ResearchSpace

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unlocking knowledge, empowering impact, and preserving UKZN's research legacy.


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Now showing 1 - 5 of 11

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Driving simplified multiple values of banking to varied stakeholders using digital technologies in a South African bank.
(2025) Ntsele, Sthembile Millicent.; MacDonald, Kanyangale.
South African banks face significant challenges in implementing digitalisation as a core strategy for delivering banking products and services to diverse stakeholders in a digital environment. This study adopted Strauss and Corbin’s (1990) version of grounded theory to develop a substantive grounded theory on the implementation of digitalisation as a strategy in a selected South African bank, based on the lived experiences of senior managers. Twenty-five senior managers with direct experience of the bank’s transition from traditional to digital banking were selected using purposive and theoretical sampling. Data were collected through 32 in-depth semi-structured interviews that captured critical incidents explaining the factors and processes of the transition, and were analysed using open, axial, and selective coding. The study developed a five-stage substantive grounded theory labelled “the digital wave of driving multiple values of banking services to varied stakeholders using digital technologies in a South African bank.” This theory illustrates an ambidextrous “digical” approach as the bank adopted a sensitive digital-first strategy for engagement while deliberately maintaining strong face-to-face client centricity. This ensured clients with unique difficulties or those unwilling to transact digitally were not left behind. In the first stage, the bank focused on identifying digital-enabling opportunities. In the second stage, employees and managers enacted internal and external value by enhancing performance through digital technologies, realigning HR activities, and empowering employees with improved integrated processes. The third stage involved managing a complex mix of positive and negative digital consequences for clients, employees, and banking and nonbanking partners. The fourth stage addressed transforming key challenges, such as employee and client resistance, streamlining organisational architecture for efficiency, and realigning supplier strategies with emerging digital needs. The overall consequence in the final stage was simplified yet had multiple values for varied stakeholders. Overall, the bank reaped the benefits of the “digital” approach, combining digital customer engagement with personal, consultative branch support, particularly for lower-end mass-market customers. The new substantive grounded theory of “digical banking” advocates this ambidextrous, integrative model. The theory provides practical guidance for bank leadership, managers, employees, and HR practitioners in navigating digital transformation and building ambidextrous leadership and digital capabilities.
Factors that determine support staff motivation, retention and organisational commitment at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2025) Dlamini, Allen Mandlenkosi.; Kubheka, Zamanguni Fortunate.
Support staff are integral to the functioning of higher education institutions, yet their motivation, retention, and organisational commitment often receive less attention compared to academic staff. This study explores the factors influencing support staff motivation, retention, and organisational commitment at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A qualitative research design was adopted, utilising semi-structured interviews to gain in-depth insights from ten support staff members across various roles. The purposive sampling ensured a diverse representation of support roles. Data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and themes related to staff motivation and performance, enabling the identification of recurring themes related to work environment, recognition, career development, workload and organisational support. Participants consistently emphasised the importance of transparent communication, a strong sense of belonging and responsive managerial support in cultivating loyalty to the institution. In contrast, factors such as inadequate remuneration, constrained upward mobility, inflexible institutional policies and bureaucratic inefficiencies were cited as key impediments that diminish morale and heighten turnover intentions. In response to these challenges, the study highlights the need for the University of KwaZulu-Natal to implement strategies that address the specific motivational factors of support staff. Enhancing professional development opportunities, recognising staff contributions and fostering a supportive organisational culture can improve retention and commitment. Addressing these areas may lead to increased job satisfaction and performance among support staff, contributing to the overall effectiveness of the university. This study provides a contextualised understanding of the motivation and retention factors within academic support settings. Moreover, it offers practical guidance for university management to improve staff satisfaction and commitment, with lessons that can also be useful for other higher education institutions and the education sector at large.
Beyond the glass: enhancing accessibility for visually impaired visitors to preserved exhibits at the KwaZulu-Natal Museum.
(2026) Shotolu, Paul.; Stewart, Michelle.; Velapi, Limo.
This study looked at how museum artefacts can be made accessible to people who are visually impaired. It focused on two Victorian insect models from the KwaZulu-Natal Museum and explored how they could be experienced through touch, sound, and language. The work drew on New Museology, Inclusive Design, and the Social Model of Disability to think about accessibility as both a design challenge and a social concern. A practice-led approach was used. The artefacts were scanned, modelled, and reproduced as tactile 3D prints. Braille labels and audio descriptions in both English and isiZulu were created to help participants interact with the models independently. Testing took place at the University of KwaZulu-Natal with three visually impaired participants. bservation, reflection, and questionnaires were used to record their responses. The findings showed that tactile and audio tools helped participants explore with confidence and interest. They valued the use of isiZulu and suggested small changes, such as adding clearer spatial cues. Overall, the project showed that inclusion improves through small, practical steps, teamwork, and user feedback. It also demonstrated how museums can share their collections in ways that feel welcoming and meaningful to all visitors.
Health data as a public good?
(2024) Khan, Juweriya.; Thaldar, Donrich Willem.; Edgcumbe, Aliki.
This dissertation critically analyses whether health data should be publicly owned in South Africa. South Africa is crumbling under a high rate of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes. Access to health data for research purposes could combat this problem. This is why it is essential to identify the private or public owners. Private owners may restrict data access, but solutions are available. Incorporating evidence from South African legislation, journal articles, academic textbooks, online sources, and international literature, it was found that single data instances of genomic data, a type of health data, can be controlled and owned privately by storing them on computer files. Therefore, they meet the property requirements of the common law. This fact has been disputed by the Academy of Science of South Africa, as it believes that health data should not be owned and should be treated as a natural resource, with the state as its custodian. This aligns with academics who support genomic sovereignty, where the state, group, or nation controls access to and use of a population's genetics. This approach was counterproductive to a public good objective of open science: sharing health data with the public without restriction in order to enhance research. This is because the state decides who gets access to the data, which will not be freely accessible. There are also administrative inefficiency issues and political interference risks with the state. Furthermore, the state will have to use many resources to expropriate the data from private owners and then compensate them. Therefore, the more straightforward approach of an open science policy for private entities is proposed.
A critical analysis of the constitutionality of section 68(1)(a)(i) of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995.
(2021) Makhathini, Blessing Sicelo.; Tenza, Mlungisi Ernest.
Abstract not available.