M.B.A. / The aim of this research was to determine why information technology software projects fail in South Africa in order to determine whether there is a cause and cost similarity between international first world and South African IT Software Project failures. This research topic was primarily chosen because there is a lack of research on IT Software project failure in South Africa. The following objectives were defined to support the aim of the research: To ascertain project cost failure statistics sources internationally from relevant literature. To ascertain from literature what has been said about causes/reasons of project failure internationally. To ascertain South African IT Software Project failure statistics and reasons by means of a questionnaire. To determine whether the literature on international IT software project failure and South African IT software project failure compare. The research project was conducted amongst members of the Project Management Institute of South Africa (PMISA). In addition, companies that are not members of PMISA were also contacted and requested to respond to an e-mail questionnaire. It is interesting to note that one of the reasons for projects being challenged and cancelled, deals with, or is related to, requirements. Changing and / unclear user requirements was always listed in the top three reasons for projects being challenged and cancelled. The top three reasons listed by The Standish Group also lists changing and / unclear user requirements in the top three. This research would therefore suggest that effectively dealing with changing and / unclear user requirements would significantly increase project success. In conclusion, the comparison between South African companies and International companies revealed that the causes are for the most part the same, and the costs appear to be vastly different, but similar in trend. As is evident from the research literature, this research topic rarely studied, and therefore additional research can be done to explore this topic.

Globally, the art and the science of project management (PM) have contributed in no small measure to the advances in the delivery of Information Technology (IT) based solutions. In South Africa, it has been shown that IT projects are currently, generally performed in a basic, but rapidly maturing, project management environment. In order for the organization (or project environment) to mature, certain processes must first be institutionalised. These processes are identifiable by inspection of the standards that relate to PM in general (and to IT PM in particular) and by excluding the activities that relate to specific technologies and products. The remaining processes should therefore be applied to most (if not all) IT projects in SA most (if not all) of the time. These processes were identified and used to iteratively create a Project Management Framework that assists its target market in the following ways: • Simplify and facilitate project managers' access to a common set of PM processes and tools; • Promote the usage of best practices for PM for all projects, both simple and complex; • Increase the level of assured competence project managers bring to PM endeavours; • Establish a commonality of process and standardization of terminology within PM; and • Provide a common method of project progress tracking across the enterprise. The baseline version of this Framework is presented as a web tool, based on a body of research consisting of (1) the PMBOK® Guide processes, (2) some CMMISM process areas and (3) other authoritative, non-conflicting resources. The PMBOK® Guide is tailored for a sector, time and place, resulting in a unique approach to project management. This approach aims to benefit a community and open a new focus area for research within the profession. The target market for this product are those enterprises that are seeing the need for the benefits outlined above or who realise that the first step towards process improvement is a focus on project management. These range from organizations now commencing on the project management path to those who consider “management by projects” to be a strategic option for the organizational design of the company. The case study sites where the product has been implemented include banking / retail operation, a large mining company and a financial services consultancy. / Prof. L. Pretorius Prof. J.H.C. Pretorius

D. Ing. / The key objective of this thesis is clearly stated in its comprehensive title. In today’s fast moving, turbulent and highly competitive world, high tech companies and engineering-based organizations struggle possibly more than other businesses with the seemingly irrational, analogical events when most people in such organizations are rational, highly analytical persons. Value creation is one of the key objectives of modern high tech companies. Hence, the achievement of this ideal within the constraints and consideration of a myriad of factors requires a different approach and implies an ongoing transformation process which is not always based on rational aspects alone. If such a transformation is to be sustainable and takes place in a globally competitive framework, the approach has to be holistic and it has to consider many additional factors which tend to be considered as soft in the analytical world of high tech. The thesis formulates a management and leadership model which includes both the soft and hard factors in a comprehensive and collaborative manner. The model lends itself to understand and judiciously manipulate the dynamics of the high tech global business environment for sustained competitive advantage. The model recognizes and enables the manager and leader to address the many issues confronting them daily by giving a new strategic perspective with the help of sub-models. These sub-models form the anchors whereby a complex situation can be managed reasonably, effectively and hopefully wisely too. The suggested model is to a large degree independent of time and industry-space and is considered valid for a long time to come. Although aimed at providing a guideline at executive level of management in the high tech environment the suggested model is by no means limited to engineering nor is it limited to high tech companies. The framework and model anchors developed, are equally valid in other complexity-prone industries as can be confirmed by the author’s wide international practical experience in a number of industries, from Banking, Service provides, Health Systems, e-commerce, Petro-Chemical and others.

M. Ing. / In this modern era, times and technology are changing at an ever increasing rate. Along with these changes, various challenges are presented for the future of engineering in South Africa. Moreover, ways and means of innovatively supplying in the need for future scholars in engineering and science is crucial for the economic stability of South Africa. This dissertation examines a model for the effective management of a Mathematics Advancement Programme, utilising engineering management technology, for a community engagement project to innovatively create future engineering scholars for tertiary education institutions. Application of project management and control systems theory, while including some leadership concepts, is made in the operational structure of a Maths Advancement Programme. Control systems theory has been applied to project management in order to create a sustainable method of monitoring feedback in a triangulation sampling system. The combination of non-probability sampling and purpose sampling systems forms the basis of the triangulation system. Evidence is presented regarding the findings on how effective the training of facilitators, in terms of leadership, was in comparison to other similar projects. Engineering Management Technology was used to practically run a community education project, this process clearly helped to establish improved results in mathematics and a renewed interest in engineering and science. It is also suggested that Control Systems related to project management and decision making should be researched further; in order to obtain greater benefits from the collaboration of these two areas of knowledge.

M.Comm. / In hierdie studie is daar gekyk na aspekte van bestuur in stelselingenieurswese. Ondersoek is ingestel na wat stelsels en stelselingenieurswese is, en waarom die bestuur van 'n stelselingenieursfunksie anders is as die bestuur van 'n funksionele lynfunksie. Sekere metodes en hulpmiddels is ook bespreek wat die projekbestuurder kan help in die uitvoering van sy taak. Hoofstuk twee handel oor stelsels en die begrip stelselingenieurswese. Hierdie hoofstuk dien as agtergrond vir hoofstukke drie en vier, wat handel oor bestuursaspekte in stelselingenieurswese. Die volgende afleidings oor die eienskappe van stelsels word in hoofstuk twee gemaak • 'n SteIsel bestaan uit verskillende komponente 'n Stelsel het 'n inset, uitset, en beheermeganisme Die komponente van 'n stelsel is op 'n funksionele wyse van mekaar afhanklik. Die eienskappe en gedrag van elke komponent in die stelsel het 'n irrvioed op die eienskappe en gedrag van die stelsel as 'n geheel. Daar is 'n spesifieke doelwit of funksie wat deur die stelsel bereik moet word.

D.Phil. / South Africa’s SMMEs are characterised by, among other challenges, poor management, poor entrepreneurial performance and low global competitiveness. The Global Entrepreneurial Monitor (GEM) reported that South Africa ranks low in terms of global competitiveness. This study evaluated the management performance of small, micro- and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs) in the South African building construction industry, the third largest employer in South Africa. The main research aim was to find the reasons for the poor management performance of the building construction industry SMMEs and to make recommendations to improve the management performance of these SMMEs. International management performance models were analysed to select an appropriate model to evaluate the respondents’ management performance. The South African Excellence Model (SAEM) was deemed the most appropriate and was selected and used as research instrument. The researcher selected an evaluative, comparative design for the study. A two-part questionnaire was used for data collection. “Part 1” questionnaire profiled the sampled SMMEs to identify independent variables that influenced their management performance. The self-assessment performance measurement questionnaire (“Part 2” questionnaire) evaluated their management performance. The results of the study were twofold. Firstly, the mean-ranking results that ranked the eleven management performance criteria were tested for equality. Management performance criteria that showed low mean ranks were reasons for the respondents’ poor management performance. Secondly, independence tests identified the factors that influenced the SMMEs’ management performance. The greatest deficiency in terms of management performance was lack of social responsibility amongst SMMEs. The second largest deficiency occurred at business processes, followed by the planning and strategy, people management, and people satisfaction criteria. The most sufficient criterion was customer satisfaction, followed by leadership, customer and market focus, resources and information management and lastly supplier and partnership performance criteria. Hypothesised reasons for the respondents’ poor management performance were tested statistically. Of the five independent variables tested to determine whether they significantly improved the respondents’ management performance, education and technical skills training significantly improved the management performance. Age, gender and race of owner-managers, however, did not. The study recommends strengthening the SACEM by introducing financial management criteria and benchmarking SMMEs’ management performance with industry and world-class best practice. The study found that management performance criteria that showed low scores (social responsibility, business processes, and planning and strategy) require urgent intervention.

M.Ing. / Many small emerging engineering companies, in especially South Africa, employ only a single engineer (this is mainly due to the shortages of qualified engineering staff). The engineers in many small engineering companies find themselves in the situation where they are responsible for many areas and fields, from design, management and in some cases finances too. This leaves very little time to plan projects with the detailed attention that each and every project requires no matter how small or large. It was the famous and true words of Harvey MacKay, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”, that if any project is undertaken without planning is going to fail on some level. It is undertaken, in this dissertation, to investigate the classical project management process and to ascertain the possibility of simplifying this process so that engineers in small engineering companies have an effective project management process that is economically feasible and will fit into already tight project time lines. A survey was conducted in order to get a good understanding of how project management is viewed in small engineering companies. The results of the survey support the theory that project management in small engineering companies is sadly lacking, and is viewed as an expense rather than a tool. Two case studies were performed; these highlight the value of project management. Initially poor project management leads to successful although late projects; with an improvement of the project breakdown structure and improved project management skills the second case study had some very surprising results. Finally the conclusion highlights that project management has very positive impacts on even the smallest of projects. Unfortunately there are no shortcuts when it comes to project management and what you put in is what you can expect to get out.

M.Ing. / Change is an every day occurrence in any environment, especially in the technology market, where technology doubles approximately every 10 years [1]. Therefore it is of utmost importance that this change should be managed for any organization to maintain its respective market position. For most industrial products that are introduced into the market it is essential for those products to be able to change to fit the expected technical changes that will transpire. These changes take place because of the demand those consumers that use the technology place on the market. Thus the value of customer service is irrefutable, and it should be addressed accordingly. In the development phase it is thus important to design the product with future change in mind to cope with the demands that consumers place on one's product. Placement of a control system in the industrial market should be done ingeniously to be able to stay in the specified market and cope with change. The Delta V, an advanced control system, is one such product that is positioned in the market in an intelligent manner [21]. To be able to do the right positioning one needs expert engineering management skills to be able to remain in the market and not sta~ate in this constantly changing technical environment. Engineering management should take a holistic interest in the global markets since most technical products are active in these global markets. Support is seen as a global competitive aspect of a product's success or failure. Management skills in this market place are thus one of the strongest advantages an engineering organization can have which in return can prove a significant difference in the organizations survival. Thus securing the edge that any organization wants and strives for to be one step in front of its competitors. As such the purpose of this research is then to present aspects of positioning and support of an engineering product via a case study in an integrated fashion.

M.Ing. / Broadly speaking, the world in which we live exhibits complex interactions of multivariate and multidimensional parameters that are implemented by organizations in a global organizational space. Within this space exists numerous organizations in various disciplines and with various objectives, save the common objective of survival. These organizations compete in the environment created by this space, consuming energy, labour and raw materials from the environment and producing energy, finished products and waste back into the environment. The optimization of the operation, structure and existence of each organization in organizational space allows for a structured approach to symbiotic survival and the common achievement of a multitude of organizational objectives; providing for the avoidance of the depletion or extinction of resources, materials and energies within the space. If the world as we know it holds organizational space as one of its facets, then the global system is at the mercy of the operations of each organization, amongst others. The world then contains the embodiment of each system in some or other dimension. It allows for the training of the mind of the set of human systems to seek out that which allows for the progression of the common interest of the global system and thus the survival of each system it contains, ultimately leading to its own survival. Engineering management allows for the formalization of a relationship between two disciplines that can greatly impact the operation of the global system. It is not true that this is the most important of all disciplines; but what can be said to be true is that successful completion of the objectives of each discipline allows for the achievement of the overall system objectives. Together with all other disciplines, engineering management calls for both the consideration of organizational space as a whole and the consideration of each organization within the space. The consideration of all organizations as an open, selfcontained system allows for the satisfaction of the latter consideration by finding the solution to the question: “If I was a system, how would I want to be controlled and optimized?” An organizational system contains a set of components, inputs, energies, processes and outputs in one or other formation. Probably one of the most important elements of the component set is the set of human beings – a component which exhibits nonlinear and time variant response characteristics. The successful modeling and optimization of a system as a whole requires the modeling of each component and process, and that which poses the greatest difficulty is the human, perhaps because the one responsible for the modeling is itself a component of the same set. Viewed in light of the greater system, the author is simply a member of the component set of an academic organization interacting within the global organizational space, and this is the accumulation of the research that I respectfully present.

This dissertation is an examination of the Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) philosophy. The dissertation approach is to analyse the BPR philosophy through segmenting it into seven critical elements. These are elements that needs to be in place to ensure BPR success. Some of the critical elements are sub-components of BPR, while some others, such as the Balanced Scorecard and Project Management, are similar management philosophies that compliment the BPR approach. The seven elements examined are: 1. The identification of Economic Value Adding opportunities of Business Process Re¬engineering. 2. Aligning Business Process Re-engineering initiatives with organisational strategy by means of the Balanced Scorecard. 3. The utilisation of Best Practices and Benchmarks during the Business Process Re-engineering effort. 4. The utilization of Best Practices and Benchmarks during the Business Process Re-engineering effort. 5. Project Management techniques applicable to Business Process Re-engineering projects. 6. Implementation Drivers that helps ensure the success of Business Process Re-engineering. 7. Capturing of Business Process Re-engineering designs in Business Architectures. By no means are these the only elements involved in BPR, but it does form an essential structure for it. None of these elements are ground breaking new research subjects, although most of them are very topical in the business world at the turn of the millennium, and some are still going through growth pains in terms of practical validation. The scope of explanation for these BPR elements is kept at a practical and understandable level, with some deep drills into detail. The main objective of this dissertation is to offer a group of elements that can be used as a whole, or as selective tools during any type of Business Process Re-engineering effort. All these elements will be referenced against experiences from the industry in the form of an actual Business Process Re-engineering project that incorporated all these elements and results from their use. The dissertation deliverable is a usable composition of elements, or a BPR toolbox that can be used by Business Process Re-engineering practitioners as an aid in their efforts. / Dissertation (M Eng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Industrial and Systems Engineering / unrestricted