BUSINESS SCHOOL

Learning to adapt to change

by Ayanda Radebe

Executives leading organisations across public and private sectors are faced with immense challenges in understanding how technology can impact governance and strategy in their organisations.

UKZN Extended Learning recently held the Effective Board Leadership programme which was facilitated by Dr Karunagaran Naidoo (Lecturer, supervision and management in Information Systems & Technology), Professor Manoj Maharaj (lecturer, Information Systems Strategy & Information Security, UKZN) and Mr Marlon Moodley (Certified Director, Institute of Directors in South Africa).

Boards play an important role in shaping the direction of a company and in ensuring good governance practices and leveraging technology to drive innovation and growth.

Dr Naidoo began by taking the delegates through strategies in the changing global governance environment as well as technology disruptions and trends in the digital business, which aimed to address changes in the new digital era. Embracing the technological advancements in the new digital era has become a very integral part of every industry. Dr Karunagaran then extended to share strategic alignment models which aim to assess business and IT alignment across all components of the business model. Delegates found this to be a very important tool to apply within their respective organisations as it keeps them informed and guides their organisations towards technological excellence. As technology advances there is a need to understand and implement cyber security measures especially for modern organisations. This strategic layer of protection ensures that cyber security measures are not just reactive but are also part of the core planning and decision-making process of an organisation.

The programme also focused on enriching delegates on developing practical insights into the implementation of successful strategies to address challenges and opportunities facing organisations in key spheres of governance and risk. The facilitators touched on establishing strong governance frameworks which assists board leaders in enhancing accountability, mitigating risks and building strong relationships with its stakeholders.

Professor Maharaj focused on strategic vision and alignment of organisations which included engaging in strategic discussion, challenge assumptions and provide guidance on long-term goals. Delegates found this as a valuable tool in driving sustainable growth which then automatically helps them increase value for their shareholders.

By embracing fostering good governance practices and aligning strategic visions, leaders of organisations can navigate the complexities of today’s business landscape and furthermore drive success.

For more information or to enrol for the next intake of the Effective Board Leadership: Technology, Governance and Strategy programme please click here.

Useful resources:

UKZN Extended Learning is committed to enrichment through lifelong learning, by providing high quality credit and non-credit bearing short courses and academic programmes in collaboration with schools and colleges of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Visit our Newsroom or website.

Related Articles

Related Courses

Related Events

Henley MBA Information Session

Resources

Follow Us

Newsletter

Receive the free Leader.co.za newsletter for the latest news and trends: