D. Tech (Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / Only one in ten newly established business enterprises survive for longer than ten years in the business environment. The reasons behind the failures of these small enterprises include the lack of access to financing, lack of financial and managerial skills, lack of expertise, as well as economic factors such as poor sales and weak growth prospects. The new norm in industry requires organisations to have a remarkable amount of agility to survive and succeed. This is important in South African SMEs given their significant contributions to the national economy. A major research gap exists, which pertains to the scant evidence of studies that focus on the influence of organisational agility on business performance of small to medium enterprises in South Africa. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of organisational agility on business performance in small to medium enterprises in the Gauteng province. Using a quantitative approach and a cross-sectional survey research design, a structured questionnaire was administered to 564 randomly selected owner-managers of small to medium enterprises in the Gauteng province. Questionnaire items were adapted from previously validated scales. Simple descriptive statistics in the form of percentages and mean scores were utilised in testing the perceptions of respondents towards organisational agility, its sub-elements and business performance. Hypotheses were tested using the structural equation modelling approach, which was conducted after implementing a confirmatory factor analysis to test the psychometric properties of the measurement scales. The results of the study show that owners and managers of small and medium enterprises perceived that the performance of their organisations was satisfactory in terms of technology capability, collaborative innovation, organisational learning, internal alignment, organisational agility and business performance. Upon testing the hypotheses, positive and significant relationships were observed between organisational agility and its four dimensions, namely technology capability, collaborative innovation, organisational learning and internal alignment. In turn, organisational agility exerted a significant and positive influence on business performance. The results of the study imply that the performance of small to medium enterprises can be improved significantly through adjustments to organisational agility and its subdimensions. This study is important in that its results can be applied to assist small to medium enterprises to survive and succeed in today’s turbulent and tomorrow’s dynamic operational environments, where agile organisational abilities are required.

This doctoral study examines whether MFIs in Ethiopia have developed the managerial readiness to face emerging threats and seize the opportunities within the context of unpredictable changes and turbulences. The interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA) has been used to collect, shape, and interpret the lived experiences, intuitions, and insights of 10 CEOs of MFIs. The data were interpreted using the double hermeneutic and analysed through the lenses of the theory of organisational agility and the Cynefin framework to make decisions. The premise of this study is that MFIs without agile organisational capability may fail to prepare and respond to changes in the external environment. The study results show multiple impediments that restrict MFIs from being adaptive towards achieving double bottom lines, i.e., the creation of social and financial value. MFIs in Ethiopia suffer from “pain points” such as inflation, illiquidity, and turbulences. The challenges include: the weak governance practice of nominal shareholders, outdated decision-making processes causing delays, staff turnover reducing enterprising capacity, and MFIs lacking sufficient digital and technological infrastructure. The study found most MFIs are incapable of responding quickly and innovatively to seize opportunities or to overcome adversities. The conclusion is that MFIs in Ethiopia have inadequate agile organisational capability to make strategic choices and execute operational processes during multiple and complex changes. The findings of the research are important, and pertinent for a better understanding of the organisational agility of social enterprises. The study has provided five recommendations to enhance policies and practical actions to build the agile organisational capabilities of social enterprises.

No / With the advent and maturity of the internet, reverse electronic auctions (e-auctions) are now an important mechanism for public and private sector organisations, in the procurement of goods and services. Here, a novel link is made between reverse electronic auctions (e-auctions) and its potential impact on organisational agility, a link not previously developed in the literature. In this paper, we justify this relationship from a theoretical perspective. We investigate how information and internet technology impacts procurement, by an analysis and evaluation of the literature. E-auctions are reviewed and organisational agility defined; the advantages of agile management are also identified and the role that e-auctions can play in achieving this, discussed. Strategies for re-aligning reverse e-auctions in support of organisational agility are proposed and the advantages of this process discussed. Recommendations for future practice that will maximise the chances of realising agile systems management are also presented. Finally, areas for further research are identified.

Dans cette thèse, nous nous sommes intéressés à la gestion dynamique des processus métiers. L’objectif étant de permettre d’une part, une exécution robuste qui prend en compte la dynamicité des différents éléments de processus métiers. D'autre part l’objectif est aussi de gérer les processus en prenant en compte les compétences nécessaires à leurs exécutions. Ce travail de thèse s’appuie sur l’approche BPM et plus précisément à sa phase d’exécution. Dans un monde de travail turbulent et en constante évolution, on parle souvent de modèles adaptables ou adaptatifs, de modèles qui s’enrichissent à chaque exécution et ne suivent pas un modèle structuré et prédéfini tel que le cas du BPM (Business Process Management) classique. En effet, les outils d’automatisation des processus métiers actuels ont été conçus pour fournir un soutien aux acteurs impliqués pour répondre aux questions : Qu'est-ce qui doit être fait? Qui est en charge de le faire? Quand faut-il être effectué? La plupart du temps ces systèmes sont prescriptifs. Ainsi, les acteurs impliqués ne sont pas seulement supportés, ils sont forcés à effectuer les tâches dans des séquences spécifiées. De surcroit, un processus flexible c’est un processus capable de changer que les parties qui ont besoin d'être changées tout en gardant la stabilité de ses autres parties. Dans ce contexte, parmi les approche prometteuses, l’approche orientée services offre aux entreprises une modularité permettant de remplacer facilement un composant par un autre, de le réutiliser et d’étendre son objectif en lui ajoutant un autre composant. De ce fait, dans le but de supporter l’agilité des processus métiers, nous proposons une approche combinant les trois approches suivantes : l’approche BPM, la gestion des compétences et l'approche orientée service dans un environnement social supportant le travail collaboratif. / In the modern economy, creating agile business processes is one of the conditions to obtain/ maintain competitive advantage on the market. Efficient organizations need to ensure that their business processes are flexible so that these processes can easily accommodate changes in regulations and policies. Actually, the management of business processes is supported by the BPM (Business Process Management) approach. It addresses the management, transformation and improvement of organizational operations. Yet, actual BPM does not feature the means to have a continuous adaptation of their business processes and quick adjustment of their models and resources allocation to meet changing environmental conditions. In this thesis, we aim to support the agility of business processes to ensure a continuous adaptation to changes. The agility of business processes, combined with the agility of employees and that of information technology are prerequisites for achieving business agility. To support agility at IT level, we use the SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) approach. Indeed, the SOA can provide numerous benefits to the organization, enabling it to reduce complexity and increase flexibility through their reutilization and modularity features. Moreover, resources which are important assets in successful process’s implementation are widely supported with agile organization regarded as primordial factor for successful agility implementation. For this reason, we propose an approach that combines management of processes with the required skills to their execution and to better enhance the process flexibility we combine BPM with SOA in a social environment.

This study sought to establish the business strategies employed by Mobile Company X Zimbabwe (MCXZ) for it to survive the challenging economy. A qualitative research and a case-based approach involving MCXZ were used. Semi-structured interviews and secondary data were used to produce qualitative data and for triangulation of findings. Data was analysed and managed through qualitative coding and Atlas.ti program. The findings of the study showed that MCXZ employed growth business strategies through market penetration, product development, market development and strategic alliances. In addition, the study found that banking crisis, high competition, rapid technological changes, consumer preferences, shrinking markets and unfavourable government policies are the main threats in the challenging economy. However, MCXZ managed to survive and grow due to the integration of business strategies and the key success factors (KSF) in the industry. The KSF are organisational agility, research and development, quality and affordable mobile phones and effective after sales service and accessories. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)