Thesis (MBA) -- Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mobile business, through the use of enabling technologies such as cellular phones, 3G
data cards, and wireless technology. is set to provide businesses in South Africa not
only with ways of improving their efficiency, but ultimately offer them ways of utilising
the fast growing technologies in such a way that it enables them to outmanoeuvre their
opposition. With such fast and continuous change comes a possible drawback, being
the inability to implement specific technology before it is again outdated by newer,
better, cheaper, and more expectant alternatives. South Africa is generally not seen as
being at the forefront of the development of mobile and wireless technologies, and as
such is not regarded as one of the early adopters such as the typical Asian, USA, and
European markets are.
This research study sets out to answer the question to what extent larger South African
organisations are aware, ready, and willing to embrace and implement the various
elements of mobile business into their business models and strategies. In doing so the
reporl details the wide variety of enabling technologies available in South Africa. It
further goes on to evaluate the South African mobile market and provide a crosssectional
view of the current state of mobility in the country. A review is also provided
on the most typical types of mobile applications and ways in which mobility is
incorporated in the business value chain.
The empirical research utilised a self-administered online questionnaire, which was sent
to a random selection of companies from those listed on the Johannesburg Securities
Exchange (JSE). In total 313 companies were selected and contacted through e-mail
solicitation. Endeavours were made to identify the most suitable contact person
responsible for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in each firm and,
although this was not achieved in all cases, it was possible in by far the majority of the
cases.
Although the response rate was lower than hoped for, the analysis of the results
provided a list of implications for managers that no company who wishes to maximise
the potential benefits from the incorporation of mobile technologies, should ignore.
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
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The research shows that cellular phones and laptops remain the most widely deployed
existing technologies. These technologies can be regarded as the essential mobile
technologies today. The adoption of 3G technology is further spreading fast and is set
to overtake current leader GPRS. On the other side of the scale Bluetooth technology
is appearing to become outdated as wireless LAN and Wi-Fi are starting to overtake it
as the network standard of choice. Corporate SMS, push e-mail, mobile
synchronisation, and VolP are the clear application leaders and are most widely
implemented as companies attempt to achieve competitive advantages through their
use.
An element of possible concem is the fact that senior management enjoys access to the
majority of mobile enabling technologies with the distribution significantly distorted in
terms of its use by saleslfield staff. It was further evident that operations, as a primary
business function in the value chain, enjoy the highest integration of mobile
technologies. Opportunity exists to improve efficiency in logistics.
Important emerging technologies that were identified are VoIP, converging
communication, mobile VPN access, 3G(HSDPA}, Wi-Fi, remote security and
monitoring, Instant Messaging, and communication enabled applications. Technology
leaders should investigate these technologies set to play major roles in the industry in
future.
In the technologically advanced world today, and more specifically in South Africa,
organisations can ill afford not to embrace the mobile phenomenon. Withhout searching
for innovative ways of incorporating mobile technology across all business functions,
companies could find themselves losing ground. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Mobiele besigheid, deur die gebruik van mobiele tegnologiee soos sellulere telefone,
3G data kaarte, en koordlose tegnologie, bied aan Suid-Afrikaanse firmas die vermoe
om hul effektiwiteit te verbeter en verskaf ook maniere om die snel-groeiende
tegnologiee op so 'n manier te benut om 'n mededingende voordeel oor hulle opposisie
te verkry. Ongelukkig veroorsaak die snelle groei van die industrie sekere
komplikasies. Die vemaamste hiervan is dikwels die onverrnoe om spesifieke
tegnologiee te implementeer voordat dit verouderd raak as gevolg van nuwe, beter, en
goedkoper tegnologiese alternatiewe in die wereldmark. Verder word Suid-Afrika oor
die algemeen nie gesien as een van die leiers op die gebied van mabiele en koordlose
tegnologie ontwikkeling nie en word as sodanig nie geklassifiseer as 'n vroee aannemer
van tegnologie soos tipiese markte in Asia, Amerika, en Europa nie.
Hierdie navorsingstuk ondersoek die vraag tot watter mate groter Suid-Afrikaanse
maatskappye bewus, gereed, en bereid is om die verskeie elemente van mabie Ie
besigheid aan te neem en in hul besigheidsmodelle en strategiee te implementeer. Die
skryfstuk rapporteer sodoende ook detail aangaande die wye spektrum van mobiele
tegnologiee wat in Suid Afrika beskikbaar is. Hierna word die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse
mobiele mark ontleed en word 'n oorsig verskaf van die mees tipiese mabie!e
toepassings en maniere waardeur mobiliteit in die besigheids waardeketting
ge'inkorporeer word.
Die empiriese navorsing het gebruik gemaak van 'n self geadministreerde aanlyn
vraelys wat gestuur is aan 'n groep arbitrer geselekteerde maatskappye wat op die
Johannesburgse Sekuriteite Beurs (JSB) genoteer is. Daar is in totaal 313 maatskappye
deur middel van e-pos versoeke gekontak. Stappe is gevolg om die mees geskikte
persona te identifiseer wat verantwoordelik is vir die lnformasie en Kommunikasie
Tegnologie van elke maatskappy. Alhoewel dit nie prakties vennag is nie, is die persone
in verreweg die meeste van die gevalle direk gekontak.
Ten spyte van die responskoers wat laer was as wat verwag is, bied die analise van die
resultate 'n Iys van implikasies wat geen maatskappy, wat poog om die potensiiile
voordele as gevolg van die benutting van mobiele besigheid te maksimeer, behoort te
ignoreer nie.
Die navorsing toon dat sellulere telefone en skootrekenaars die bestaande te9nologie8
is wat steeds die wydste gebruik word, en 'n mens kan hulle daarom beskou as die
essensiele mobiele tegnologiee van die dag. Verder word getoon dat die aanneming
van 3G tegnologie besig is om vinnig uit te brei en sodoende GPRS begin verbysteek.
Aan die ander kant van die skaal blyk dit dat Bluetooth tegnologie besig om uit te sak
teenoor koordlose LAN en Wi-Fi, wat meer en meer as die netwerk standaard van
voorkeur gesien word. Korporatiewe kort boodskappe, bediener gedrewe e-pos,
mobiele sinkronisasie, en Intemet!elefonie (VoIP) is die duidelike toepassing voorlopers
en geniet die wydste vlakke van implementering.
'n Element wat moontlik kommerwekkend is, is die feit dat topbestuur toegang tot die
meeste mobiele tegnologie geniet met 'n skewe verdeling in terme van die gebruik
daarvan deur veld en verkoopspersoneel. Dit is verder duidelik dat die operasionele
afdelin9. as een van die primere besigheidsaktiwiteite, die hoogste integrasie van
mobiele tegnologie geniet. Daar bestaan egter geleenthede om effektiwiteit in ander
afdelings, soos byvoorbeeld logistiek, te verbeter.
Belangrike ontluikende tegnologiee wat ge"identifiseer is, is Intemet!elefonie (VoIP),
konvergerende kommunikasie, mobiele virtuele private netwerk (VPN) toegang,
3G(HSDPA), Wi-Fi, afstand sekuriteit en monitering, kits boodskappe, en toepassings
programmatuur met kommunikasie vermoens. Tegnologie leiers behoort hierdie
te9nol09ie8 te ondersoek aangesien dit gerat is am 'n daadwerklik invloed op die
industrie uit te oefen.
In die hedendaagse tegnologies ontwikkelde wereld, en ook spesifiek in Suid Afrika,
word dit al hoe duideliker dat organisasies dit nie meer kan bekostig om die mobiele
verskynsel te ignoreer nie. Maatskappye mag weliswaar vind dat hul groei belemmer
word sander die gedurige soeke na innoverende maniere om mabiele te9nol09ie in aile
fasette van die organisasie te inkorporeer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20754 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Kirsten, Etienne |
| Contributors | Fourie, L. C. H., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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