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The influence of strategic leadership on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises as mediated by strategy implementation

  • Authors: January, Nceba
  • Date: 2024-04-03
  • Subjects: Strategic leadership , Strategic planning , Corporate culture , Socioeconomic development , Social responsibility of business , Strategy implementation , Organizational performance , Small business
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/434723 , vital:73099
  • Description: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are viewed as the cornerstone of socio-economic development in many economies globally. The progressive contribution of SMEs to the global economy is irrefutable and enshrined in poverty alleviation, inclusive economic growth, and job creation strategies pursued by many economies worldwide. SMEs are primarily the form of enterprise that accounts for over 90% of all businesses; thus, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises are the main source of employment. SMEs' contribution to value creation is estimated to be above 50% on average. In emerging countries, particularly South Africa, SMEs contribute approximately 45% of the total employment and 33% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In most countries, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises contribute to more than 50% of employment and GDP, and these figures become significantly higher when the informal small business sector is included. World Bank estimated 600 million jobs needed by 2030, making SME development a high priority for many governments worldwide. Despite globally acknowledged SME contributions, small businesses are still faced with many challenges that have ramifications on their survival, growth, and performance. Studies highlighted challenges such as lack of access to finance and funding modalities, appropriate technology and infrastructure, markets and social networks, and lack of research and development, strategic management skills, and inability to perform managerial tasks, among others. Recent studies have been conducted on many of these challenges; however, there is little known about the strategic management challenges that face SMEs and their business performance. Several studies were conducted on some of these strategic management challenges, such as strategic planning, strategic orientation, strategic agility, organisational flexibility, and total quality management. However, a review of studies relevant to SMEs and their performance is silent on the argument regarding the influence of strategic leadership on the performance of SMEs, especially when key drivers of effective strategy implementation mediate strategic leadership. Thus, this study investigated the influence of strategic leadership on the performance of SMEs as mediated by strategy implementation in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB). A detailed theoretical investigation was conducted on the nature and role of strategic leadership, strategy implementation, and business performance of SMEs. Strategic leadership represents the independent variables of this study, namely: strategic direction, balanced organisational controls, organisational culture, organisation’s resource portfolio, and ethical practice, followed by the mediating variable (strategy implementation) and the dependent variable (business performance). An empirical investigation was also conducted to test the significant influence between these variables. This study adopted a positivistic approach using a quantitative research method. The sample size of the study was 390 respondents. Self-developed and structured questionnaires were physically distributed to 315 SME owners and managers in NMB using a convenience sampling method. Only 229 returned questionnaires were suitable and relevant to this study; thus, a 72.69% response rate was achieved. Returned questionnaires were cleansed, coded, and transferred to a statistical data analysis software called Statistica, version 14.0, for quantitative data analyses. The validity and reliability of the measuring instrument were confirmed using Exploratory Factor Analysis and the calculation of Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Descriptive statistics was calculated to summarise the empirical data on demographic variables and the main variables of this study. Pearson’s correlations were calculated to determine the correlations between the main variables of this study, and the results confirmed that there is a positive influence between strategic leadership, strategy implementation, and business performance of SMEs. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to test the significance of the influence between the main variables of the study. A regression analysis outcome revealed that some of the strategic leadership activities (strategic direction, balanced organisational controls, and organisational culture) have a statistically significant positive influence on the business performance of SMEs. Furthermore, a statistically significant positive influence does exist between strategy implementation and business performance of SMEs. This study’s recommendations were suggested to SME owners/managers. Firstly, to formulate and develop a clear long-term vision of the business for the next 3 to 5 years. Align resources to key areas of business operation and set internal controls that will help set standards of desired performance and ultimately achieve them. Secondly, to formulate and implement shared values that connect employees to the business purpose and the way it is conducted. These shared values must be underpinned by a unique, valuable, and incomparable culture against competitors to gain a competitive edge. Furthermore, consider using rewards to recognise employees who embody the shared values of the business and are committed to the success of the business because of its culture. Thirdly, ensure both strategic and financial controls support strategy implementation and guide employees to achieve performance objectives. Use balanced scorecards to assess the effectiveness of controls in the business and put corrective measures to address performance gaps. Last but not least, invest in staff development and training, technological infrastructure, and set sound processes and systems for the business operation, establish structures that have clear lines of reporting, authority, and delegation. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Management, 2024
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A Critical Hermeneutics Analysis of CEO/Chairman Letters written to Shareholders of Shoprite Holdings

Developing an organisational culture in support of organisational capacity for change: the case of a South African bank

  • Authors: Dhoba, Howard
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Corporate culture , Bank management , Organizational change
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/141247 , vital:37956
  • Description: Business organisations are increasingly being exposed to challenging environmental pressures. It has been widely acknowledged and observed that an organisation that crafts an effective organisational culture should be well positioned to react to these threatening changes, and to proactively seize opportunities to adapt and learn. This research study seeks to investigate how an organisational culture that supports organisational capacity for change can be developed. It analyses what a banking organisation’s espoused culture is made up of and how it was formulated. A thematic analysis of how the bank’s aspirational and innovative culture contributes to the organisation’s capacity for change is also presented. Organisational management should take a leading role in developing the values and practices that foster participation, which are then imparted to the entire organisation. The research study thus only focused on analysing the development of organisational culture from the management perspective. An interpretivist research approach was adopted, with a case study design as the research method. Data was gathered through conducting personal interviews with twelve managers from a Retail and Business Banking cluster of one of the big South African banks. Numerous interventions were employed in the organisation to develop espoused values, aspirational culture and to encourage all employees to champion innovations and constantly search for better ways to offer delighting value propositions to clients. The research findings can assist managers and organisational leaders in building their organisational capacity for change through developing an effective organisational culture that supports change initiatives. Since the research study only focused on analysing the development of organisational culture from the perspective of management, further research studies may involve employees as well, due to the fact that everyone is expected to take an active role for an organisation to display the overall capability to effectively respond to a progressively volatile environment. The research was able to reveal how key initiatives that are designed from theoretical constructs can be used to deliver on an innovative organisational culture that contributes to organisational capability for change.
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How relational and strategic leadership shape organizational culture

  • Authors: Lebusa, Libuseng Mampolokeng
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: SOS Quthing Children's Village -- Management , Corporate culture , Corporate culture -- Lesotho -- Quthing , Leadership -- Lesotho -- Quthing , Nonprofit organizations -- Lesotho -- Quthing
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/166070 , vital:41326
  • Description: The study aims at analysing how relational and strategic leadership shapes the culture of an organization, using as a case study the SOS Children’s Village Lesotho in Quthing District. As an International Federation, SOS Children’s Village espouses four values, namely Courage, Trust, Commitment, and Accountability. The case was selected because SOS Children’s Village’s performance in Lesotho has been outstanding, due to employee commitment in the organization. The review of the literature drew upon three theories: the theory of organizational culture by Schein (2010), which shed a light on cultural embedding mechanisms, the relational leadership components of Komives, S, Lucas, N, and McMahon, T (1998), and the strategic leadership roles of Ireland and Hitt (1999). This study adopted a deductive qualitative research method, where structured interviews supplemented with documents were used to collect data. Thematic analysis and pattern matching analysed the data with the aid of a pre-developed codebook that identify theoretical codes and themes in the data. The findings confirmed that with the use of cultural embedding mechanisms, relational and strategic leadership shaped the culture of commitment. The main characteristics of the culture of the commitment of SOS Quthing are punctuality, teamwork, and individual initiative. Relational and strategic leadership behaviours helped to create a culture of commitment through the fair and equitable allocation of resources, the inclusion of employees in decision making, having an orientation program for new employees, giving rewards and recognition, holding regular meetings, supervision, utilizing the online collaboration system and the systematic development of human capital. The literature supported the study results. The study acknowledges the limitations and delimitations of the research. The study’s contribution was in identifying how leadership behaviours operate through cultural embedding mechanisms to "identify" creates a culture of commitment. In conclusion, managerial recommendations were made for SOS to strengthen their leadership behaviours further and further research recommendations.
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The role of leadership in shaping school culture in a secondary school

  • Authors: Kofi, Linda
  • Date: 2019
  • Subjects: Educational leadership , Educational leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies , Corporate culture
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/92247 , vital:30698
  • Description: SDG 4 calls for an “inclusive, quality and equitable education and lifelong opportunities for all”. The purpose of the study is to investigate how leadership has shaped the school culture, which culminates to higher academic performance in a secondary school. This case study is done in a previously disadvantaged secondary school within the Buffalo City Metro Education District, in the Eastern Cape. Despite the socio-economic challenges faced by the school, the NSC examination pass rate results for the school are constantly above the Provincial NSC pass rate results. Consequently, the aim of the study is to determine the unique characteristics of the school culture that have contributed to high academic performance, and how the school leadership has cultivated this culture. The study reviews school culture using Schein’s organizational culture model. Moreover, it reviews school principalship, leadership and how leadership shapes school culture. Lastly, the study reviews literature on instructional, transformational and distributed leadership theories, as they resonate well with South African school environment. The study utilizes a qualitative research method in its investigation, gathering data through document analysis and interviews. After the data was collected, the pattern matching method was utilized to analyse the findings. The key characteristics of school culture that contributed to the school performing well academically, are the values of disciplined hard work and academic excellence. Furthermore, findings proved that characteristics of instructional leadership such as the provision of professional development and the management of curriculum and instruction have the shape the school culture. Transformational leadership characteristics such as individualized consideration, inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation, have also shaped the school culture; as have characteristics of distributed leadership such as sharing authority and accountability. The study discusses the findings and then concludes by recognizing the research limitations such as the time constraints and purposeful exclusion of certain school members, for example learners. In its conclusion the study presents it contributions to the body of knowledge and provides recommendations for practitioners and future studies.
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An investigation of the leadership practices and organizational culture at a private Christian school

  • Authors: Babu, Bithun
  • Date: 2018
  • Subjects: Church schools -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Leadership , Corporate culture
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62155 , vital:28133
  • Description: The purpose of this study is to investigate the leadership practices and organizational culture at a private Christian school in the Eastern Cape. A preliminary review of leadership literature suggested that traces of servant leadership may be apparent at the organization. Thus servant leadership will form a key focus area for exploration in this study. An analysis of this nature can make one aware of the influence leadership has in shaping the organizational culture of an institution. This in turn can be used to inform the future thinking around leadership efforts with respect to culture formation within an organization. The issue was addressed by consulting various articles to view the issue from different perspectives. The school served as a vehicle to explore the tenets of leadership and organizational culture. The study will take the form of a descriptive quantitative study. It was concluded that leadership plays a significant role in establishing the culture at an organization. However, leadership is not the only factor that shapes the organizational culture of an institution. The beliefs and values of the organization also has a role in shaping the overall culture and identity of an organization.
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