IT business consulting competencies to address business intelligence and analytics challenges in South African organisations
- Authors: Chatapura, Ruvimbo Faith
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Business enterprises Information technology South Africa , Business intelligence , Business analytics , Business consultants , Dynamic capabilities , Knowledge management
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/462680 , vital:76325
- Description: Background: In today's dynamic environment, the importance and popularity of business intelligence and analytics (BI&A) has increased due to the rise in big data being generated across the globe. BI&A is an essential emerging business competency area and dynamic capability that serves as an enabler for organisations to harvest value from their big data. When implemented correctly, BI&A is a powerful tool that leads to increased competitive advantage. However, organisations in South Africa are facing major challenges when it comes to adopting and harnessing it. As such, it is IT business consultants that South African organisations turn to for acquiring BI&A expertise. Objective: Using the Theory of Dynamic Capabilities as an underpinning lens, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relevant competencies IT business consultants need to address BI&A challenges in South African organisations. This study focuses on developing a BI&A competency framework based on these competencies that IT business consultants can consider when addressing the BI&A challenges in South African organisations. Methods: A qualitative research approach was utilised in this study by making use of an interpretive paradigm, abductive reasoning, qualitative description research strategy, as well as semi-structured interviews and questionnaires as data collection methods to elicit feedback on this study’s BI&A competency framework. Content analysis was conducted to categorise and code the interview data, and descriptive analysis was conducted to rank the competencies in order of relevance. Findings: It was found that the relevant business competencies to consider are business acumen, industry knowledge and strategic conceptual abilities. The relevant technical competencies are categorised into three categories: analytical skills (logical thinking, problem-solving, statistical analysis and what-if analysis), data engineering (data modelling skills, data warehousing, database management, data governance, data interpretation, data stewardship, data visualisation tools and data processing languages) and supplementary skills (project management, consulting skills and artificial intelligence). The relevant values and behavioural competencies to consider are integrity, communication, teamwork, resilience, commitment, creativity, emotional intelligence, humility, behavioural analysis, curiosity, leadership and social intelligence. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Information Systems, 2024
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2024-10-11
- Authors: Chatapura, Ruvimbo Faith
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Business enterprises Information technology South Africa , Business intelligence , Business analytics , Business consultants , Dynamic capabilities , Knowledge management
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/462680 , vital:76325
- Description: Background: In today's dynamic environment, the importance and popularity of business intelligence and analytics (BI&A) has increased due to the rise in big data being generated across the globe. BI&A is an essential emerging business competency area and dynamic capability that serves as an enabler for organisations to harvest value from their big data. When implemented correctly, BI&A is a powerful tool that leads to increased competitive advantage. However, organisations in South Africa are facing major challenges when it comes to adopting and harnessing it. As such, it is IT business consultants that South African organisations turn to for acquiring BI&A expertise. Objective: Using the Theory of Dynamic Capabilities as an underpinning lens, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relevant competencies IT business consultants need to address BI&A challenges in South African organisations. This study focuses on developing a BI&A competency framework based on these competencies that IT business consultants can consider when addressing the BI&A challenges in South African organisations. Methods: A qualitative research approach was utilised in this study by making use of an interpretive paradigm, abductive reasoning, qualitative description research strategy, as well as semi-structured interviews and questionnaires as data collection methods to elicit feedback on this study’s BI&A competency framework. Content analysis was conducted to categorise and code the interview data, and descriptive analysis was conducted to rank the competencies in order of relevance. Findings: It was found that the relevant business competencies to consider are business acumen, industry knowledge and strategic conceptual abilities. The relevant technical competencies are categorised into three categories: analytical skills (logical thinking, problem-solving, statistical analysis and what-if analysis), data engineering (data modelling skills, data warehousing, database management, data governance, data interpretation, data stewardship, data visualisation tools and data processing languages) and supplementary skills (project management, consulting skills and artificial intelligence). The relevant values and behavioural competencies to consider are integrity, communication, teamwork, resilience, commitment, creativity, emotional intelligence, humility, behavioural analysis, curiosity, leadership and social intelligence. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Information Systems, 2024
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2024-10-11
Exploring the leadership agility in industry 4.0 for company x in Gqeberha
- Authors: Cairncross, Merle Vera
- Date: 2023-12
- Subjects: Leadership -- South Africa , Industry 4.0 , Business intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65577 , vital:74193
- Description: In today’s dynamic business landscape, more organisations are progressively attempting to become agile by implementing agile corporate structures, processes and leadership frameworks. By effectively incorporating leadership agility into their processes, leadership can be better prepared to improve its decision-making agility, further able to deploy strategies for improved detection and response to failure as well as improve communication in the organisation. This treatise explores the critical role of leadership agility in enabling organisations to navigate the challenges of a rapidly evolving environment such as Industry 4.0 and capitalise on emerging opportunities. For this study, qualitative data was collected from functional level management by means of semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. The interviews aimed to identify behaviours and beliefs that contribute to an agile organisation, examine barriers impeding agile decision-making and explore strategies to cultivate an agile decision-making culture. By understanding the key factors that enable leadership agility and promote agility within decision-making processes, this research aimed to provide valuable insights for organisations seeking to thrive in the dynamic landscape of Industry 4.0. Through literature analysis and interviews, the researcher concluded that agile leaders possess crucial competencies and behaviours that allow them to effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0. These include effective communication, openness to change, innovative thinking, flexibility, self-management, developing others and organisational awareness. Agile leaders strategize and prepare their organisations in Industry 4.0 by adopting an adaptive leadership style, cultivating an agile decision-making culture, encouraging continuous improvement, promoting creativity and innovation and responding swiftly to changes, thus gaining a competitive edge in Industry 4.0. Embracing leadership agility enables organisations to capitalise on Industry 4.0’s opportunities and navigate its challenges, ultimately fostering a competitive business environment. By organising and synthesising the knowledge obtained in this study, a framework is proposed for agile leadership, which consolidates , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School , 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-12
- Authors: Cairncross, Merle Vera
- Date: 2023-12
- Subjects: Leadership -- South Africa , Industry 4.0 , Business intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65577 , vital:74193
- Description: In today’s dynamic business landscape, more organisations are progressively attempting to become agile by implementing agile corporate structures, processes and leadership frameworks. By effectively incorporating leadership agility into their processes, leadership can be better prepared to improve its decision-making agility, further able to deploy strategies for improved detection and response to failure as well as improve communication in the organisation. This treatise explores the critical role of leadership agility in enabling organisations to navigate the challenges of a rapidly evolving environment such as Industry 4.0 and capitalise on emerging opportunities. For this study, qualitative data was collected from functional level management by means of semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. The interviews aimed to identify behaviours and beliefs that contribute to an agile organisation, examine barriers impeding agile decision-making and explore strategies to cultivate an agile decision-making culture. By understanding the key factors that enable leadership agility and promote agility within decision-making processes, this research aimed to provide valuable insights for organisations seeking to thrive in the dynamic landscape of Industry 4.0. Through literature analysis and interviews, the researcher concluded that agile leaders possess crucial competencies and behaviours that allow them to effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0. These include effective communication, openness to change, innovative thinking, flexibility, self-management, developing others and organisational awareness. Agile leaders strategize and prepare their organisations in Industry 4.0 by adopting an adaptive leadership style, cultivating an agile decision-making culture, encouraging continuous improvement, promoting creativity and innovation and responding swiftly to changes, thus gaining a competitive edge in Industry 4.0. Embracing leadership agility enables organisations to capitalise on Industry 4.0’s opportunities and navigate its challenges, ultimately fostering a competitive business environment. By organising and synthesising the knowledge obtained in this study, a framework is proposed for agile leadership, which consolidates , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School , 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-12
A business intelligence framework for supporting strategic sustainability information management in higher education
- Authors: Haupt, Ross
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Business intelligence , Strategic planning -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5319 , vital:20832
- Description: In the higher education sector, a number of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are playing a leading role in promoting sustainable initiatives. Effectively managing these initiatives however can be a complex task and requires data and information from multiple aspects of operations. In an HEI, operating sustainably means ensuring financial sustainability, social sustainability, environmental sustainability and educational sustainability. In order to manage sustainability effectively, HEIs require an integrated tool that can provide information on all areas of sustainability. HEIs face a number of challenges in effectively managing sustainability information, such as siloed data and information, and poor sharing and communication of information. Business Intelligence (BI) can assist in overcoming many of the challenges faced by organisations in effectively managing strategic sustainability information. This study investigates both the constraints to effective sustainability information management and the challenges of BI. A BI framework to support effective strategic sustainability information management is proposed. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) is one such HEI, which is affected by the challenges of managing strategic sustainability information. NMMU is therefore used as a case study in this research. A BI solution, Sustainable BI, was developed based on the proposed framework. The main goal of sustainable BI is to provide strategic management at NMMU with a tool that can provide integrated sustainability information that can assist in overcoming the challenges in effectively managing strategic sustainability information. Sustainable BI was evaluated by strategic management at NMMU who are responsible for managing sustainability at NMMU. The evaluation took place through a usability study. The study revealed to what extent Sustainable BI could effectively manage strategic sustainability information at NMMU. The BI framework was iteratively improved on based on the results of the evaluations. The contributions from this study are a model for sustainability management, a BI Framework to support strategic sustainability information management and a BI solution, Sustainable BI.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Haupt, Ross
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Business intelligence , Strategic planning -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5319 , vital:20832
- Description: In the higher education sector, a number of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are playing a leading role in promoting sustainable initiatives. Effectively managing these initiatives however can be a complex task and requires data and information from multiple aspects of operations. In an HEI, operating sustainably means ensuring financial sustainability, social sustainability, environmental sustainability and educational sustainability. In order to manage sustainability effectively, HEIs require an integrated tool that can provide information on all areas of sustainability. HEIs face a number of challenges in effectively managing sustainability information, such as siloed data and information, and poor sharing and communication of information. Business Intelligence (BI) can assist in overcoming many of the challenges faced by organisations in effectively managing strategic sustainability information. This study investigates both the constraints to effective sustainability information management and the challenges of BI. A BI framework to support effective strategic sustainability information management is proposed. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) is one such HEI, which is affected by the challenges of managing strategic sustainability information. NMMU is therefore used as a case study in this research. A BI solution, Sustainable BI, was developed based on the proposed framework. The main goal of sustainable BI is to provide strategic management at NMMU with a tool that can provide integrated sustainability information that can assist in overcoming the challenges in effectively managing strategic sustainability information. Sustainable BI was evaluated by strategic management at NMMU who are responsible for managing sustainability at NMMU. The evaluation took place through a usability study. The study revealed to what extent Sustainable BI could effectively manage strategic sustainability information at NMMU. The BI framework was iteratively improved on based on the results of the evaluations. The contributions from this study are a model for sustainability management, a BI Framework to support strategic sustainability information management and a BI solution, Sustainable BI.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Critical factors for enabling knowledge sharing between government agencies within South Africa
- Authors: Mannie, Avain
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Administrative agencies , Knowledge management , Business intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DBA
- Identifier: vital:8822 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019699
- Description: Globally, organisations have recognised the strategic importance of knowledge management (KM) and are increasingly focusing their efforts on practices to foster the creation, sharing and integration of knowledge. Whilst most research in Knowledge Management (KM) has focused on the private sector, there is a breadth of potential applications of KM theory and practice for government agencies to adopt in search of resolving pertinent problems. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence the effectiveness of knowledge management towards collaborative problem solving in government. What is missing is research-based evidence of the factors that influence the main factors for knowledge sharing across government agencies. Given this gap, the researcher addresses the research question: In government agencies mandated to resolve issues of crime, what are the key factors required which support and influence the collaborative sharing culture? Upon analysing the data, the researcher found the following key factors as being determinants on knowledge management: organisational culture, learning organisation, collaboration, subject matter experts and trust. The two factors – organisational culture and learning organisation were identified as the most significant factors which lay as the root or core for the ‘knowledge tree’. Once these roots are in place, the other factors will gain their significance on knowledge management. These findings serve to extend the findings of the existing literature within the government sector. This study is important because the findings provide government agencies with critically important information to guide their actions towards ensuring a knowledge sharing culture is embedded in government. Whilst the empirical findings do not focus on databases or information technology specifically, it is important to acknowledge the use of both technology and people. The main concern is with managing an organisation’s knowledge assets: creating, storing, protecting, disseminating and using mission-critical knowledge. When people need knowledge, is it the right knowledge and is it timely and easy to locate and access? Is this precious commodity updated as learning occurs and better ways of doing things are discovered? The awareness of the value of knowledge to a business, coupled with its leadership, acts as an integrator that improves cross- functional communication and cooperation. Shared knowledge not only makes for a more effective, efficient and agile organisation, but creates a common perspective and culture that produces a natural consistency of successful decisions and actions. The collaborative knowledge tree model proposed in this study uses the analogy of a tree when viewing South African government agencies as the branches of a collective tree (government). This ‘tree’ requires leaders and policy making to ‘dig deep’ into understanding the roots of the tree in order to ensure that the appropriate ‘seeds’ are planted such that the tree grows and is able to provide the necessary fruit required. Ultimately, as suggested by former President Thabo Mbeki (2012) in his address, the role of knowledge would thus be seen as a collaborative means towards the betterment of society.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mannie, Avain
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Administrative agencies , Knowledge management , Business intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DBA
- Identifier: vital:8822 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019699
- Description: Globally, organisations have recognised the strategic importance of knowledge management (KM) and are increasingly focusing their efforts on practices to foster the creation, sharing and integration of knowledge. Whilst most research in Knowledge Management (KM) has focused on the private sector, there is a breadth of potential applications of KM theory and practice for government agencies to adopt in search of resolving pertinent problems. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence the effectiveness of knowledge management towards collaborative problem solving in government. What is missing is research-based evidence of the factors that influence the main factors for knowledge sharing across government agencies. Given this gap, the researcher addresses the research question: In government agencies mandated to resolve issues of crime, what are the key factors required which support and influence the collaborative sharing culture? Upon analysing the data, the researcher found the following key factors as being determinants on knowledge management: organisational culture, learning organisation, collaboration, subject matter experts and trust. The two factors – organisational culture and learning organisation were identified as the most significant factors which lay as the root or core for the ‘knowledge tree’. Once these roots are in place, the other factors will gain their significance on knowledge management. These findings serve to extend the findings of the existing literature within the government sector. This study is important because the findings provide government agencies with critically important information to guide their actions towards ensuring a knowledge sharing culture is embedded in government. Whilst the empirical findings do not focus on databases or information technology specifically, it is important to acknowledge the use of both technology and people. The main concern is with managing an organisation’s knowledge assets: creating, storing, protecting, disseminating and using mission-critical knowledge. When people need knowledge, is it the right knowledge and is it timely and easy to locate and access? Is this precious commodity updated as learning occurs and better ways of doing things are discovered? The awareness of the value of knowledge to a business, coupled with its leadership, acts as an integrator that improves cross- functional communication and cooperation. Shared knowledge not only makes for a more effective, efficient and agile organisation, but creates a common perspective and culture that produces a natural consistency of successful decisions and actions. The collaborative knowledge tree model proposed in this study uses the analogy of a tree when viewing South African government agencies as the branches of a collective tree (government). This ‘tree’ requires leaders and policy making to ‘dig deep’ into understanding the roots of the tree in order to ensure that the appropriate ‘seeds’ are planted such that the tree grows and is able to provide the necessary fruit required. Ultimately, as suggested by former President Thabo Mbeki (2012) in his address, the role of knowledge would thus be seen as a collaborative means towards the betterment of society.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
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