https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/19913 2026-05-05T13:56:07Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/30156 Green supply chain management and enterprise performance in the South African mining industry Ngcobo, Abednigo Mkhetheni In the past decade, sustainability issues have emerged as an important area of consideration in business. The mining industry in South Africa has not been spared from this debate since it is one of the major contributors to the environmental challenges that South Africa and other sub-Saharan countries are facing. The purpose of this study is to explore green supply chain management (GSCM) practices and their relationship with enterprise performance in the South African mining industry. More specifically, this research explores the effect of GSCM practices and other organisational factors on enterprise performance in mining companies that operate in Rustenburg in North West Province. This study adopted a research model relating GSCM practice and enterprise performance through three organisational variables (employee job satisfaction, operational efficiency, and relational efficiency) as moderators. Statistical analyses were based on the data collected through survey questionnaires from two South African platinum mining companies in supply chain management departments. Reliability and validity of the research model were tested by the widely accepted statistical tools. To test the hypotheses relating GSCM practice implementation and enterprise performance, correlational analysis and multi-regression models were used. The most anticipated finding of the study was a direct link between GSCM practice implementation and enterprise performance. Indeed, statistical significance was found between the variables. Furthermore, there were significant direct relationships that were found between GSCM practice implementation and enterprise performance through three mediating variables of employee job satisfaction, operational efficiency and relational efficiency. This result indicates that enterprise performance will be improved when GSCM enhances employee job satisfaction, operational efficiency and operational efficiency. 2019-11-30T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/26962 Perceptions of the effectiveness of internet marketing strategies for first-time students in an ODL institution Modise, Mpho-Entle Puleng Technology has the ability to open up completely new markets and to radically shake up existing ones. The major breakthroughs in technology have altered the relationships between marketers and consumers, and did so on a global scale, but according to Ryan and Jones (2009), marketing is not about technology, it’s about people. Technology is only interesting, from a marketing perspective, when it connects people with other people more effectively. Digital marketing, like traditional marketing is not about the technology and tools used, but it’s also about people, it’s about people connecting with other people, and building relationships. The World Wide Web (WWW or the web) is a universal platform for information exchange, and it provides a channel through which businesses may display and generate sales on their offerings and communicate with their targeted audiences. The purpose of the proposed study is to explore and study how effective internet marketing strategies are for new students at ODL institutions, specifically Unisa. As Singh’s (2002) research clearly indicate the tremendous potential of the Internet and its ability to exposes new business opportunities for organizations, the study aimed at exploring the perceptions of the new students as to how helpful and effective the internet marketing strategies are before and and/or during the pre-registration period. This study found that there is considerable variation in the students’ perception of the website’s navigation and link functionality, overall performance and the quality of education information. The effectiveness and usability of a website as a marketing strategy lies in the successful interaction of the students (and other users) with the website and this can only be accurately measured by assessing user performance, satisfaction, and acceptability (Bevan, Kirakowski, and Maissel, 1991). The main purpose of a university website is to provide information to current and potential clients and to promote and market the organization, which means university website is primarily a means of communication, first to inform and second to promote. This study provided evidence that in order for university to effectively market itself using their website, the university’s relevant bodies need to engage in continuous improvement of the website. One of the most effective ways of evaluating one’s website is to involve those users for whom the website is designed for, in this case, firstly students, and other relevant stakeholders. The results clearly indicated a need for the university to conduct further research that may include a wider population. 2014-03-20T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/26937 Factors playing a role in the failure of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in Tshwane Mamabolo, Mohure Ephraim Joseph This study identifies the factors playing a role in the failure of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in Tshwane region. The high failure rate can be partially caused by the fact that SMMEs believe that they do not get enough support from the government besides their own internal factors. Measures are recommended that will help SMMEs to be more successful. The study was scientific, descriptive and quantitative in nature. Questionnaires were used to gather data. Results revealed that the most common causes of SMMEs failure were lack of access to finance and employee skills development, low staff morale and most of them are in the food beverages industry. The study recommends that government should enhance its support mechanism, SMMEs attend mentorship programmes, align their strategies with customers’ needs and invest in employee skills development. If these recommendations are properly applied, they will ensure success of SMMEs in Tshwane and the rest of South Africa. 2017-11-30T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/25629 Funding advertising self-regulation in South Africa : an industry - ethical imperative or a “grudge - purchase” calculation? Grobler, Leon Jacobus The study explored the general level of awareness of the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (the ASASA) as a personification of advertising ethics within the South African Landscape. It questioned whether the Advertising Communications Industry viewed the sustainable funding of the ASASA as a cost-constraint, or as an inherently ethical Corporate Social Responsibility / Corporate Philanthropy imperative. The descriptive design allowed for electronic surveys to be circulated via two essential Advertising Industry Representative Organisations (the ACA and MASA) to extract data from advertising agencies and marketers across South Africa. Results suggest that respondents are acutely aware of the existence and purpose of the ASASA as a vessel for ensuring ethical advertising, but that the predominant motivator seems to be the avoidance of additional government intervention, and not an ethical imperative or Corporate Social Responsibility / ethical function. The data further suggest that entities who offer financial support prefer sporadic, ad hoc funding, rather than committing to sustained financial assistance. Larger companies with higher annual turnover appear more likely to provide funding than smaller entities. A low response rate prevented any attempt at statistical analysis to allow for correlational findings. Recommendations to address such concerns in future research are provided. 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z