School of Management, IT and Governance

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Entrepreneurship education and students’ entrepreneurial intentions at selected tertiary institutions in Durban=Imfundo Yezamabhizinisi kanye Nezinhloso Zabafundi Zosomabhizinisi Ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme ezikhethiwe eThekwini.
(2023) Chasaya, Wimbayi.; Phiri, Maxwell Agabu.
Abstract Entrepreneurship continues to receive much recognition worldwide from both the academic and corporate ends. High unemployment and failing economies amongst other factors have resulted in various stakeholders supporting the promotion of entrepreneurship. Educational institutions have since taken a leading role in promoting entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship courses have been introduced in universities to prepare students for entrepreneurship, institutions in South Africa have played their role in this regard. Emphasis has however been placed on the implementation of interventions that promote entrepreneurial development. Targeted interventions must be implemented to promote entrepreneurship behaviour. This study sought to determine the extent to which entrepreneurship education can enhance entrepreneurial activity as the researcher proposes entrepreneurship education as a key determinant of entrepreneurship intention. The results of the study were intended to benefit formal entrepreneurship education curriculum development towards the promotion of entrepreneurial intention and behaviour. The study followed a quantitative research approach and a survey research design. A sample of 280 students was selected from 1 000 undergraduate students enrolled for entrepreneurship courses in two public Universities in Durban: University of KwaZulu-Natal and Durban University of Technology. Using a self-administered structured questionnaire which was electronically distributed, data was collected from 197 students and analysed using SPSS version 27. The findings of the study concluded that there was a positive significant relationship between entrepreneurship education and students’ entrepreneurial intentions (r= .79, p< 0.01). The results of the regression analysis however indicated that the best predictor of entrepreneurship education was subjective norms (B= .347; t= 3.783, p< 0.01). Results from T-tests analysis indicated that students who attended extracurricular (workshops, conferences, seminars) entrepreneurship programs offered on campus (M= 59.44, SD= 15.603) differed significantly with those who did not (M= 52.53, SD= 16.654). Students’ verbal responses indicated that entrepreneurial education must be augmented with practical education and extra-curricular entrepreneurship activities. The study provides recommendations to university education curriculum developers, policy makers and university management on the successful implementation of entrepreneurship education. Formal entrepreneurship education should be augmented with extra-curricular entrepreneurship activities such as business plan competitions, business workshops, entrepreneurship seminars and coaching sessions with industry experts and entrepreneurs. Iqoqa Ezamabhizinisi ezivela emibuthwaneni yezemfundo nezinkampani ziyaqhubeka nokuqashelwa kakhulu emhlabeni wonke. Ukuntuleka okuphezulu kwemisebenzi kanye nokuwohloka komnotho phakathi kwezinye izinto kuholele ekutheni ababambiqhaza abehlukene basekele ukugqugquzelwa kwezamabhizinisi. Izikhungo zemfundo selokhu zabamba iqhaza elikhulu ekuthuthukiseni amabhizinisi. Kwethulwe izifundo zezamabhizinisi emanyuvesi ukuze kulungiselelwe abafundi ukuthi bangene kwezamabhizinisi. Nokho kugcizelelwe ukuqaliswa kokungenelela okugqugquzela ukuziphatha kosomabhizinisi. Lolucwaningo belufuna ukuphenya umthelela wemfundo yezamabhizinisi ezinhlosweni zabafundi bamanyuvesi kwezamabhizinisi. Inhloso yahlonzwa ngeTheory of Planned Behavior njengesibikezelo esihle sokuziphatha. Imiphumela yalolucwaningo bekuhloswe ngayo ukuhlomulisa ukuthuthukiswa kwekharikhulamu yemfundo yezamabhizinisi, ukuthuthukisa ikharikhulamu ethuthukisa inhloso nokuziphatha kwezamabhizinisi. Ucwaningo lulandele indlela yocwaningo lobuningi kanye nomklamo wocwaningo lwenhlolovo. Kwakhethwa isampula labafundi abangu-280 kubafundi abayi-1000 ababhalisele izifundo zezamabhizinisi emaNyuvesi amabili omphakathi aseThekwini: iNyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natal neDurban University of Technology. Kusetshenziswa uhlu lwemibuzo oluhlelekile oluzilawula ngokwalo olwasatshalaliswa nge-elekthronikhi, idatha yaqoqwa kubafundi abangu-197 futhi yahlaziywa kusetshenziswa inguqulo ye-SPSS 27. Okutholwe kulolu cwaningo kuveze ubudlelwano obuhle obubalulekile phakathi kwemfundo yezamabhizinisi kanye nezinjongo zabafundi zezamabhizinisi (r= .79, p<0.01). Imiphumela yokuhlaziya ukwehla nokho yabonisa ukuthi isibikezelo esingcono kakhulu semfundo yezamabhizinisi kwakuyizinkambiso ezizimele (B= .347; t= 3.783, p<0.01). Imiphumela evela ekuhlaziyweni kwe-T-test ibonise ukuthi abafundi abahambele izifundo zangaphandle (ama-workshops, izingqungquthela) ezinhlelweni zamabhizinisi ezihlinzekwa ekhampasini (M= 59.44, SD= 15.603) bahluke kakhulu kulabo abangazange (M= 52.53, SD= 16.654). Izimpendulo zabafundi ziveze ukuthi imfundo yezamabhizinisi kumele yengezwe ngemfundo eyenziwayo kanye nemisebenzi yamabhizinisi angemva kwezifundo. Lolucwaningo luhlinzeka ngezincomo kubathuthukisi bohlelo lokufunda enyuvesi, abenzi bezinqubomgomo kanye nabaphathi bamanyuvesi mayelana nokuklanywa kwemfundo yezamabhizinisi. Imfundo yezamabhizinisi ehlelekile kufanele yengezwe ngemisebenzi yezamabhizinisi yangemva kwezifundo efana nemiqhudelwano yezinhlelo zebhizinisi, imihlangano yokucobelelana ngolwazi yezamabhizinisi, izingqungquthela zamabhizinisi kanye nezikhathi zokuqeqesha nochwepheshe bezimboni nosomabhizinisi. Osomabhizinisi abangabafundi kufanele bathole ukwesekwa okwanele kubabambiqhaza abahlukene abafana nabafundisi, amanyuvesi, imiphakathi, osomabhizinisi kanye nohulumeni, ngaleyo ndlela bakhe uhlelo lwezamabhizinisi.
Expanding entrepreneurship education to boost students' innovation in South African universities.
(2024) Mtshali, Thabo Wonder.; Gamede, Vangeli Wiseman.; Mashau, Pfano.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused strain on businesses, some have suffered resulting in downsizing staff or closing permanently. The South African unemployment rate currently is at 32.9%. The labour market in South Africa is struggling to create opportunities and failing to counteract unemployment with relevant skills. The pandemic resulted in more people losing jobs which then contributed to the increase in unemployment. The country should reduce poverty by developing innovative entrepreneurs at a tertiary level. These difficulties indicate that people are facing challenges in getting decent jobs due to a lack of skills. Universities have a responsibility to operate entrepreneurially since they are affected by the reduction of public funds, educational market competence, and economic and social changes. Hence, the study focus is expanding entrepreneurship education in South African universities to strengthen the economy and create job opportunities in the country. Entrepreneurship education plays a significant role in educating people about business development and reducing poverty while creating job opportunities using innovation. The aim is to expand university entrepreneurship education by adding entrepreneurship education across all qualifications to help students develop entrepreneurial intention and a positive mindset towards business start-ups. The research focuses on the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of Zululand, both located in KwaZulu-Natal Province. The research followed a mixed method. Qualitative data were collected using interviews with academic staff and were analysed using NVIVO thematic analysis programmes. The quantitative data were collected using questionnaires on students and were analysed using SPSS's latest version. The sample size was made up of 371 students and 4 academic staff from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and 348 students and 4 academic staff from the University of Zululand. The researcher got a 99.3 percent response rate from students and staff from both universities. The findings obtained reveal that expanding entrepreneurship education can help stimulate an entrepreneurial mindset and innovation in students. More than 88% of students agree that adding entrepreneurship education to the curriculum will help them stimulate an entrepreneurial mindset. However, students said, “universities do not have adequate infrastructure to support innovation and entrepreneurship education”. Academic staff members believe that higher education must have an active role in introducing and promoting entrepreneurship education because they have strong guiding policies and ideas but unsatisfactory implementation strategies. The research could help develop a curriculum that will stimulate an entrepreneurial mindset in students while exposing the university to industry and other external sponsors. The entrepreneurial spirit needs to be revived amongst students by restructuring various degrees, enhancing entrepreneurial thinking, developing student entrepreneurship programmes, and supporting venture creation. The study recommends expanding entrepreneurship education to give students more career options and employment opportunities. This could give students equal business opportunities and teach students that entrepreneurship can be taken as a career.
Exploring the efficacy of digital marketing to promote higher education using social media platforms.
(2022) Surujpal, Vidata.; Oodith, Devina.
In recent years, businesses have adopted different marketing strategies and digital marketing has become a frequent way that businesses connect with their customers. This research aimed to explore if digital marketing is an effective method of promoting higher education using social media platforms. The study was conducted within a private tertiary institution in KwaZulu-Natal. 224 students completed the online questionnaire comprising 5 sections. Section A was based on the biographical particulars of respondents, while sections B to E were related to questions dealing with the sub-dimensions of the study. The sampling method adopted in this study was non-probability sampling. The Validity and Reliability of the questionnaire were evaluated using Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha respectively. Descriptive and Inferential Statistics were implemented to initiate the results of this study. The empirical findings of this study indicate that there is a positive relationship between the effectiveness of digital marketing, the impact of digital marketing in higher education through social media, the effectiveness of social media and prevalence, frequency, and purpose of social media in promoting higher education. There were no significant differences in biographical profiles (gender, age, race, programme of study, and level of study) regarding each dimension of the study except for the level of study at the 1% level of significance. A framework with recommendations for improving efficacy has been developed based on the key dimensions of the study. It is recommended that future research investigate the efficacy of other social media platforms in higher education and increase the scope and exposure to include a broader spectrum of tertiary institutions to gain a broader perspective.
Exploring the role of pedagogical practices in the brand identity formation of selected Gambian universities.
(2022) Ikonne, Ozioma.; Arbee, Aradhna.
This study sought to facilitate insight into the potential role of pedagogy in the brand identity formation of higher education institutions (HEIs), through a study of selected HEIs in The Gambia. Specifically, the study sought to address the following research question: What role do pedagogical practices play in building the brand identity of selected universities in The Gambia? The study was underpinned by an interpretivist philosophy and the intra-paradigm qualitative mixed method of data collection (O'Reilly, Kiyimba & Drewett 2020). This facilitated a preliminary analysis of the contents of institutional documents and social media postings. This was followed by telephonic and virtually mediated in-depth interviews in which the interactionist interpretations, recollections, experiences, and opinions of 54 participants (students and staff) were explored on the themes of institutional brand management practices, institutional pedagogical practices, institutional brand identity, and the links between pedagogical practices and institutional brand identity. The study used the Corporate Brand Identity Matrix (Urde 2013) as a supporting framework of analysis. The findings indicate that the HEIs recognise the emerging trend of competition in Gambia’s higher education sector as a consequence of government’s liberalisation policy. However, there is no evidence of the majority of them responding to emerging competition using strategic marketing and branding. The evidence suggests that the HEIs use hardly differentiated, production-style portfolios of academic courses to pursue largely unengaged students, prospective students and other stakeholders. Further findings indicate that academic staff use a narrow variety of pedagogical approaches, with the teacher centered, lecturing method emerging as dominant. This insight emerged against the background of the evidence which indicates a link between pedagogy policy and practices and stakeholder impressions. A synthesis of these findings culminated in the emergence of the pedagogy-based higher education brand identity matrix (P-HEBIM), which this study proposes as a novel framework for the branding of HEIs. Drawing on this, the study sets out a practitioner guide for the use of the P-HEBIM, making specific recommedations for the brand management roles of different HE stakeholders in The Gambia.
Genetic algorithm based prediction of students' course performance using learning analytics.
(2024) Raghavjee, Rushil.; Subramaniam, Prabhakar Rontala.; Govender, Irene.
Learning Analytics (LA) can play a key role in understanding students’ learning and academic performance. By identifying poorly performing students early, LA can also be used to identify students who are at risk of dropping out of programmes. This enables academic advisors to intervene early and provide help to ensure students stay on track and succeed in their studies. Hence, LA is becoming a common trend in education particularly in higher education. Previous studies of LA have not dealt with specific courses in information systems and information technology. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a model for the application of LA to different courses with the discipline of Information Systems and Technology using various data sources. This study used the design science research approach to help towards solving the problem of understanding students’ learning and performance in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Multiple data sources were used. The data that was obtained was pre-processed using MS Excel. Thereafter, the WEKA tool was used in the analysis of the data and prediction of performance. Decision tree, Random Forest and genetic-based algorithms were used to develop prediction models for each of the courses in the discipline of Information Systems and Technology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The study also resulted in the development of an integrated dataset for the discipline of Information Systems and Technology in higher education and a process model for the implementation of LA in a specific discipline. The involvedness of the data allows future researchers to continuously improve/evolve the area of LA. This study should, therefore, be of value to LA practitioners wishing to implement LA to courses within other disciplines as well.
Public procurement system challenges at selected higher education institutions in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2023) Gurayah, Jayrusha Ramasamy.; Naude, Michelle Jane.; Mbhele, Thokozani Patmond.
Over the last decade in South Africa, public procurement has evolved significantly and attracted much scholarly research interest. There are challenges that exist in public procurement from provincial to national levels, these challenges are a combination of various areas of concern in the public sector. The researcher has unpacked these challenges into clear study constructs. The key procurement challenges resonate with the quality of PEOPLE, PROCESS and TECHNOLOGY amassed by the individual higher education institutions. In this study three higher education institutions were selected. The procurement policies and principles that entrench the higher education institutions (HEIs) in terms of delivering high levels of service and maintaining financially viable institution. Universities as institutions of higher learning have a mandate in ensuring that efficient and effective public procurement occurs at all levels. Against this backdrop, this study explored and identified the public procurement challenges at higher education institutions in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The procurement system in these institutions exposed a gap on qualified and capable talent, in accord processes and the dearth of adoption emerging technology to achieve efficiency and effectiveness of procurement systems. The findings of study revealed the challenges, inefficiencies and technological barriers in the procurement systems. To model a financially and operationally feasible, 4 IR technological driven procurement system, a conceptual model was created with an agile and resilient procurement system's potential in consideration, with a focus on building adaptability and demand responsiveness. The main aim of this study is to identify the public procurement challenges of the selected HEIs and to detail the public procurement system by focusing on the main constructs of the study: people, process and technology. This study made use of an exploratory and descriptive qualitative research approach. The research setting will be the campuses of the selected HEIs. The gathering of primary data via semi-structured in-depth interviews were collected. A sample size of thirty procurement employees and management of the three HEIs were interviewed. Thematic analysis was used as the data analysis technique. The qualitative data was analysed and processed by NVivo.20 software.
The acceptance of chatbot technology to support academic activity at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2023) Johnson, Ebunoluwa Ehikowoicho.; Ranjeeth, Sanjay.
Abstract available in PDF.
Using educational data mining to predict sub-Saharan African science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students’ academic performance: a systematic review.
(2023) Mhlongo, Langelihle Lucky.; Govender, Irene.; Quilling, Rosemary Diane.
Abstract available in PDF.

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