Podcasts
What is PoPI…really?
Bryan Balfe, Enterprise Account Manager at CommVault, discusses why information management is vital with the PoPI Act and what companies should consider in order to create a foundation for compliance. Balfe further discusses why a single platform for data and information management can assist companies to reduce the cost and complexity of PoPI compliance. He explains how this will create a platform for compliance with the alphabet soup of additional Acts – both current and future - further reducing risks and the cost associated with compliance initiatives.
- data management
- POPI
- legislation
Productivity - Has technology really improved productivity
It is interesting to note that the issue of productivity is always brought into discussion of technology integration and application, particularly when it pertains to HR and HCM in business. In the market today, productivity and technology go hand in hand as business operators look for ways to reduce costs and maximise a return on investment.
In this interview we review the fundamentals of what is meant by productivity in the context of technology procurement and application in business.
The fact is that, despite increasing levels of innovation and growing awareness of decision makers about the realities of the solutions they invest in, projects and scheduled integrations do fail.
At the same time, there are many instances where investment has failed to yield the type of return expected – where solutions have not enhanced operations, streamlined processes and procedures or adequately facilitated the introduction of important considerations like mobility, the Cloud and other technical avenues explored for improvement.
We review why this could be the case and what decision makers need to consider to make the numbers count: in other words whether or not their technology investment is aligned to the needs/ requirements of the business, whether or not there is sufficient buy-in from management to make projects and integration work, and whether or not there is an understanding of the inherent qualities of technology to truly add value.
- productivity
- technology implementation
- cloud technology
Compensation - Predictions going forward, where to from here
James McKerrell CEO of CRS Technologies discusses the major trends that are now defining compensation management in business touching on the main challenges for decision makers, the importance of businesses effectively manage compensation.
James highlights how much has changed in terms of the processes and procedures used to regulate compensation and what are the most influential regulations effecting compensation.
What the most likely factors are to direct compensation going forward – likely scenarios and how they impact business. Listing some of the other important legislation which relates to compensation in South Africa.
- compensation
- legislation
Mitch Marescia co-founder and CEO of Camargue Underwriting Managers discusses why Employment Practices Liability is cover advantageous for companies and what type of companies use this cover. Mitch highlights that South Africa has become very litigious and outlines what some of the remedies awarded to aggrieved employees are in unfair dismissal cases, as well as the effect on working relationships. Providing advice for what you should look for when deciding on various EPL cover options.
- Employment Practices Liability
- CCMA
- Risk Mitigation Plan
Keith Coates discusses the importance of organisational culture and how this effects strategy. Explaining that organisational culture is now as important as the vision, mission and other key measurements used in business today.
Keith provides insight on how you, as a leader, can begin to assess and formulate your own organisations culture.
- organisational culture
- strategy
Connect with the Continent
Terry Behan’s author of the new book CONNECT with the CONTINENT providing practical insights for new brands trying to figure out how to gain access to African markets. As well as highlighting how existing businesses can grow and protect their brands on this exciting and dynamic continent. Terry discusses his book and some of his experiences of working on the African continent with Geoffrey Dean, Publisher of The SA Leader.
- africa growth
- brand diversification
- marketing strategy
In our modern world consumers expect companies to be intelligent and connected, Leopold Malan one of the founding partners at BrightRock insurance discusses with Geoffrey Dean, Publisher of The SA Leader, how BrightRock designed its systems and material in a very conscious effort to “debunk the gumpf” and to build products and systems that work for the customer, not just the company.
- customer experience
- business models
- Business Intelligence
Backup and archiving - what is the difference between the two?
A common misconception when companies consider data preservation is that backup and archiving are synonymous or one and the same thing. Because of that misconception, many IT managers expect their backup systems to fulfil their archiving requirements. However, although similar, they actually provide very different functions within the business environment.
Gareth Tudor from Altonet discusses with Geoffrey Dean, Publisher of The SA Leader , the difference between backups and archiving, the benefits, why organisations tend to opt for backing up and when organisations should utilise the two. Lastly, Gareth discusses how big data and meaningful computing affects the extracting of information from backups and archives.
- backup
- archive server
- disaster recovery
- big data
- data preservation
- data volume
The importance of Service Management Officers to achieve continual service improvement
The IT department of any organisation has traditionally operated in a silo, viewed as a cost centre rather than a driver of value, and not seen as a customer-facing activity of the business. However, as IT has become increasingly important for the daily operations for several of the most fundamental aspects of business, including communications, this line has begun to blur. The reality is that the business is the customer of IT, and IT Service Management (ITSM) is thus vital for improving business effectiveness, efficiency and profitability.
- IT Service Management
- it support
- IT strategy
The Five Focuses of Risk Management
Phillip Fretwell, managing director of Protiviti, a global business consulting and internal audit firm specialising in risk advisory and transaction services discusses the five focuses of risk Management.
Aiden Choles, co-founder and the managing director of The Narrative Lab discusses how they came across the topic of Re:Humanisation, through his work with narrative in the workplace. Covering areas of:
- The change of understanding how people have purpose and meaning within South African businesses today,
- De:Humanisation and how this happing in current work environments,
- Why Re:Humanisation has relevance to organisations over and above "it being a nice thing to do",
- People Focus vs. Re:Humanisation,
- Is Re:Humanisation applicable to SME's as well as larger corporare organisations,
- The effects of implementing Re:Humanising approach,
- How previous FNB (First National Bank) CEO, Michael Jordaan, tributes their innovative approach in banking to incorporating Re:Humaning into their strategy,
- The effect of Re:Humanisation on employees.
Paul Greeff, Head of the Banking Sector for Global Credit Ratings (GCR) talks with the Publisher of TheSALeader about micro-financiers and unsecured lending in South Africa.
- Giving a distinction between micro-financiers.
- Where you find exploitation and reckless lending within the industry.
- How credit is controlled to protect the end consumer.
- How micro-financiers and governed and are governing themselves.
- How Basel III will affect the commercial banks in South Africa and why they are looking at unsecured loans to alleviate the affects of these regulations.
- The change of the financial demographic profile of the end users taking out unsecured loans and how the National Credit Act has affected this change.
- microfinanciers
- unsecured loans
- unsecured debt
- Global Credit Ratings
- Basel
- National Credit Act
- banking South Africa
Jenny Moore, Group Head of Business Development and Innovation at Yellowwood, discusses the 2012 Brand Engagement Survey. Jenny talks to Geoffrey Dean from TheSALeader about:
- the sample used and how the survey was conducted,
- why is brand engagement important when considering shopper behaviour,
- how in-store touch points impact on brand engagement (or the other way round),
- the use of location-based advertising in South Africa,
- how brands are using online and social media to engage with customer effectively, and
- advice for brands within the different brand engagement levels
- brand engagement
- shopper behaviour
- instore touch points
- social media
- Yellowwood
- Brand Engagement Survey
TheSALeader Publisher Geoffrey Dean discusses with René Otto CEO of MiWay the drivers behind their success and maiden profit.
- MiWay
- René Otto
Integrated reporting and disclosure
Prof. Mervyn King presents the findings of PwC‘s ‘Moving from principle to practice: Corporate reporting survey’.
- Prof Mervyn King
- King III Report
- intergrated thinking
- organizational leadership
- organisational silos