success, in the context of South African medium enterprises.

M. Tech. Business Information Systems / Business Intelligence is a broad category of applications and technologies used for gathering, storing, analysing, and providing access to data. It provides historical, current and predictive views of business operations. By so doing organizations are in a position of continuously improving their performance in congruency with their mission and vision. As a result, organizations need to have in place effective Business Intelligence systems that could enable them process and access quality information so as support business processes. The ineffective use of Business Intelligence tools and lack of trust on the integrity of data has led to the deployment of duplicate systems and roles within many organisations. This creates an environment where organisations often have multiple systems that are only known in one business unit. More so, it has created isolations and unnecessary independences of business units as they tend to work in silos. In addition, this creates a negative impact on the overall organisational performance leading to the organisation incurring unnecessary costs. This study aimed at developing a model for enhancing Business Intelligence utilization in order to improve organisational performance.

It is fair to assume that the level of participation in a world economy depends on the capacity of business organisations to use technology efficiently. Conducting business in the world today is driven by information technology. Internet technology has changed various business activities and transactions. In the Internet age, the development of electronic commerce (EC) is considered a major indicator of the overall competitiveness of organisations. An EC marketing channel can bring customers more benefits such as greater shopping convenience and potentially lower prices. Today, most hotels have been forced by the market to consider adopting EC to carry out business processes more efficiently. Hence, the purpose of the study is to determine the determinants of EC adoption by hotels in South Africa. This study is based on Tornatzky and Fleicher’s (1990) technological, organizational and environmental (TOE) model that includes technological context, organisational context and environmental context. The TOE model has been widely used to examine the factors that influence organisational technology adoption. The research model looked at eight determinants, which are (1) relative advantage, (2) compatibility, (3) complexity, (4) organisational size, (5) technology knowledge, (6) managers’ attitudes towards EC, (7) information intensity and (8) competition. A quantitative research design was used and a questionnaire was used to collect data and answer the research questions in the study. Four hundred hotels were randomly selected from the three groups of hotels suggested by the South African Tourism office, i.e. (1) Tourism Grading council hotel listing, (2) Tshwane accommodation listing and (3) AA travel accommodation. A total of 332 questionnaires were collected for data analysis, which represents a 94.9% response rate. Descriptive statistics, correlational statistics, one way analysis of variance, (ANOVA), regression analysis, cross tabulation tests and multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were used to analyse the data. The results indicated that all three contexts (TOE) were important in the decision of EC adoption by the hotels in South Africa. The findings indicated that not all the determinants used had a statistically significant relationship with the extent of EC adoption in the hotel industry. The researcher also found out that hotels were more concerned about the benefits of EC than the organisational ability to adopt EC, the hotels that had sufficient resources were more willing to adopt EC. The findings also indicated that managers’ attitude towards EC adoption is influential on the extent of EC adoption. Finally, findings indicated that there is a lot of pressure from suppliers and customers for the hotels to use EC. Even though the mangers that filled in the questionnaire were computer literate, technology knowledge of EC would help managers to realise which systems are most appropriate.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1988.