Theses and Dissertations (Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS))

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/51280

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Influence of dynamic sensing capabilities on firm competitiveness and mediation role of inside-in innovation
Sennanye, Lebogang Jennifer (University of Pretoria, 2025)
The aim of the study is to determine the influence dynamic sensing capabilities on Firm Competitiveness and the mediation role of Inside-In Innovation. The study is done within the context of the South African energy companies, an industry undergoing profound structural and technological shifts. Hence, the research aims to deliver actionable insights for practitioners to enable robust innovation strategies that enhance Firm Competitiveness amid rapid change in the ecosystem. Furthermore, the research anticipated to close the theoretical divide in the mechanisms underpinning dynamic capabilities. Existing archetypes of open innovation fall short of explaining dynamic capabilities - mechanisms of transforming resource advantage into competitive advantage - because they omit Inside-In Innovation. Hence, the objective is to determine mechanisms underpinning Inside-In Innovation and its integration within dynamic capabilities frameworks. Positivism paradigm deploying deductive or quantitative research approach was deployed. Existing validated survey instruments were adopted for the study targeting a minimum of 150 responses to provide meaningful analysis closer to previous studies. Ethical considerations were adhered to, and the research rigour will be determined. The study is limited by its cross-sectional nature and reliance on self-reported data from participants. The results have shown that direct relationship between Dynamic Sensing Capabilities (DSC) and Firm Competitiveness (FC) is not statistically significant, while direct relationship between Dynamic Sensing Capabilities (DSC) and Inside-In Innovation (III) is statistically supported. Furthermore, the direct relationship between Inside-In Innovation (III) and Firm Competitiveness (FC) is statistically supported; however, the effect sizes are small indicating that complementary elements of open innovation may be required to strengthen the relationship. Lastly, H4 analysis shows that indirect path (DSC → III → FC) was considered statistically supported, while the direct path (DSC → FC) was considered not statistically supported; therefore, this indicates full mediation. Therefore, Inside-In Innovation provides mechanism of transforming resource advantage into competitive advantage and deeper reflections and reconfiguration of internal resources and processes enabling innovation, in so doing, closing the current gap in open innovation archetypes failure to explain dynamic capabilities mechanism.
Lines of defence for combined assurance models: a structured literature review
Mamotheti, Sethopo (University of Pretoria, 2025)
This structured literature review (SLR) evaluates the current state of knowledge on Combined Assurance (CA) by examining and integrating findings from peer-reviewed academic journals. Its objectives are to identify topics covered in CA research, and conceptual inconsistencies or ambiguities, revealing gaps that could enhance understanding, and assessing the maturity level of CA. Topics that emerged were identification of core components of CA and the main stakeholders involved, classifications of the stakeholders within the lines of defence framework, incorporation of lines of defence into various CA models, tools used to strengthen CA, the level of CA adoption in organizations, and the advantages CA provides. The continued use of the outdated Three Lines of Defence (TLoD) model, mixed opinions on the updated Three Lines Model (TLM) of whether it is an improvement or regression, and contradicting evidence of its effectiveness in the banking sector create ambiguity and inconsistencies around CA. Slow adoption of TLM, lack of consensus on board roles as line of defence, and resistance to internal audit leading CA efforts add to ongoing uncertainties. Research gaps include limited exploration beyond TLoD/TLM, a focus mainly on South Africa, lack of study focused on failure of CA to detect corporate scandals timely, and insufficient evaluation of CA’s role in providing assurance on unethical leadership risks. Most studies focus on outward-facing aspects, such as assurance on integrated reporting (IR), while giving little attention to inward-facing or internal perspectives. Although publications are increasing, CA remains underdeveloped. The SLR provides a thorough overview, identifies key trends, highlights gaps, and suggests directions for future research on CA.
The influence of AI-enabled tool adoption, digital footprints, and SME credibility on loan approvals: a quantitative study of South African SMEs
Motsatsi, Thabitha (University of Pretoria, 2025)
Information asymmetry remains a critical barrier to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) financing in South Africa, with traditional credit assessment mechanisms failing to recognise the creditworthiness of viable enterprises. Digital transformation and AI-enabled technologies present potential new signalling mechanisms that could bridge this gap. This quantitative study examined whether AI-enabled tool adoption, digital footprints, and SME credibility influence loan approval outcomes for South African SMEs that applied for loans within a 12-month period. Data were collected through structured surveys and analysed using Bayesian logistic regression to test four hypotheses grounded in signalling theory and information asymmetry theory. Results revealed that AI adoption demonstrated strong model-level evidence and moderate interaction effects with credibility, both receiving partial support/association. However, digital footprints and credibility independently showed insufficient evidence to reliably predict loan approval. Credibility functions as a complementary signal that gains relevance when combined with AI adoption or hard financial metrics. Traditional financial indicators such as firm size, operational maturity, and cash flow capacity remain primarily associated with lending decisions. The study concludes that while digital signals are acknowledged by lenders, they function as transitional indicators requiring institutional maturation before becoming decisive factors in South Africa's conservative banking environment.
Benefits realisation management: a structured quantitative literature review
Ashipala, Nangolo (University of Pretoria, 2025)
The relationship between benefits realisation management (BRM) and project success has been widely established in literature. BRM ensures that project value is created, serving as the critical link between project execution and strategic implementation. Research on BRM has been steadily growing over the years. Various themes, theories, contexts, and methodologies have been explored in the literature. This study builds on previous reviews in the field by providing a comprehensive review of the academic literature on BRM. I adopt a structured quantitative literature review approach to identify the prevailing context in which BRM has been studied, the dominant methodological approaches, themes, and theories applied over the past decade. My analysis found that BRM research has gradually expanded and become more diverse in terms of study contexts, research methodologies, thematic scope, and the application of theories. However, despite this progress, BRM research remains unevenly distributed. Most studies in the field still focus on the meso-level of the IT/IS sector in developed economies. Methodologically, the literature remains dominated by qualitative research. The application and development of independent theories in BRM research also remain sparse and fragmented. Future research should thus focus on expanding the contextual and methodological diversity. There is also a need for more theory development and integration in BRM research.
Investigating the continuance use intention of omnichannel retailing in South Africa: the role of customer experience
Khumalo,Shatadi (University of Pretoria, 2025)
The rapid evolution of retailing has been driven predominantly by digital transformation, necessitating retailers to integrate online and offline channels to enhance customer engagement and experience. South African retailers are increasingly adopting omnichannel strategies to provide seamless shopping experiences across digital and physical channels. However, determining the role of customer experience in the continuance use intention of omnichannel’s seems to be sparsely investigated. This study investigated the role of fashion retailer’s customer experience in the continuance use Intention of omnichannel’s in South Africa. To address the purpose of this study, the Expectation Confirmation Model (ECM) and Customer Experience Model (CX) were integrated to develop the conceptual model. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was adopted. An online self-administered survey was conducted, which obtained 233 respondents who made use of fashion omnichannel’s in the past 12 months. Descriptive and inferential statistics were analysed using SPSS version 30. The findings revealed strong empirical support for seven among the eight proposed hypotheses, evidently customer satisfaction did not significantly influence customer experience when using a fashion retailer’s omnichannel. This study provides practical insights for South African fashion retailers, emphasising the need for integrated customer-centric omnichannel strategies to enhance satisfaction, drive desirable customer experiences and overall continuance use intention of fashion retail omnichannel.
The influence of narrative persuasion on the intent to acquire financial literacy amongst South African football players and the mediating effect of identification with character
Jasone, Mpho (University of Pretoria, 2025)
This study’s focus explores the relationship between message type exposure (narrative and non-narrative) and behavioural intention of football players to acquire financial literacy with the objective of understanding effective communication when it comes to financial education engagements with South African football players. With reported post-career financial demise of football players and absence of compulsory retirement pension structures within the football landscape, exploring effective ways to engage South African football players with regards to retirement planning is essential. Using an experiment strategy, this study compares the impact of narrative and non-narrative message exposure on behavioural intention to acquire financial literacy amongst South African football players and deploys quantitative methodology to report on the findings of the study. The findings reveal that both narrative and non-narrative message increase intent to acquire financial literacy, with football players exposed to narrative messaging showing higher levels of character identification. The study makes recommendation for integration of narrative message stressing the importance of financial planning within the financial education programmes presented to South African football players. At the core, this study underscores the importance of tailoring financial education programmes and marketing initiatives to first achieve psychological shift of football players with regards to their attitudes and intention toward financial literacy acquisition.
Transitions through organisational scaling phase: a founder’s role
Heymans, Alexis (University of Pretoria, 2025)
Entrepreneurial start-up organisations that do manage to grow and scale, possess the opportunity to make a positive impact on the economy and the national competitiveness of a country. Job creation is a direct impact of organisational growth and as such, South Africa with a high unemployment rate, needs organisations to grow. Much of the growth and scaling ability of the organisation, rests on the business founder and their capabilities, highlighted by the transformation within their role as the organisation grows. This research seeks to contribute to the understanding of organisational scaling and the complexities that are congruent to the process of scaling, including the anticipation and preparation for scaling. The focus is pertinent to the founder’s role during this transition phase. A qualitative research design approach, with semi-structured interviews conducted with 10 participants that have founded South African organisations and were in the process of scaling or had scaled. The findings grouped as themes, revealed founder engagement with various activities during the scaling phase.
Through a prime lens: a review of the extension of protection motivation theory to study user information security behaviours within organisations
Williams, Alfred (University of Pretoria, 2025)
Information security breaches have become more prevalent and severe for organisations, with users often being labelled as both the cause of such breaches and, lately, the first line of defence against such breaches. The dual role of users in information security has led to the study of user information security behaviour, especially in understanding the factors that influence users' motivation to behave in a manner that enhances or exposes organisational information security. Behavioural Information Security, a field dedicated to the study of user information security behaviour, has emerged and grown to provide a sturdy foundation for scholarly advancements in the field; however, the literature has remained contradictory and divergent. Although reviews have been conducted to address the disjointed literature, this review employs Protection Motivation Theory as a primary theory to synthesise the literature, examining how it has been extended in specific contexts. In doing so, it highlights how the theory is integrated with others to understand user behaviour in organisational information security, using a common base. This paper reviews existing literature using the PRISMA framework, identifying and analysing prominent academic research papers in Behavioural Information Security. Eight dimensions that share commonalities with the Protection Motivation Theory in Behavioural Information Security were highlighted. These eight dimensions are examined, gaps identified, and a roadmap for future research is provided.
Mandatory audit firm rotation: a structured literature review
Nyane, Ramothamo (University of Pretoria, 2025)
This systematic literature review responds to the calls in previous literature to understand how Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation (MAFR) evolved post-its implementation. The review further examines the theoretical perspectives used to understand the development of MAFR and the factors that motivate the decisions made by various stakeholders regarding the implementation of MAFR. The main motives behind MAFR implementation are as follows: reduced audit market concentration, improved audit quality, and enhanced auditor independence. This review follows the methodological approach outlined in the SPAR-4-SLR protocol, which enables the systematic assembly, arrangement, and assessment of peer-reviewed academic articles. It employs thematic analysis to analyse the data. The findings reveal that the research has focused predominantly on audit quality, followed by auditor independence, and then audit market concentration. Audit market concentration was the least researched area, but the scholarship finds that MAFR is not the best antidote to resolve it; rather, it intensifies it. Regarding audit quality and auditor independence, the debate remains inconclusive, with no consensus reached on whether MAFR is the most effective solution to address these issues. This review contributes to the MAFR literature by identifying emerging themes and the theoretical drivers that add to the field.
A Structured literature review on AI-driven operations: exploring disruption, human value, and implementation challenges
Ntshalintshali, Mandisa (University of Pretoria, 2025)
This structured literature review explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping operations management through three interconnected lenses: disruption of traditional operational models, evolving forms of human participation, and the persistent gap between strategic intent and implementation. Drawing on 58 peer-reviewed studies across multiple sectors, the review identifies how AI reconfigures decision-making structures, challenges established routines, and introduces new organisational tensions. It highlights that effective AI integration depends not only on technological readiness but also on trust, governance, contextual alignment, and human capability. The review contributes a nuanced understanding of AI-driven operations and responds to recent calls for operations management scholarship to engage more deeply with the complexities of AI implementation. It concludes by proposing future research directions focused on human-AI collaboration, context-sensitive deployment strategies, and the development of governance models that balance performance, accountability, and adaptability.
A structured literature review of sustainability-focused strategic foresight research
Naicker, Prevashni (University of Pretoria, 2025)
This review examines the development of the agenda on sustainability-focused strategic foresight research since the introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. Progress toward achieving the United Nations 2030 Agenda remains off track, underscoring the need for innovative, lateral, and pluralistic approaches to navigate growing global uncertainty. Strategic foresight is conceptualised as an instrumental approach in the global sustainability agenda by the United Nations, governments, organisations and scholars. The existing knowledge infrastructure was analysed in line with an established sustainable development framing architecture. Nine emerging research themes were identified, of which five are classified as key themes aligned with sustainability goals, namely, enhanced innovation, organisational capabilities, sustainability of natural resources, social cohesion and policy development. Four themes support the enabling environments, as capabilities and tools. These are individual cognition, methodological advancements, dynamic capabilities and digital tools. Significant observations are the disproportionate scholarly focus on goals and the consequent prominence of innovation and organisational research. Further, the low emphasis on societal benefit is pronounced and the inequitable geographical concentration is void of developing economies. This literature landscape review provides several opportunities and implications for future research.
Understanding SME resilience: a bibliometric and thematic review of empirical research
Darroll, Brendon (University of Pretoria, 2025)
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are a compelling unit of analysis to understanding the construct of resilience, given their heterogeneity, their importance in the global economy, and exposure to shocks. This systematic literature review (SLR) surfaces the need to reframe resilience as an equifinal measurement outcome emerging through the interplay of what firms have (resources), what they do (processes), and what they can become. The review highlights that the construct resilience remains congested with definitional ambiguity and methodological fragmentation. Following a bibliographic coupling technique, this review identifies 22 empirical articles that meet strict quality standards for inclusion. This review adopts a novel structured approach combining bibliographic coupling to identify shared knowledge foundations with reflexive, citation-led thematic analysis of those foundations. By examining how foundational citations are applied within clustered studies, the review identifies recurring conceptual frameworks, enabling traits, and theoretical anchors of SME resilience. The findings of this structured review reveal that resilience should be understood as a bridging construct situated between survival and success. Resilience is shaped by context, culture, the entrepreneur firm-nexus, and temporal phases of readiness, response, and recovery. The methodology and structured process applied in this review surfaces key conceptual patterns that may enable future researchers to build on shared knowledge foundations, offering a replicable approach for future structured literature reviews.
Adoption of digital payments at the merchant level: a structured literature review
Chauke, Lesego (University of Pretoria, 2025)
The adoption of digital payments remains below expectations globally, and we do not fully understand why that is the case. Extensive research has been done at the consumer level, but little focus has been given to other stakeholders in the payment ecosystem, including merchants. Digital payments adoption research at the merchant level is emerging; however, it is fragmented across multiple disciplines and lacks a common understanding of the factors that enable or hinder adoption, contributing to a lack of a holistic understanding of digital payments adoption and the continued low adoption globally. This structured literature review is conducted across five disciplines and includes 59 research articles consolidating the literature on digital payments adoption at the merchant level in the payment ecosystem. Using inductive thematic analysis, the literature review identified enabling and hindering factors under the themes of structural factors, experiential factors, adoption theory factors, socioeconomic factors and the merchant and consumer interplay. The theory, context and methodology (TCM) approach is applied to the thematic analysis process to ensure a comprehensive and structured approach in the multidisciplinary research. Future research domains are identified for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners on structural factors, merchant-level research in Africa, and the interplay between merchants and consumers in the payment ecosystem.
Factors, pathways, and mechanisms through which universal basic income achieves economic impacts: a systematic review
Canillas, Lorisa (University of Pretoria, 2025)
Although the potential outcomes of Universal Basic Income (UBI) have been extensively studied, existing literature has not been systematically scoped and synthesized to identify the factors, pathways, and mechanisms through which UBI achieves economic impacts. This systematic review addresses that gap by presenting a comprehensive conceptual framework that maps these analytical elements and their interplay. Guided by a PICO framework, the review examined a range of economic outcomes and employed contextual analysis and narrative synthesis across pilot studies, policy programs, and simulation models. The findings reveal the considerable complexity of implementing UBI in any context. Country-specific assessment and careful design are required due to several contextual differences such as country economic output size, demographics, levels of poverty and inequality, labour market characteristics, and tax-benefit systems. The review also finds that despite reported positive outcomes in poverty reduction, consumption and financial well-being, and financial feasibility, there are irrefutable trade-offs and structural shifts such as the tension between poverty reduction and increased taxation, the trade-off between UBI generosity and coverage (universality), and balancing the changes in the tax-benefit system and its distributive impact (inequality). Continued progress in UBI research requires country-specific applications, supported by a comprehensive analytical framework such as the one proposed in this review.
Management of informal economies by South African coal mining companies in the context of their just energy transition
Letsipa, Girly (University of Pretoria, 2025)
This study critically examines how coal mining companies in South Africa manage informal economies within the framework of the Just Energy Transition (JET). Using a qualitative research design, twelve semi-structured interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis to explore governance, corporate strategies, stakeholder engagement, and socio-economic resilience in coal-dependent communities. Eight interrelated themes emerged: informal economies, management strategies, just energy transition planning, stakeholder engagement, future outlook, governance and policy, social protection and resilience, and theoretical constructs. Findings reveal that informal economies are structurally embedded and economically vital yet remain marginalized in formal planning processes. Corporate interventions demonstrate developmental intent but lack flexibility and sustainability, while governance frameworks exhibit technocratic tendencies and multi-scalar fragmentation, undermining distributive and procedural justice. Informal actors face systemic exclusion from social protection schemes, despite demonstrating adaptive resilience through community-based coping mechanisms. Conceptually, the study reinforces energy justice principles and stakeholder theory while introducing hybrid governance and anticipatory planning as theoretical extensions to JET discourse. Policy implications underscore the need for participatory governance, integrated social protection, and context-sensitive strategies that operationalize justice beyond rhetoric. By foregrounding the intersection of informality, governance, and transition planning, this research contributes to global debates on inclusive and equitable energy transitions in resource-dependent economies.
Breaking the cycle of fire sales: rethinking sales incentives for sustainable sales growth
Cook, Abdul (University of Pretoria, 2025)
This study investigates how fire sales, as incentive structures, shape the behaviour, ethical decision‑making, and fairness perceptions of financial advisers in the insurance industry, and its implications for sustainable performance outcomes. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of commission‑based and alternative incentive models, identify their unintended consequences, and explore frameworks that balance short‑term productivity with long‑term customer trust and organisational stability. Commission‑driven environments, while effective in motivating immediate sales, have been criticised for fostering mis‑selling, fire‑sale behaviour, and policy lapses that undermine sustainability and erode consumer confidence. Grounded in Expectancy Theory, amongst others, the study adopts a quantitative approach, combining literature analysis with adviser perspectives to examine behavioural, organisational, and ethical dynamics. Findings confirm that commission‑based incentives strongly motivate short‑term sales but embed structural vulnerabilities that compromise policy persistency. Ethical behaviour emerged as a mediating mechanism that mitigates adverse effects but does not fundamentally alter the biases inherent in commission systems. Hybrid and value‑based models, integrating customer satisfaction and retention metrics, were identified as more sustainable alternatives. The contribution of this study lies in advancing understanding of how fire sales, through incentive design, influences both performance and ethics, offering pathways for reform. Limitations include reliance on sector‑specific data and the need for broader empirical testing across diverse financial contexts.
Marketing communication strategies for chinese automotive OEMs operating in South Africa: the role of diversity in consumer decision-making
Khumalo, Mmathapelo (University of Pretoria, 2025)
Chinese automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have expanded rapidly in South Africa, yet performance is uneven when global playbooks meet a super‑diverse market where cultural legitimacy, identity alignment and informal institutions (e.g., language, dignity norms, community values) shape how consumers decode brand messages. This study explores how marketing communication strategies can be designed to align with South Africa’s plural consumer base and how diversity cues influence decision‑making in a high‑involvement category. An integrated lens, Institutional Theory (macro), Homophily (meso) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB)(micro) guides the inquiry. An exploratory qualitative design combined four online focus groups (FG1–FG4) (South African consumers) and a document/content analysis of recent brand communications by OEMs operating locally (including Chinese OEMs). The data was analysed thematically and triangulated to strengthen credibility and generate practice‑proximal insights. The research setting was Gauteng, reflecting South Africa’s socio‑cultural heterogeneity and media density. Findings converge on eight themes, the salience of localised language and cultural relevance, the positive yet fragile effects of representation (risk of tokenism and backlash), patterns of marketing exclusion/disconnect, the role of storytelling in emotional resonance, entrenched brand heritage and generational loyalty, indecisive attitudes toward Chinese brands, multi‑factor purchase dynamics (value, reliability, financing, service coverage) and peer‑based homophily and social proof that amplify or dampen purchase intention. Across cases, attitudes and subjective norms are moved by identity‑congruent cues, while perceived behavioural control (PBC) hinges on transparent finance and aftersales architectures. The study delivers a context‑sensitive framework that sequences institutional fit (what communications must signal to be legitimate), identity congruence (how cues are read as “for people like me/us”) and intention levers (attitudes, norms, control) to translate communication fit into action. Managerially, it specifies four design imperatives, vernacular language strategy, representation beyond surface tokens, community activation and credible sources and post‑purchase relationship architectures that sustain trust. Theoretically, the work localises inclusive‑marketing scholarship to an African, super‑diverse context and advances a multi‑level pathway from norms to choice.
Progressing digital transformation through successful strategic alliances: a financial sector perspective
Gounden, Ricardo (University of Pretoria, 2025)
Digital transformation is a strategic imperative for organisations seeking to remain relevant in an evolving financial sector. Organisations within the financial sector are recognising that as the pace of technological change increases, successful digital transformation cannot be achieved in isolation. Strategic alliances have therefore become increasingly important, enabling organisations to access new capabilities and accelerate digital transformation initiatives. This study explored how organisations within the financial sector utilise strategic alliances to achieve digital transformation, to identify the challenges faced by these organisations, to uncover the enablers that result in successful alliance-driven digital transformation and to identify the outcomes thereof. Using an exploratory qualitative research design, data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with 15 executives and senior managers from traditional banks, insurance providers, and fintech companies across the financial sector within South Africa. The study focused on corporate entities, listed and/or unlisted companies and subsidiaries actively pursuing or supporting digital transformation. The study potentially contributes to existing literature through the development of an integrated conceptual framework that illustrates how linking digital transformation and strategic alliances shapes successful digital transformation within organisations in the financial sector, by highlighting the associated challenges, enablers, and outcomes. The research outcomes potentially contribute to the growing body of emerging literature on digital transformation and its connection to strategic alliances.
The synegistic impact of organisational culture and digital transformation in enhancing organizational performance and efficiency in public sector institutions
Galada, Goitsemang (University of Pretoria, 2025)
This study explored the synergy and relationship between organisational culture and digital transformation in enhancing performance and efficiency within public sector organisations. As governments increasingly adopt digital technologies to improve service delivery and operational effectiveness, many still struggle to achieve the intended performance outcomes. The research investigated how cultural factors, leadership behaviours, and employee attitudes influence the success or failure of digital transformation initiatives in the public sector context. The study adopted a qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews with senior and middle managers, Information Technology specialists, and transformation leads across selected public sector organisations. The data was thematically analysed to identify patterns and relationships between organisational culture, digital transformation practices, and performance outcomes. This approach allowed for an in-depth understanding of how cultural dynamics and leadership behaviours influence the implementation and effectiveness of digital initiatives in advancing organisational growth.
Intended and unintended outcomes from strategy implementation activities by middle managers in state-owned entities
Debe, Cwayita (University of Pretoria, 2025)
South Africa (SA) faces significant challenges, including rising unemployment, high inequalities, widespread poverty, and stagnant economic growth. To address these challenges, the government has established State Owned Entities (SOEs), which are wholly owned and operated by the government. SOEs in South Africa drive the implementation of the large-scale national priorities that the private sector cannot deliver at the required scale. These include energy security, efficient logistics, industrial growth, and economic competitiveness. For each SOE to deliver on these priorities, they develop a set of strategic priorities to be achieved. The implementation of these strategies is monitored through the National Development Plan (NDP). A decade since its launch, the NDP has not yielded the desired outcomes, with entities such as Eskom and Transnet far from achieving their strategic goals. These failures in achieving the NDP goals suggest that the problem lies not in strategy formulation but in strategy execution. The study aimed to explore the strategic outcomes of strategy implementation activities through the lens of middle managers in SOEs. This is because middle managers in these SOEs are central to implementing these strategies, as the Top Management Team (TMT) delegates to them to operationalise within their teams and translate them into day-to-day activities. Given the SOEs' important role, understanding how middle managers influence strategy implementation within them is critical. Based on 15 semi-structured interviews with SOE middle managers, the study investigated how their strategy implementation activities relate to intended and unintended strategic outcomes. The research found that middle managers experience challenges during implementation, including resource constraints, frequent leadership changes, and competing mandates, which lead to unintended strategies. These challenges are further compounded by the SOE context of having to achieve financial goals and public service objectives simultaneously. It identified their strategy implementation activities and how they relate to intended and unintended outcomes of the strategies, providing insights into how SA SOE can improve the delivery of their strategies.

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