Browsing by Author "Williamson, Mervywn Kenneth."

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The effect of personal, contextual and motivational factors on research productivity among academic staff at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2011) Naidoo, Jarrod Emlyn.; Williamson, Mervywn Kenneth.
Abstract available in PDF file.
Factors affecting employment equity in the eThekwini Municipality, Durban, South Africa.
(2020) Makhanya, Thabile.; Williamson, Mervywn Kenneth.; Ayandibu, Ayansola Olatunji.
Abstract available in PDF.
Investigating predictors for the successful implementation of open innovation: a case of small and medium enterprises in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa=Ukuphenya iziqaguli ekuqalisweni ukusebenza okunempumelelo kombonokuziqambela ovulekile: Okucwaningwayo amabhizinisi amancane namaphakathi KwaZulu-Natali, eNingizimu Afrika.
(2022) Hlatywayo, Victor.; Williamson, Mervywn Kenneth.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a major role in South Africa’s economic growth. These entities are faced with managerial issues that pose dangers to their survival. Open innovation (OI) emerged as a critical business strategy used predominately by large businesses to improve performance. It is defined as a distributed innovation process based on purposively managed knowledge flows across organisational boundaries, using pecuniary and nonpecuniary mechanisms compatible with the organisation’s business model. Studies shows that the OI concept is not widely used by SMEs in South Africa. Specifically, the study aimed at understanding whether internal knowledge, external knowledge, and strategic networks influence the successful implementation of OI in SMEs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A case study approach was used to study SMEs in Pietermaritzburg. Convergent parallel mixed methods approach was adopted where qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data. Purposive and convenience sampling were utilised as non-probability approaches to select participants from a sample of 260 SMEs owners, managers/supervisors, and employees. The findings indicated that there is correlation between internal knowledge, external knowledge, and strategic networks in influencing the successful implementation of OI in SMEs. The findings also identified dominant factors that affect full adaptation of OI by SMEs. The factors include lack of leadership, adaptation capacity, patent and motivation issues, lack of finance, and lack of collaboration. Given the findings of this study, SMEs are encouraged to embrace OI principles where collaborative and strategic partnerships are formed with other businesses to complement internal innovation processes for sustainable growth. Further research should be done to identify strategic and sustainable partnership models for the application of OI in SMEs. Government and policy makers are encouraged to craft and enact policies that incentivise and encourage SMEs partnerships through OI initiatives. Given the inter-relationships between internal knowledge, external knowledge, and strategic networks in predicting successful application of OI in SMEs, the study encourages SMEs owners to adopt OI to deal with failure rate and improve their innovation processes. Embracing OI will assist SMEs deal with sustainability issues as innovative processes and new partnerships are forged to boost operations. Iqoqa: Isendlalelo: Amabhizinisi amancane namaphakathi (ama-SME) abamba iqhaza elikhulu ekukhuleni komnotho eNingizimu Afrika. Lezi zingxenye zibhekene nezindaba zezimenenja ezibeka engozini ukusimama kwazo. IOpen Innovation (i-OI) iqubuka njengemiqondosu yebhizinisi elibucayi esetshenziswa ikakhulukazi emabhizinisini amakhulu ukuphucula insebenzo. Ucwaningo lukhombisa ukuthi umqondomsuka we-OI awusetshenziswa kakhulu ama-SME eNingizimu Afrika. Inhloso yocwaningo: Kunesidingo esinentshisekelo esicwaninga iziqaguli zokuqalisa ukusebenza okunempumelelo ze-OI kuma-SME KwaZulu-Natali, eNingizimu Afrika. Ikakhulukazi, ucwaningo luhlose ukuba kube nokuqonda ukuthi ulwazi lwangaphakathi, ulwazi lwangaphandle, nobuxhakaxhaka bemiqondosu enomthelela ekuqaliseni ukusebenza okuyimpumelelo kwe-OI kuma-SME KwaZulu-Natali, eNingizimu Afrika. Umumosakhiwo/Indlelakwenza ucwaningo/ Indlelasu: Indlelasu yocwaningonto yasetshenziswa ukubheka i-SME eMgungundlovu. Indlelasu yezindlelakwenza ucwaningo eziyindlelangxube eyinguqulakuqondanisa lapho kwasetshenziswa khona izindlela zekhwalithethivu nekhwantithethivu ukuqoqa imininingo. Kwathathwa amasampula ahlosiwe nasebenza ngendlela ngoba izindlelasu ezingaqaguleki zikhetha ababambiqhaza esampuleni elinabanikazi bama-SME abangama-260, izimenenja/izinduna, nabasebenzi. Imiphumela/Okutholakele: Okutholakele kukhombise ukuthi kunokuxhumana phakathi kolwazi lwangaphakathi, ulwazi lwangaphandle, nobuxhakaxhaka bemiqondosu enomthelela ekuqaliseni ukusebenza ngempumelelo ye-OI yama-SME. Okutholakele kuphinde kwakhombisa izinto eziqonelayo ezinomthelela wenguqulasimo egcwele ye-OI yama-SME. Izinto zifaka ukungabibikho kobuholi, umthamokukwazi ukufukamela, iphethenti nezindaba zokugqugquzela, ukuntuleka kwezimali, nokuncipha kwensebenziswano. Izincomo: Uma kubukwa okutholakele kulolu cwaningo, ama-SME agqugquzelwa ukuba afukamele imigomo ye-OI lapho ukubambisana kwensebenzelwanondawonye enomqondosu kwakhiwa namanye amabhizinisi ukunezezela izinhlelokusebenza nemizamokwakha yangaphakathi ukuba kube nokukhula okusimeme. Ucwaningo olwengeziwe kumele lwenziwe ukuhlonza amamodeli obambiswano olusimeme lokufaka izicelo ze-OI kuma-SME. Uhulumeni nabenzi bezinqubomgomo bagqugquzelwa ukwakha nokumisa izinqubomgomo ezifaka uxhaso nezigqugquzela ubambiswano lwama-SME ngemizamomibono ye-OI. Izinkomba zobumenenja: Uma kubhekwa ubudlelwano phakathi kolwazi lwangaphakathi, ulwazi lwangaphakathi, nobuxhakaxhaka obunemiqondosu ekuqaguleni ukufaka isicelo esiyimpumelelo se-OI kwi-SME, ucwaningo lugqugquzela abanikazi bama-SME ukuba kwemukelwe i-OI ukubhekana nesikalosilinganiso sokungaphumeleli nokuphucula izinhlelokusebenza kwemizamokusebenza. Ukufukamela i-OI kuzosiza ama-SME abhekane nezindaba zokusimama njengezinhlelokusebenza zemizamokwakhiwa nobumbanokubambisana olusha lwenziwelwa ukufukula imisebenzi. Amabinzana asemqoka: Ulwazi lwangaphandle; ulwazi lwangaphakathi; imizamokwenza evulelekile; ama-SME; ubuxhakaxhaka obunemiqondosu
Participation of employees in decision-making in public enterprises : a case study of Rwandan communication enterprises.
(2004) Jules, Rubyutsa Muragizi.; Williamson, Mervywn Kenneth.
This study aims to determine the state of employee participation in decision-making within the public enterprises of communication in Rwanda. More particularly, it is aimed at mapping out the extent of employee participation in the decision-making process in this area, to identify whether employees desire to participate in decision-making and to find out whether they would prefer to participate directly or act through a representative. It also aims to determine the form(s) of participation practised in the public enterprises of communication, to identify impediments to the participation of employee in decision-making and based on the results suggest recommendations in order to further promote employee participation in the decision-making procedure within this area. The research focuses on employee participation in the decision-making process in the public enterprises of communication in Rwanda. A questionnaire related to employee participation in decision-making was administered to a sample of 96 employees, but only 82 employees filled and returned the questionnaire. Various data analyses techniques were performed measure the state of employee participation in decision-making in general, and the extent of employee participation in the decisionmaking procedure within the public enterprises of communication in Rwanda in particular. The results revealed that the degree of employee participation in decision-making is very low and only senior managers (department managers) have access or rights to participate in the decision-making process. However, those who do not have opportunities to influence decisions made at the workplace manifest a great desire to participate in the decision-making process, and for a considerable number, this tends to be concerned with decisions daily affecting their own job. It was noted that the main obstacles to the participative process within the public companies of communication in Rwanda are the following: a lack of interest, a lack of initiative and support to the participation process from the government, an authoritarian approach via centralisation system of authority and control, managers especially general directors who are unwilling to share decision-making power with employees, manager's enterprise hesitates to accept employees as valuable partners in making decisions, and inadequate understanding of employees concerning their new roles in management of their enterprises. Therefore, employees did not recognise an educational level as an obstacle to their participation.
Perceptions and experiences of organisational misfit : a grounded theory study of South African employees.
(2013) Williamson, Mervywn Kenneth.; Coldwell, David A. L.
Research into person-environment fit has focused on fit and the many positive benefits that have been associated with achieving high fit. Misfit on the other hand, has been given scant attention. To date, not much is known about what exactly misfit is and how individuals experience this phenomenon at work. Moreover, there has been a paucity of studies that have explored misfit in countries outside of North America, the United Kingdom and Western Europe. This study aimed to address this gap in the literature by exploring how South African employees perceive and experience misfit at work. A further objective was to develop a theoretical model that explains the processes of becoming a misfit, its antecedents, coping behaviours and consequences. The study embraced a qualitative research design using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Following a theoretical sampling process, a sample of 40 employees was selected and subjected to in-depth, face-to-face interviews in which they were asked to relate their experiences of misfitting in the South African organisational context. The findings were reported in relation to five guiding research questions. South African employees displayed a unique understanding of what misfit is when compared with certain Western Countries, thus lending support to the notion of a context-specific or cultural element in perceptions and experiences of the phenomenon. Misfit was perceived as both an internal psychological experience and an outward assessment of an individual based on external characteristics such as demographics. Participants emphasised race and gender as the major causal factors of misfit in the South African workplace. An unexpected finding emanating from this research was that a person’s HIV/Aids status was not considered a significant factor in influencing their sense of misfit. Generally, misfit was perceived to have a deleterious effect on both the individual employee and the organisation. On discovering that they did not fit in, South African employees do not immediately leave the organisation for fear of being permanently without a job as a result of the high unemployment rate in the country. Instead, they remained and engaged in a variety of coping behaviours to deal with the condition. It was strongly emphasised that exiting the organisation was deemed to be the last resort. This study further unearthed a wide range of strategies and interventions that South African managers could use to effectively manage their misfitting employees in order to creatively harness their potential. The emergent theoretical framework, entitled “a model of employee misfit” describes the processes of becoming a misfit, its causes, coping behaviour and consequences. The findings of this study make a significant contribution to misfit research, theory and practice.
The role of knowledge sharing in raising service delivery awareness: a case of Mayville, Durban.
(2023) Mabunda, Tebogo Darlynn.; Williamson, Mervywn Kenneth.; Kubheka, Zamanguni Fortunate.
It has been determined that knowledge sharing is the fundamental method for managing knowledge. The goal of this research was to investigate the role of knowledge sharing behaviour in the Mayville Community. Evidence suggests that knowledge sharing from government departments to the communities has been limited over the years in Ward 29 of the Mayville Community, which was used as a reference point for this study. Four objectives were formulated and achieved in this study. The objectives were: to determine the motivational factors influencing knowledge sharing, establish the relationship between indigenous knowledge and knowledge sharing behaviour, examine the association between knowledge shared through information and communication technology (ICT), and awareness about service delivery. Additionally, this research contributed to the body of knowledge on information sharing between Government agencies and the communities they serve. In this study, both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were employed as this study utilised mixed research methods. For data collection, a simultaneous mixed method approach was adopted. The numerical data were gathered through structured surveys, while the qualitative data was gathered using an interview schedule that was semi-structured. The population surveyed consisted of 1 councillor, 20 community liaisons and 316 community members from Ward 29 of the Mayville Community. The Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 26 software program was used to establish the results for the quantitative analysis, which was conducted separately from the qualitative data analysis. In order to analyse nonnumeric qualitative data, the NVivo software was used. The research findings exposed that techniques used to share knowledge in the community influence knowledge sharing behaviour and awareness on service delivery. Recommendations were provided at the study's conclusion which were established from the study’s results and findings. These findings included the necessity for enhancements in ICT usage as well as other information-sharing systems in the contemporary world, the creation of knowledge repositories for ensuring access to organizational memory, and the establishment of knowledge-sharing methods.
Strategic management in small and medium enterprises: a case study of Harare, Zimbabwe.
(2019) Gutu, Kudakwashe.; Williamson, Mervywn Kenneth.
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have become critical to the development of all economies in the world in the last few decades and Zimbabwe, which is a volatile low-income country is not an exception. However, in spite of the abundance of literature about strategic management in large companies that has emerged as a recipe for success, not much literature is available specifically for SMEs in low-income countries and Zimbabwe in particular. This research sought to unveil and understand how strategic management is conducted in SMEs of Harare, Zimbabwe, based on the Wheelen and Hunger (2012) model. A face-to-face semi-structured interview case study approach was used between January and July 2016 by the researcher alone with either the owners or managers of the SMEs. The results of the twenty case studies are summarised in the form of tables showing the responses and percentages of the fifteen questions derived from the four phases of the model. The four phases are Environmental scanning; Strategy formulation; Strategy implementation; and Evaluation and Control. The results revealed a diverse mixture that ranged from thorough knowledge and practice of the model to absolute ignorance about the strategic management process. There was scarce evidence on recourse to risk management as a tool to mitigate risk related challenges that were encountered during the implementation phase of strategic management. Some of the recommendations were that the SMEs should embrace an integrated approach to strategic and risk management to avoid being overwhelmed by the risk related challenges of operating in a volatile environment since there is symbiosis between strategic and risk management. In addition, SMEs should empower the front line employees that interact with the customers regularly to resolve customer complaints on the spot and make decisions that take advantage of short lived opportunities that may arise in the economy to enhance success.