Browsing by Author "Johnston, Kevin"
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- ItemOpen AccessAn analytical tale of the social media discursive enactment of networked everyday resistance during the #feesmustfall social movement in South Africa(2019) Bagui, Laban; Johnston, Kevin; Weimann, PeterSocial media are a space for discussions, debates and deliberations about personality, culture, society, and actual experiences of social actors in South Africa. They offer an unexpected opportunity for the broader consideration and inclusion of community members’ voices in governance decision making and policy processes. They also offer opportunities to engage, mobilise and change people and society in impressive scale, speed and effect: They have mobilising and transformative powers emanating from their interaction with the impetus of the agency of community members seeking better conditions of living. The magnitude of the effects of these powers makes it imperative to have a better understanding of their workings. Social media have been used in numerous social movements as the medium of communication to mobilise, coordinate, and broadcast protests. However, social media were never a guarantee of success as most movements using them did not achieve significant results. Yet, governments in developed and developing countries tend to engage inadequately with social media supported movements. The research problem is that the contribution of social media to the transformation of the social practice of discourse, which causes SSA community members’ agential impetus (collective intentionality for action) to generate a discourse of resistance on social media during social movements, is not well understood. The main research question is: Why are South African community members using social media to enact online discursive resistance during social movements? The aim of the research is to explain, from a critical realism point of view, Sub-Saharan African community members’ emergent usage of social media during social movements, by providing a contextualised social history (a tale) of South African community members’ practice of online discursive enactment of resistance. The emergent usage of social media of concern is conceptualised as “discursive enactment of networked everyday resistance” within a dialectical space of interaction conceptualised as “space of autonomous resistance”; an instance of a communication space allowing for transformative negation to occur. The research follows Bhaskar’s Critical Realism as a philosophical paradigm. Critical Realism seeks to explain phenomena by retroducing (retrospective inference) causal explanations from empirically observable phenomena to the generative mechanisms which caused them. The research was designed as a qualitative, processual and retroductive inquiry based on the Morphogenetic/Morphostasis approach with two phases: an empirical research developing the case of South African community members’ emergent usage of social media during the #feesmustfall social movement, looking for demi-regularities in social media discourse; and a transcendental research reaching into the past to identified significant events, objects and entities which tendencies are responsible for the shape of observed discourse. In the first phase, a case study was developed from data collected on the social media platform Twitter™, documents, and in-depth interviews of South African community members. The data collected were analysed using qualitative content analysis (QCA) and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to unveil demi-regularities; moving from the observable individual strategic orientation of messages to discourses, thus to the tendencies of relational emergent properties of systemic magnitude which structure local discourses and are transformed by them. Then, the social mediainduced morphogenesis or transformation of South African community members’ discursive action was postulated in an analytical history of emergence (or analytical tale) of their usage of social media within a “space of autonomous resistance” during social movements. The findings of the research suggest that South African community members authored 3 discourses of resistance on Twitter™: #feesmustfall discourses of struggle, identity and oppression. They identified as “student qua black-child” stepping into the “Freedom fighter” role against the hegemonic post-apartheid condition curtailing their aspirations. It was found that social media socio-cultural embeddedness and under-design (Western European socio-cultural globalising underpinning features and functional features of the platforms) which interaction with the local socio-cultural mix (postapartheid socio-cultural tendencies for domination/power, spiral of silence, and legitimacy/identification) resulted in misfits and workarounds enhancing individual emotional conflict and aligning towards a socio-cultural opportunistic contingent complementarity integration in the deployment of discourse. That integration was actualised as a mediatization emergent property through asignification/signification of mainstream discourses of liberal democracy, colonial capitalism, national democratic revolution, free and decolonised education, black consciousness and Fallism. That mediatization through re-signification of the struggle for freedom created a communication “space of autonomous resistance” where networked freedom fighters enacted discursive everyday resistance against the hegemonic forces of students’ precariousness. The contribution of the research includes a realist model of social media discursive action (ReMDA); an explanation of South African community members’ deployment of discourse over social media during social movement and telling the tale of the transformation of discursive practices with the advent of social media in South Africa.
- ItemOpen AccessDevelopment and assessment of an organisational readiness framework for emerging technologies : an investigation of antecedents for South African organisations' readiness for server virtualisation(2011) Ogunyemi, Abiodun Afolayan; Johnston, KevinTo determine, holistically, factors that contribute to organisational readiness for these emerging technologies on one part, and the factors that influence organisational preparedness on its own on the other part, raises another concern. This study developed a new conceptual readiness framework NOIIE (an acronym for National e-readiness, Organisational preparedness, Industrial relationships, Internal resistance and External influence), for assessing organisations’ readiness for emerging technologies and applications.
- ItemOpen AccessHow CIOs Engage Boards on Digitisation: The Case of Financial Services Companies in South Africa(2018) Madzime, Ishe T; Johnston, KevinBoards as custodians of companies have to understand and lead digital transformation. Chief Information Officers (CIOs) can assist with educating and advising the board on digital transformation, but how do CIOs engage boards on the matter? Digitisation is at the heart of the financial services companies. Accordingly, this dissertation focussed on companies in the financial services industry. The main research question for this dissertation is: how do CIOs of South African (SA) financial services companies engage boards on digitisation? A detailed literature review was conducted which suggested research questions on digitisation, the role of the board and the CIO’s, engagement between them, and performance. The interview schedule was based on the foregoing topics. The researcher adopted an interpretivist epistemological perspective to understand digitisation engagements from the perspectives of board members, non-IT executives, and CIOs. The researcher employed a qualitative research method to gain an in-depth understanding of the subject. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with board members, non-IT executives and CIOs from financial services companies. Six key themes emerged from the thematic analysis of the interviews, namely: digitisation, the board’s role, the CIO’s role, non-IT executives’ role, digitisation engagement, and value. It’s important to note that the non-IT executives’ role was an additional role that emerged from the thematic analysis, this role had not been discussed in the literature review. Non-IT executives owned strategy and owned digitisation initiatives. A new Chief Digital Officer (CDO) role also emerged from the thematic analysis as a sub-theme of the CIO’s role. The CDO’s mandate was to drive company-wide digitisation over and above the CIO’s role. Considering the six themes collectively, the three entities (boards, non-IT executives, & CIOs) have a key role to play pertaining to digitisation. The findings suggested that CIOs often engaged the board through board meetings, board committees, and ad-hoc engagements. CIOs often educated the board on digital technologies, digitisation opportunities and digitisation issues. Further, findings suggested that digitisation engagement influenced How CIOs Engage Boards on Digitisation: The Case of Financial Services Companies in South Africa - 2 - value (e.g. responding to digitisation opportunities & issues) rather than performance which was difficult to prove. The dissertation concludes with methodological, substantive and scientific reflections, and recommendations for practice and future research. The dissertation contributes to the growing body of knowledge on digitisation and demonstrates how the logic espoused in the Complex context of Snowden and Boone's (2007) Cynefin framework can be used to guide how CIOs and boards engage on digitisation.
- ItemOpen AccessThe Impact of an Augmented Reality Application on Learning Motivation of Students(2019-02-03) Khan, Tasneem; Johnston, Kevin; Ophoff, JacquesThe research on augmented reality applications in education is still in an early stage, and there is a lack of research on the effects and implications of augmented reality in the field of education. The purpose of this research was to measure and understand the impact of an augmented reality mobile application on the learning motivation of undergraduate health science students at the University of Cape Town. We extend previous research that looked specifically at the impact of augmented reality technology on student learning motivation. The intrinsic motivation theory was used to explain motivation in the context of learning. The attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS) model guided the understanding of the impact of augmented reality on student motivation, and the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey was used to design the research instrument. The research examined the differences in student learning motivation before and after using the augmented reality mobile application. A total of 78 participants used the augmented reality mobile application and completed the preusage and postusage questionnaires. The results showed that using an augmented reality mobile application increased the learning motivation of students. The attention, satisfaction, and confidence factors of motivation were increased, and these results were found to be significant. Although the relevance factor showed a decrease it proved to be insignificant.
- ItemOpen AccessIndividual factors affecting the employability of Information Systems graduates in Cape Town, South Africa: Employed graduates and employer perspectives(2016) Kundaeli, Flora; Johnston, KevinGraduate employability has been a common subject among researchers, governments and higher education systems around the world. However, while there is a lot of information and numerous models that inform on graduate employability, there has been limited empirical research in this area. Furthermore, most employability studies have been conducted in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world, which may not be representative of the South African environment. Despite Information Technology (IT) being one of the most sought after qualification by employers in South Africa, it still remains unclear as to why many IT graduates struggle to secure jobs after graduation. This study provides insight into the concept of employability in South Africa, with a particular focus on Information Systems (IS) graduates in Cape Town. The study addresses three research questions: What individual factors affect the employability of IS graduates in Cape Town, South Africa? Who is responsible for graduate employability in South Africa? How can employability be embedded into South African curriculums? The study was guided by Dacre Pool and Sewell's (2007) CareerEDGE model, and Yorke and Knight's (2006) definition of employability. Data was collected from 19 individuals using focus group and in-depth interviews. Results showed that career development learning, experience (work and life), degree subject knowledge, skills and understanding, generic skills, emotional intelligence, self-confidence and reflection and evaluation affected one's employability. Employers, graduates and academic institutions were each expected to play a role in graduate employability. To embed employability into curriculums, universities need to ensure that curriculums are aligned to industry needs, that there is a balance between the soft and hard skills taught and that effective methods of teaching are being used. Universities are also encouraged to incorporate experiential learning in their programs and to provide proper career guidance counselling services to students early in their degree studies, so that students can make informed decisions regarding career paths and goals, and start tailoring their skills accordingly. The research contributes to the existing literature and debate on graduate employability, and builds upon the employability factors and relationships defined by Dacre Pool and Sewell's (2007) CareerEDGE model. The research also contributes to the existing theories on employability by providing empirical evidence regarding individual graduate employability factors. Lastly the research provides recommendations for practice and for improving employability in graduates.
- ItemOpen AccessInitiating a new information systems course: a case study in educational innovation(Kennesaw State University, 2008) Eccles, Michael; Pym, June; Johnston, KevinIf South Africa is to transform its educational landscape, access to higher education is crucial. However, if equity of access is not coupled with equity of success, participation, and relevance, access can become problematic. The Information Systems Department at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, has been concerned for a number of years about both the relevance and coherence of its first year Information Systems course. In 2007, the Department re-conceptualized this course. This case study looks at the background to the problems and motivation for the change and the proposed changes and course redesign, as well as the limitations and anticipated future work.
- ItemMetadata onlyAn introduction to Information Systems(2011) Johnston, KevinThis course provides a business perspective of information systems, and stresses how information systems can be used to improve the planning and running of businesses. This series of podcasts cover various topics on information systems and can be used for self study.
- ItemOpen AccessAn investigation of how South African Small and Medium Enterprises use ICT and dynamic capabilities to achieve competitive advantage(2011) Adeniran, Tejumade Victoria; Johnston, KevinThis study sets out to investigate how South African Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Dynamic Capabilities (DCs) to achieve competitive advantage in a changing business environment. The study explores the purposes for which South African SMEs use ICT in a changing environment, as well as the types of organisational capabilities or DCs that can significantly impact on competitive advantage within the SMEs. This study examines the contingent effect of firm size and age on the ICT capabilities, ICT utilisation, and absorptive and innovative capabilities of South African SMEs.
- ItemOpen AccessMobile phone use for empowerment in the context of social exclusion: an ethnographic study of urban refugees in South Africa(2017) Bisimwa, Kasky Bacishoga; Johnston, Kevin; Brown, IrwinProblem Statement: Calls have been made to find ways to address the problem of urban refugees who are now acknowledged as a universal, continuing, and recurring phenomenon. There is a dominant optimism about the contribution of mobile phones to the empowerment of refugees in the host countries. However, there is a dearth of knowledge on exactly how mobile phones contribute to empowerment, and also the use of mobile phones by urban refugees in developing countries has received only minimal attention. The purpose of the research: The main objective of this research was to empirically investigate whether the use of mobile phones by urban refugees in South Africa generates or fails to generate capabilities for empowerment. The specific aim was to critically explore the factors which shape the use of mobile phones by urban refugees in South Africa and their capabilities for empowerment. Design / methodology / approach: This research adopted a critical orientation to knowledge, used critical ethnographic methods and drew on a theoretical lens developed from the integration of Sen's Capability Approach and Bourdieu's Theory of Practice. The data were collected through observations and in-depth interviews with 22 urban refugees in South Africa. Documents and website corroborating evidence have provided secondary data. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: The findings suggest that mobile phone use affords valuable capabilities for empowerment in three main ways. First, the capabilities to negotiate ways to participate in the information society by: participating in economic and financial activities, improving access to services and to sources of information. Second, the capabilities to effectively engage with wider networks by: developing and maintaining relationships, being socially and culturally connected, and communicating effectively. Third, the capabilities to manage one's own situation and solve problems by: multi-tasking easily, and a guarantee of transparency and security. However, the generation of these capabilities is contingent on power relations in the social field - between social structures and individual's agency. In South Africa, the capabilities of empowerment that urban refugees can generate through mobile phone use are either enhanced or hindered by interrelated factors, namely the affordances of mobile phones, socio-environmental factors, and personal factors. The availability of capital is very crucial for personal factors, to which they confer more, or less, power to influence the power relations. Originality / contribution: This research contributes to the theory in the field of Information Systems by proposing a dynamic framework with precise constructs for theorising and explaining the mechanisms and social practices that shape mobile phone use and the capabilities for empowerment. This research suggests that to research mobile phone use for empowerment in the context of social exclusion and inequality in developing countries, researchers need to look beyond social agents' immediate behaviours to take into consideration the broader context of social exclusion, by focusing on conversion factors, human diversity, and capabilities. This research has exposed the explicitly or implicitly hidden interests, important beliefs, assumptions and social practices that facilitate or constrain capabilities for empowerment. It contributes to the empowerment of the ethnographic researcher who is himself an urban refugee in South Africa, but also to the empowerment of urban refugees in South Africa and perhaps of other individuals in a similar situation. That is because empowerment starts with the enlightenment and the realisation of one's own true interest and situation. The findings can also contribute to the policy-setting process of government or organisations seeking to assist urban refugees, by facilitating the formulation of their intervention strategies.
- ItemOpen AccessOutsourcing IT Services and service level agreements in South Africa's retail sector(2004) Charles, Lowell; Johnston, KevinThis research project is an attempt at examining the state of outsourcing IT services and the use of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) amongst the large retailers of South Africa. Questionnaires were sent to all the large retailers, and various respondents from these organisations provided information regarding their involvement with outsourcing IT services and experience with the use of SLAs. The hypotheses for this research aimed to investigate the following; • Which IT services were outsourced, and which were most likely to be outsourced amongst large South African retailers; • Whether outsourcing IT services has given South African retailers a competitive advantage; • Whether SLAs have been used in conjunction with outsourcing IT Services; and • What changes should be made to SLAs to make them more useful when outsourcing IT Services. The findings from this research suggest that 94% of the large retailers in South Africa were involved in outsourcing parts of their IT services. These services were mainly deployment and management of networks, application development and systems maintenance, and support/helpdesk services. Thirty six percent of respondents believed outsourcing had given them a slight competitive edge, while 6% had experienced a substantial competitive advantage. Furthermore, more than 50% of the large retailers used Service Level Agreements (SLAs) when outsourcing their IT services. The most significant change suggested for SLAs is to have better measurement metrics, so as to provide a clearer understanding of what services has been performed by the parties involved.
- ItemOpen AccessThe potential use of the Internet of Things (IoT) in South African retail businesses(2017) Dlamini, Nomusa Nomhle; Johnston, KevinTechnology advancement has resulted in the creation of new paradigms such as the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT is defined as the interconnectedness of devices or things through a path or network. The IoT is powered by Radio Frequency Identifiers (RFIDs), sensors, actuators, and the internet to enable an anytime, anyplace, with anything and anyone connection. The IoT is perceived as a major technological advancement in history, even though its enabling devices have been in existence for many years. The IoT is moving the digital world into an era where it will power billions of devices bringing about the transformation of products and services offered by businesses. The IoT is predicted to change business processes by the year 2020 while 33% of South African businesses are set to invest in the IoT in the next 3 years. Businesses that will invest in the devices or things that make up IoT are expected to gain more and grow exceptionally well when compared to other businesses in that same market that are not using the IoT. The IoT is changing the retail industry by providing new opportunities to businesses and its customers creating new efficiencies in the business structures resulting in the increase in revenue. The research took a subjective ontological stance with an interpretive view of reality using a deductive approach to theory employing the Technology Organisation Environment (TOE) Framework as a lens for the research. Data for this research was collected using a qualitative research approach using interviews as data collection method. For this research, heads of Information Technology (IT) were interviewed to answer the main research questions which included: 1. What is the potential use of IoT in South African retail businesses? 2. How can the South African retail environment potentially use IoT? 3. What are the potential benefits of using IoT in South African retail businesses? 4. What are the potential challenges of using IoT in South African retail businesses? The findings revealed that retail businesses in South Africa are potentially looking at using the IoT for business processes in the coming years. Currently, retail businesses are not extensively using IoT as the devices and things that power the IoT are not widely available in South Africa. Other barriers that limit uptake is the cost of IoT devices in South Africa and bandwidth. However, respondents stated that the benefits of the IoT outweigh its challenges. The data further revealed that the Return on Investment (ROI) in the IoT will not be realised immediately. Retail businesses are looking at using the IoT for internal business processes rather than customer interaction. Retailers believe that the South African environment is not ready for a fullyfleshed IoT structure such as Amazon Go or Monoprix as the average South African is not technologically savvy. These findings support the TOE Framework that assumes that the technology, organisation, and environment are the driving forces behind a decision to innovate technologically.
- ItemOpen AccessUsing the Strategic Alignment Model to explore alignment issues between business and IT in a large, financial service organisation in South Africa(2008) Sader, Farhad; Johnston, KevinIn 1993, Henderson and Venkatraman proposed a Strategic Alignment Model (SAM) to stimulate thinking about the issue of business and IT alignment from different perspectives. Their model consists of four components across the two dimensions of strategic fit and functional integration, and calls for the recognition of cross domain relationships through four dominant alignment perspectives. Using a qualitative research strategy and a case study methodology, this research used the (SAM) to explore the issue of alignment between business and IT in a large financial services organisation in South Africa. This was achieved by using Henderson and Venkatraman's (1993) characteristics that differentiate strategic alignment from traditional views on linkage as a yardstick to analyse the organisation's perspective on alignment and discuss it in light of the four dominant alignment perspectives identified. A key finding from this study is that while there is an alignment problem, the organisation is going through a transition where it is shifting from a traditional perspective on alignment (strategy execution in terms of Henderson and Venkatraman's (1993) dominant alignment perspectives) towards a more strategic view. As a consequence of this transition, there is a visible disconnect between the rapidly changing expectations on IT and the underlying mechanisms and structures that are required for IT to be able to deliver. This disconnect can be seen as the two are contrasted and compared. While the spark for this change has primarily been a general dissatisfaction with the state of IT, the introduction of new IT leadership has served as a catalyst for provoking the changes that are visible and has essentially become the flywheel that is providing the momentum to drive this change forward. This finding supports and emphasises Hendersen and Venkatraman' s (1993, p.482) assertion that: "The potential for IT impact is so varied and complex that the executive must consider these perspectives as alternative conceptual lenses and be prepared to continuously make adaptations" - but further demonstrates that organisations may struggle as they make these adaptations, particularly if they are going through a process whereby they are broadening their perspective on alignment from strategy execution to something more externally focused. This is particularly because of the inability of structures and processes to keep pace with the rapidly changing expectations of business executives, but also as a result of the potential for conflict to occur as the roles that both IT and business are likely to assume may not be complementary. Furthermore, these roles may differ in terms of the criteria they use to assess performance. In addition to proposing specific recommendations on what the organisation can do to ease the transition from a traditional perspective on alignment towards a more strategic view, this research recommends that Henderson and Venkatraman' s (1993) model be adapted to recognise three further elements that must be considered as part of the strategic alignment equation, namely: (a) values and beliefs; (b) expectations; and, (c) success criteria.
- ItemOpen AccessVisualisation of data to optimise strategic decision making(2017) Moore, Jeanne; Johnston, Kevin1.1 Purpose of the study: The purpose of this research was to explain the principles that should be adopted when developing data visualisations for effective strategic decision making. 1.1.1 Main problem statement: Big data is produced at exponential rates and organisational executives may not possess the appropriate skill or knowledge to consume it for rigorous and timely strategic decision-making (Li, Tiwari, Alcock, & Bermell-Garcia, 2016; Marshall & De la Harpe, 2009; McNeely & Hahm, 2014). 1.1.2 Sub-problems: Organisational executives, including Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and Chief Operating Officers (COOs) possess unique and differing characteristics including education, IT skill, goals and experiences impacting on his/her strategic decision-making ability (Campbell, Chang, & Hosseinian-Far, 2015; Clayton, 2013; Krotov, 2015; Montibeller & Winterfeldt, 2015; Toker, Conati, Steichen, & Carenini, 2013; Xu, 2014). Furthermore, data visualisations are often not "fit-forpurpose", meaning they do not consistently or adequately guide executive strategic decision-making for organisational success (Nevo, Nevo, Kumar, Braasch, & Mathews, 2015). Finally, data visualisation development currently faces challenges, including resolving the interaction between data and human intuition, as well as the incorporation of big data to derive competitive advantage (Goes, 2014; Moorthy et al., 2015; Teras & Raghunathan, 2015). 1.1.3 Research Questions: Based on the challenges identified in section 1.1.1 and 1.1.2, the researcher has identified 3 research questions. RQ1: What do individual organisational executives value and use in data and data visualisation for strategic decision-making purposes? RQ2: How does data visualisation impact on an executive's ability to use and digest relevant information, including on his/her decision-making speed and confidence? RQ3: What elements should data analysts consider when developing data visualisations? 1.2 Rationale: The study will provide guidance to data analysts on how to develop and rethink their data visualisation methods, based on responses from organisational executives tasked with strategic decision-making. By performing this study, data analysts and executives will both benefit, as data analysts will gain knowledge and understanding of what executives value and use in data visualisations, while executives will have a platform to raise their requirements, improving the effectiveness of data visualisations for strategic decision-making. 1.3 Research Method: Qualitative research was the research method used in this research study. Qualitative research could be described as using words rather than precise measurements or calculations when performing data collection and analysis and uses methods of observation, human experiences and inquiry to explain the results of a study (Bryman, 2015; Myers, 2013). Its importance in social science research has increased, as there is a need to further understand the connection of the research study to people's emotions, culture and experiences (Creswell, 2013; Lub, 2015). This supports the ontological view of the researcher, which is an interpretivist's view (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2015; Ormston, Spencer, Barnard, & Snape, 2014). The epistemology was interpretivism, as the researcher interviewed executives and data analysts (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2015; Ritchie, Lewis, Nicholls, & Ormston, 2013). Furthermore, literature relating to decision-making supported the researcher's interpretivist view, as people generally make decisions based on what they know at the time (Betsch & Haberstroh, 2014). Therefore, the researcher cannot separate the participant from his/her views (Dhochak & Sharma, 2016).The population for this research comprised of 13 executives tasked with strategic decision-making, as well as 4 data analysts who are either internal (permanent employees) or external (consultants) of the organisation within the private sector. 1.4 Conclusion: RQ1: What do individual organisational executives value and use in data and data visualisation for strategic decision-making purposes? Based upon the findings, to answer RQ1, organisational executives must first be clear on the value of the decision. No benefit will be derived from data visualisation if the decision lacks value. The executives also stressed the importance of understanding how data relevancy was identified, based on the premise used by the data visualisation developers. Executives also value source data accuracy and preventing a one-dimensional view by only incorporating data from one source. Hence the value of dynamism, or differing data angles, is important. In terms of the value in data visualisation, it must provide simplicity, clarity, intuitiveness, insightfulness, gap, pattern and trending capability in a collaboration enabling manner, supporting the requirements and decision objectives of the executive. However, an additional finding also identified the importance of the executive's knowledge of the topic at hand and having some familiarity of the topic. Finally, the presenter of the visualisation must also provide a guiding force to assist the executive in reaching a final decision, but not actually formulate the decision for the executive. RQ2: How does data visualisation impact on an executive's ability to use and digest relevant information, including on his/her decision-making speed and confidence? Based on the findings, to answer RQ2, themes of consumption, speed and confidence can be used. However; the final themes of use and trust overlap the initial 3 theme. Consumption is impacted by the data visualisation's ability to talk to the objective of the decision and the ability of the technology used to map the mental model and thinking processes of the decision-maker. Furthermore, data visualisations must not only identify the best decision, but also help the executive to define actionable steps to meet the goal of the decision. Executives appreciate the knowledge and skill of peers and prefer an open approach to decision-making, provided that each inclusion is to the benefit of the organisation as a whole. Benchmark statistics from similar industries also add to the consumption factor. Speed was only defined in terms of the data visualisation design, including the use of contrasting elements, such as colour, to highlight anomalies and areas of interest with greater speed. Furthermore, tolerance limits can also assist the executive in identifying where thresholds have been surpassed, or where areas of underperformance have occurred, focussing on problem areas within the organisation. Finally, confidence is not only impacted by the data visualisation itself but is also affected by the executive's knowledge of the decision and the factors affecting the decision, the ability of the data visualisation presenter to understand, guide and add value to the decision process, the accuracy and integrity of the data presented, the familiarity of the technology used to present the data visualisation and the ability of the data visualisation to enable explorative and collaborative methods for decision-making. RQ3: What elements should data analysts consider when developing data visualisations? Based on the findings, to answer RQ3, the trust theme identifies qualitative factors, relating to the presenter. The value, consumption and confidence themes all point to the relevance of having an open and collaborative organisational culture that enables the effective use of data visualisation. Collaboration brings individuals together and the power of knowledgeable individuals can enhance the final decision. In terms of the presenter, his/her organisational ranking, handling of complexity and multiple audience requirements, use of data in the data visualisation, ability to answer questions, his/her confidence and maturity, professionalism, delivery of the message when presenting, knowledge of the subject presented, understanding of the executive's objectives and data visualisation methodology, creation of a "WOW" factor and understanding the data journey are all important considerations.