South African Industry Research Articles

A persisting minority – narratives of women in corporate leadership

abstractIn this article I draw from a number of interviews conducted with female executives in the South African oil industry in 2017. Globally, the petroleum industry is one of the most male-dominated organisational structures as well as cultures in the business world. Some of the women, who hold upper-management positions, have not only emerged from the science and finance spheres (equally gendered organisations) but also navigated their way through an aggressive, patriarchal atmosphere of rivalry and competition. I examine various mythologies associated with the industry, such as the cowboy myth and the frontier ideology directed at female executives. One of the themes to emerge from the interviews was the almost unanimous rejection of the ‘glass ceiling’ metaphor favoured by some feminists. The women of the petroleum industry rather affirmed a picture of their rise to leadership positions through a strategic labyrinth of challenges and obstacles both in terms of gender and race. The article shares the insights of women leaders in a complex industry, framing their reflections within a theoretical feminist lens.

Production and Application of Advanced Composite Materials in Rail Cars Development: Prospect in South African Industry

The business hub of any society in the developed and/or developing nations are characterized by constantly growing population, which is a result of industrialization and urbanization. This growth often necessitates infrastructural development (better, safer, faster and cheaper means of transportation of goods and services), high energy demand and environmental decay (high emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere leading global warming). In order to resolve the problems, there is a need to develop improved lightweight polymeric composite materials, which can be used in the construction and transportation industries. The research focused on developing natural fiber reinforced recycled polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites. The fiber was treated with 5% alkaline solution for 2 hours at 60 oC in a vacuum oven. The fiber (10, 20, 30 and 40 %wt), nanoclay (1, 3, 5 %wt) and compatibilizer were melt blend with the recycled PP. Based on the results, it was observed that fiber treatment, increasing fiber contents and nanoparticles increased the overall strength and thermal stability of the prepared composites. The rate of moisture absorption was equally enhanced. The material developed can be used to produce seats and backrest for passage train and other interior part of the passenger train.

Mitchell’s Brewery: entrepreneurship challenges in the South African craft beer industry

Learning outcomes They are as follows: to identify strategic growth opportunities for SMEs in the South African craft beer industry; to understand the complexities associated with operating a craft beer SME in the South African alcohol sector and analyse the SME’s strategic decision-making process that happens as a result; to understand the challenges and identify opportunities for entrepreneurship and growth in an emerging economy and niche segment; to develop a differentiation strategy for a small player in a competitive market; and to impart industry-specific knowledge and insight on the craft brewing industry. Case overview/synopsis The case is centred on the challenges that Hein Swart, managing director of Mitchell’s Brewery, is facing in sustaining business operations amid heavy regulations and increasing competition from existing craft breweries. In addition, there is the entry of a different type of competitor into the South African market that did not exist previously. The case narrative broadly presents several industry themes that interact with each other and create the existing complexities. Complexity academic level This case is targeted at postgraduate business school students with some work experience who want to build their critical thinking, business management and strategic decision-making skills such as Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive MBA academic programmes, and also delegates on Executive Education programmes. The case is expected to be used as a case study for courses in entrepreneurship and strategic management; however, it can also be applied in strategic marketing courses. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship

A DECISION-MAKING FRAMEWORK FOR IMPLEMENTING DIGITALISATION IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN TOOLING INDUSTRY

In this paper, a decision-making framework for implementing the concept of digitalisation within the South African tool, die, and mould-making (TDM) industry context is developed and employed. The purpose of this framework is to answer the following question: “Which digital technologies currently available on the market can be employed to improve the efficiency of shop-floor operations in the South African TDM industry?” An exhaustive literature study of existing digital technologies is conducted. Thereafter, TDM processes requiring digitalisation are identified through knowledge engineering. Based on the system requirements analysis, digital technologies relevant to the South African TDM context are then proposed.

A GUIDE FOR INTEGRATING TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND PHYSICAL ASSET MANAGEMENT IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY

The integration of an organisation’s asset management and total quality management systems has become important in addressing operational challenges in the food industry. This paper proposes a guideline for implementing these systems through an integrated approach that aims to improve product quality. The grounded theory methodology is used to develop a theory based on expert opinions in the South African food and engineering industries. The results are presented in a model in which systems integration is identified as the central phenomenon for improving food quality. Analysis and interpretation of the model is presented in the form of a guideline for managers.

Personal factors in talent retention in the South African banking industry

This study explored the influence of personal factors on job retention in a banking services sector setting. South African banking sector employees (n = 262) participated in the study (age range = 18–45 years; female = 62%, white = 57%). The participants were equally distributed in the different geographical locations (metropolitan areas = 53%, inland areas = 47%). The employees self-reported on their personal factors (emotional intelligence and self-esteem) and job retention factors. Regression analysis revealed personal factors as a composite variable to predict the talent retention factors of job characteristics, supervisor support, career opportunities, and work/life balance. Furthermore, the results indicated no significant differences in personal factors and retention factors by geographical location. The findings contribute new insights to the talent retention literature by presenting the importance of the personal attributes and demographical differences of employees.

Everyday justice? Local practices in Fairtrade's global system

ABSTRACTFairtrade is a global system that aims to challenge trade injustice through establishing transparent, democratic and sustainable commodity networks. However, being so international in scope poses its own challenges because Fairtrade has to negotiate the needs and ideals of different stakeholders across diverse product categories and multiple countries. As such, while Fairtrade is a globalised system, it always ‘touches down’ somewhere and so the local places of Fairtrade remain important. Using Fraser's (2008) threedimensional framework, this article explores Fairtrade's promotion of justice in the South African wine industry. The case study highlights that there has been progress across the interconnected dimensions of redistribution, recognition and representation, but obstacles remain. Fairtrade needs to establish, and work towards, a holistic understanding of justice to improve internal procedures as well as support the changes in broader social practices that will help to challenge the structural constraints currently beyond its control.

Inxeba (The Wound): Sexual, Gender, Cultural and Religious Traumata on the African Screen

This article is divided into two distinct parts. The first part contextualises John Trengove’s internationally renowned, award-winning, feature-length isiXhosa film, Inxeba. The second part of the article is an interview with Batana Vundla, conducted by Mark Kirby-Hirst (Film Theory and Visual Discourse Subject Manager at The Open Window), held in mid-2018, shortly after the High Court’s decision was made public regarding the final classification of Inxeba. The interview ranges from Batana Vundla’s history in the South African film and television industries, to the production processes behind the scenes of the film and concludes with a focus on the nuanced manner through which the film often broaches a wide variety of physical and psychic traumata.

DIGITALISATION OF SHOP-FLOOR OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN TOOL, DIE, AND MOULD-MAKING INDUSTRY

Digitalisation has been advocated as a possible strategy to improve the competitiveness of tool, die, and mould-making (TDM) companies in the 21st century. The recent rise of digital technologies, such as Internet of Things devices, now makes digitalisation an achievable reality. This paper focuses on the digitalisation of shop-floor operations in the South African TDM industry through the development of a novel mobile data collection (MDC) tool known as a shop-floor management system (SMS). The developed SMS was deployed to, and validated in, a selected tooling company for various products. The developed system improved the shop-floor’s real-time data collection.

Potential of dyes as draw solutions in forward osmosis for the South African textile industry

The textile industry produces large volumes of wastewater that requires appropriate treatment before being released into the environment. Research globally has focused on advanced desalination technologies to augment the limited freshwater resources. Forward osmosis (FO) technology has gained substantial interest as a possible lower-energy desalination technology. However, challenges such as the availability of effective draw solutions (DS) have limited its implementation. This study evaluated alternative feed water resources and assessed the potential of dye solutions as DS. The aim is to dilute a concentrated dye DS to a target concentration for direct dye-batch use, thereby reclaiming water resources. The measured osmotic pressure (OP) of the alternative feed solutions (synthetic brackish water; syntethic seawater; seawater from the Atlantic and Indian Oceans; and wastewater from two textile factories) were 414, 2 761, 2 580, 2 614; 1 716 and 7 822 kPa, respectively. Three basic dyes (Maxilon Turquoise, Red and Blue) and three reactive dyes (Carmine, Olive Green and Black) were selected based on common use in the South African textile industry. The dye samples were prepared without and with lt at different concentrations and different dye-to-salt mass ratios ranging from 1:10 to 1:60. The OP trends for the basic dyes followed Blue >> Red > Turquoise and for the reactive dyes Black >> Olive > Carmine. The overall OP trend was Black > Olive > Carmine > Blue > Red > Turquoise. The OP at different dye concentrations and different dye-to-salt ratios was mostly influenced by the dye chemistry and molecular weight (Mw) rather than the type of dye, i.e., reactive vs basic.The OP trend for the dye-to-salt ratios was 1:60 > 1:50 > 1:40 > 1:30 > 1:20 > 1:10. For both the basic and reactive dyes a linear relationship exists between OP and dye concentration; as well as between OP and Mw. The dye DS exhibited larger OP compared to that of the FS evaluated, thus rendering them suitable DS.

Forecasting demand for qualified labour in the South African hotel industry

As South Africa’s popularity as a tourist destination increases, the need for skilled human capital also increases. The study of skills development and human capital in all sectors of the economy has long been topical as a means to support organisational progression that can eventually lead to economic growth. Estimates suggest that tourism and hospitality employ at least 10% of the global workforce and consequently prove to be a sector that cannot be readily ignored. However, because of the complex and consumption-based nature of the tourism sector, and the general scarcity of sector-related information, data on both demand and supply of skills are few and of a qualitative rather than a quantitative nature. This research addresses this gap and aims to forecast the demand for qualified labour in the South African hotel industry. The research methodology is twofold; firstly, hotel turnover is forecasted using univariate forecasting methods and data available from Statistics South Africa; secondly, employment elasticities were determined. Linking elasticity with turnover forecasts presents an estimate of the future demand for qualified labour in the hotel industry. In addition, the typical qualifications required are based on information obtained from CATHSSETA and a survey.

The effect of industry nuances on the relationship between corporate governance and financial performance: Evidence from South African listed companies

Background: Premised on agency, resource dependence and stewardship theories, the study investigates empirically the existence of industry nuances in the relationship between corporate governance and financial performance of companies listed in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Aims: The main objective of the study is to understand the relationship between internal corporate governance and company performance from the perspective of three distinct economic periods, as well as industry nuances, cognisant of endogeneity issues. Setting: South Africa, as an emerging African market, offers an interesting research context in which the corporate governance and financial performance nexus can be examined empirically. Method: A sample of 90 companies from the five largest South African industries, covering a 13-year period from 2002 to 2014 (1170 firm-year observations) was examined with three estimation approaches. Results: Two key trends emerged from this study. First, the relationship between corporate governance and company performance differed from industry to industry. Second, the association between corporate governance and company performance also changes during steady and non-steady periods, which is an indication that the nexus is driven by the state of the global economy and the type of the industry. Conclusion: Evidence from the study suggests that companies should be allowed to optimise rather than maximise their corporate governance options. This finding questioned the approach of the recently published King IV Code of Good Corporate Governance, which requires Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed companies to ‘apply and explain’ as opposed to ‘apply or explain’ as pronounced by King III Code of Good Corporate Governance.

A framework for incorporating quality into low-cost housing projects in South Africa

The South African constitution enshrines the right to “access adequate housing” to its citizens. However, over the years in the post-apartheid government a focus has been on quantitative low-cost housing delivery and less on the quality of these houses. Notwithstanding challenges that citizens encountered, limited research has been conducted on quality management practices in the South African low-cost housing industry. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a framework that could be applied in the industry and discuss how best quality practices could be implemented in the low-cost housing construction industry. A literature review was conducted on the application of quality in the construction of low-cost housing in South Africa. This was done through analysis of media reports, published articles, legal disputes and others. Although South Africa has established well-functioning quality management systems in other industries, low-cost housing has never been a focus. The primary emphasis is still on quantity and very limited on quality. Contractors perceive quality as a peripheral issue and afford less attention to its value. The framework in this study encapsulates policy issues, customer needs, strategy approaches and others.

An analysis of the South African adventure tourism industry

South Africa has many of the physical resources that support an adventure tourism industry. Thus, since the 1990s, adventure tourism has grown enormously and is now a significant industry in its own right. Geographically it is spread across the entire country. The industry, however, suffers from policy neglect – both from South African tourism authorities and the national government. So, if South Africa is to continue to foster economic growth through tourism, policy-makers need to maximize the potential of adventure tourism. This study shows there is a great diversity in the types of adventure tourism products on offer, with three well developed sub-sectors: namely hard, soft and nature-based adventure. A tourism policy directed at supporting these market segments can assist in promoting their growth, as the South African adventure tourism market is far from saturated.

Energy consumption in South African industry: A decomposition analysis using the LMDI approach

Improving efficiency levels of energy consumption needs the appreciation of previous trends in the consumption of energy and the assessment of factors that have contributed to the changes in energy consumption. This study assessed the South African industrial energy consumption from 1970/1971 to 2015/2016. During 2015/2016, the industrial energy consumption increased by 794.39%. In addition, the decomposition analyses proved that the activity effect played a crucial part in the country’s industrial energy consumption increase. The results clearly showed that saving techniques and industrial policies have not impacted on the country’s industrial energy. In achieving energy conservation, it is important to enforce the policies formulated should the policies have not been well implemented. On the other hand, should formulated policies be implemented, then there is a need for revision of the existing policies.

Factors influencing cultural event tourism in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa

ABSTRACTCultural tourism has established a market share of approximately 20% in the tourism sector globally. In addition, it fosters socio-economic benefits for a destination and its residents. This study explores residents’ attitudes towards cultural events in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB), South Africa, to enhance the destination image and induce stakeholder engagement. In this study, 3659 residents of NMB either completed an online questionnaire or a face-to-face interview. The results indicate that the residents of NMB have a positive attitude to cultural events. Notably, the demographic profile of the respondents is representative of the country and may be transferred to a national level to assist the South African tourism industry. The findings clarify insights to the market needs and cultural differences that may be used to tailor unique selling propositions in culturally diverse destinations.

Gender and Race in the South African Film Industry: A Comparative Analysis of the Representation in South African Film Festivals

ABSTRACTThe role and representation of female filmmakers globally have been topics of discussion but have not been researched in depth to help garner significant change, especially in the South African film industry. The role of film festivals like the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) and Encounters help female filmmakers by giving them the platform to showcase their work as well as gain more recognition. However, the number of female filmmakers, and black female filmmakers in particular, are not recognised substantially at these festivals. South African box office reports also indicate that the film industry is dominated by white male directors and that not enough films are produced locally to meet up with the amount of international films that are screened at local cinemas, which is further indication that a gender and race discrepancy is prevalent. There is also the issue of female filmmakers being limited in the fiction film genre and as a result the film industry in South Africa and globally have more female filmmakers making non-fiction films than fiction films. This article will explore the issue of gender and race in the South African film industry, by focusing on the two biggest film festivals: DIFF and Encounters.

Concrete hydration temperatures for the design of crack-width reinforcement in concrete water-retaining structures – design values versus in-situ values

Cracking in concrete can occur due to temperature changes at early ages and exposure to ambient temperature changes in the long term. Design codes and standards allow engineers to design for cracking by quantifying the effects of thermal variations into outputs such as limiting crack widths and reinforcement configurations. Design values given in these codes are however not fully understood by many users, may not be representative of recent developments in concrete materials technology and can potentially result in over-conservative designs. In this paper, concrete hydration temperatures were measured on site using a Thermocouple Data Logger and compared to values used in the project-specific design with the intention of providing a basis on which a database of temperatures representative of mixes commonly used in the South African industry may be compiled. Findings revealed that measured temperature values were around 30 – 50% lower than those given in design codes. Among the reasons identified for this is the fact that readily used design codes for crack-width design of water-retaining concrete structures in South Africa were compiled with data obtained from the use of 42.5 N cements, which may well have been quite different from the now more modern and readily available 52.5 N cements. Furthermore, design codes focus extensively on factors like binder content, binder type and formwork type, while the effects of other factors such as coarse aggregate type, coarse aggregate nominal size and construction sequence (which also play a significant role) are not quantified in the selection process of temperature values. Recommendations for further studies are made which aim to incorporate a wider variety of factors that affect development of thermal properties of concrete. This can allow members of the project team (engineer, contractor) to act during the relevant stages of design/construction of a project to mitigate thermal effects that can incur unwanted cracking.

Determinants of Sales Growth in the South African Automotive Industry

Determinants of Sales Growth in the South African Automotive Industry

Strengthening graduate employee commitment through internal marketing in the South African retail banking industry

A strong internal marketing strategy can be critical to achieving and sustaining a competitive advantage as well as driving organisational change and enhanced organisational performance. This study sought to determine the influence of internal marketing mix elements on the satisfaction levels of recently employed graduates (GradDPs) within the retail banking industry in South Africa. The study also identified links between the satisfaction of GradDPs and their affective commitment in this context. A census approach to generating data was applied in the study by using a person-administered and an electronic survey method. Regression analysis was used to test the relationships proposed in the study. The results indicated that internal marketing significantly influences GradDP employee satisfaction within retail banks in South Africa and that a positive relationship exists between GradDP employee satisfaction and their affective commitment. The study results allowed for recommendations that retail banks provide training and support programmes to assist managers in developing a more participative style of leading. Such programmes would assist leaders in consulting employees more often and ensuring that they have sufficient autonomy when executing their work. It would also help leaders to create a safer GradDP employee environment that fosters openness, risk-taking and idea generation.