Credit risk analysis is an important topic in financial risk management. Financial institutions (e.g. commercial banks) that grant consumers credit need reliable models that can accurately detect and predict defaults. This research investigates the ability of artificial neural networks as a decision support system that can automatically detect and predict “bad” credit risks based on customers demographic, biographic and behavioural characteristics. The study focuses specifically on the learning vector quantization neural network algorithm. This thesis contains a short overview of credit scoring models, an introduction to artificial neural networks and their applications and presents the performance evaluation results of a credit risk detection model based on learning vector quantization networks.

The objective of this research is to investigate how mobile cellular network operators can increase the average revenue per user by stimulating the usage of mobile broadband services. There is a general consensus that the revenue from voice calls is slowly reaching saturation; hence, mobile cellular operators, service providers and content providers are looking for other sources of revenue from their new and existing customers. They are therefore beginning to focus more intensively on customer retention and on developing new strategies that will stimulate the usage of high speed mobile data services. The research shows that most people are aware of many of the mobile data services offered by operators, but that they thought that they were unreliable, slow, difficult to use and expensive. By and large, people signed up for mobile data services because they wanted a mobile always-on connection anytime, anywhere, with faster speed when accessing e-mail and other services or when downloading data from the Internet. The majority of people would use mobile broadband internet service if it cost less to use; if the speed were faster and the service were easy to use; if the cellular phone had a larger screen and used less battery power; and if the keyboard were larger. The relationship between Network operators, WASPs and content providers was found to be good, even though at times it is strained by the increased competition between them; this forces them not to cooperate on some issues for fear of compromising their competitive advantage.

Credit risk analysis is an important topic in financial risk management. Financial institutions (e.g. commercial banks) that grant consumers credit need reliable models that can accurately detect and predict defaults. This research investigates the ability of artificial neural networks as a decision support system that can automatically detect and predict “bad” credit risks based on customers demographic, biographic and behavioural characteristics. The study focuses specifically on the learning vector quantization neural network algorithm. This thesis contains a short overview of credit scoring models, an introduction to artificial neural networks and their applications and presents the performance evaluation results of a credit risk detection model based on learning vector quantization networks.

The objective of this research is to investigate how mobile cellular network operators can increase the average revenue per user by stimulating the usage of mobile broadband services. There is a general consensus that the revenue from voice calls is slowly reaching saturation; hence, mobile cellular operators, service providers and content providers are looking for other sources of revenue from their new and existing customers. They are therefore beginning to focus more intensively on customer retention and on developing new strategies that will stimulate the usage of high speed mobile data services. The research shows that most people are aware of many of the mobile data services offered by operators, but that they thought that they were unreliable, slow, difficult to use and expensive. By and large, people signed up for mobile data services because they wanted a mobile always-on connection anytime, anywhere, with faster speed when accessing e-mail and other services or when downloading data from the Internet. The majority of people would use mobile broadband internet service if it cost less to use; if the speed were faster and the service were easy to use; if the cellular phone had a larger screen and used less battery power; and if the keyboard were larger. The relationship between Network operators, WASPs and content providers was found to be good, even though at times it is strained by the increased competition between them; this forces them not to cooperate on some issues for fear of compromising their competitive advantage.

Convergence, the resulting new business and emerging leadership, regulated environment and strategy, telecoms costs as barrier to entry, enablement of global market places. / The market environment of telecommunications in South Africa is such that currently there is only one provider of fixed-line services. This has contributed to much claims of prices of incumbent being too high. The government has licensed operators and service providers to compete with Telkom in an attempt to lower the costs of telecommunications in South Africa. The purpose of this research is to understand the relevance and nature of pricing policies, critically evaluate the management of pricing policies, research literature, theory and also the impact that these pricing policies have had on the business of Telkom. The research was conducted by analysing Telkom pricing related documents, financial statements and conducting interviews. The research found that the price-cap regulation has restricted flexibility in the pricing policies and that Telkom has adopted a short-term based approach to management of the pricing policies.

Convergence, the resulting new business and emerging leadership, regulated environment and strategy, telecoms costs as barrier to entry, enablement of global market places. / The market environment of telecommunications in South Africa is such that currently there is only one provider of fixed-line services. This has contributed to much claims of prices of incumbent being too high. The government has licensed operators and service providers to compete with Telkom in an attempt to lower the costs of telecommunications in South Africa. The purpose of this research is to understand the relevance and nature of pricing policies, critically evaluate the management of pricing policies, research literature, theory and also the impact that these pricing policies have had on the business of Telkom. The research was conducted by analysing Telkom pricing related documents, financial statements and conducting interviews. The research found that the price-cap regulation has restricted flexibility in the pricing policies and that Telkom has adopted a short-term based approach to management of the pricing policies.

Credit card fraud losses within the South African credit card market in 2006 exceeded R257M. A portion of these losses (R179M) are within the borders of South Africa and its common monetary area partners. This represents a startling 70% of credit card fraud on magnetic stripe cards used within the borders of South Africa. The South African credit card industry adopts floor limits at certain merchants and merchant categories. South Africa is one of a few countries in the world that still adopt floor limits on credit cards within its payment card industry. Credit card transactions on magnetic-stripe cards conducted below the merchant’s designated floor limit do not go to the issuing bank for authorization. The first time the issuing bank acknowledges these transactions is when they are settled on average two days later. The rationale for not adopting zero floor limits within the South African credit card market is the supposed inability of the existing telecommunications infrastructure to handle the volume and frequency of data submitted by merchants for authorization. The impact of reduced fraud and bad debt losses through adopting a zero floor limit in relation to merchant operational costs is the basis of the research. The research also aims to examine the Proposition that the existing telecommunications infrastructure is unable to support a zero floor limit proposal.

Credit card fraud losses within the South African credit card market in 2006 exceeded R257M. A portion of these losses (R179M) are within the borders of South Africa and its common monetary area partners. This represents a startling 70% of credit card fraud on magnetic stripe cards used within the borders of South Africa. The South African credit card industry adopts floor limits at certain merchants and merchant categories. South Africa is one of a few countries in the world that still adopt floor limits on credit cards within its payment card industry. Credit card transactions on magnetic-stripe cards conducted below the merchant’s designated floor limit do not go to the issuing bank for authorization. The first time the issuing bank acknowledges these transactions is when they are settled on average two days later. The rationale for not adopting zero floor limits within the South African credit card market is the supposed inability of the existing telecommunications infrastructure to handle the volume and frequency of data submitted by merchants for authorization. The impact of reduced fraud and bad debt losses through adopting a zero floor limit in relation to merchant operational costs is the basis of the research. The research also aims to examine the Proposition that the existing telecommunications infrastructure is unable to support a zero floor limit proposal.

The primary purpose of this research is to establish to what extent, if any Zimbabwean companies proactively align their IT strategy with the business strategy as a way of building and sustaining business competitive advantage. The research seeks to provide further insights into the business performance implications of the alignment between IT and business strategies. It also seeks to determine if there are any linkages between strategic alignment, IT managerial resources and IT effectiveness. Last but not least, it examines whether alignment directly leads to increased business performance which Sabherwal & Chan (2001) terms ‘perceived business performance’. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / MBL

The primary purpose of this research is to establish to what extent, if any Zimbabwean companies proactively align their IT strategy with the business strategy as a way of building and sustaining business competitive advantage. The research seeks to provide further insights into the business performance implications of the alignment between IT and business strategies. It also seeks to determine if there are any linkages between strategic alignment, IT managerial resources and IT effectiveness. Last but not least, it examines whether alignment directly leads to increased business performance which Sabherwal & Chan (2001) terms ‘perceived business performance’. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / MBL