Browsing by Author "Grobbelaar, Sara S."

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Concept and development of an interactive tool for trial recruitment planning and management
    (BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2021-03-06) Spies, Ruan Arnold; Siegfried, Nandi; Myers, Bronwyn; Grobbelaar, Sara S.
    Background: Predicting and monitoring recruitment in large, complex trials is essential to ensure appropriate resource management and budgeting. In a novel partnership between clinical trial investigators of the South African Medical Research Council and industrial engineers from the Stellenbosch University Health Systems Engineering and Innovation Hub, we developed a trial recruitment tool (TRT). The objective of the tool is to serve as a computerised decisions-support system to aid the planning and management phases of the trial recruitment process. Method: The specific requirements of the TRT were determined in several workshops between the partners. A Poisson process simulation model was formulated and incorporated in the TRT to predict the recruitment duration. The assumptions underlying the model were made in consultation with the trial team at the start of the project and were deemed reasonable. Real-world data extracted from a current cluster trial, Project MIND, based in 24 sites in South Africa was used to verify the simulation model and to develop the monitoring component of the TRT. Results: The TRT comprises a planning and monitoring component. The planning component generates different trial scenarios for predicted trial recruitment duration based on user inputs, e.g. number of sites, initiation delays. The monitoring component uses and analyses the data retrieved from the trial management information system to generate different levels of information, displayed visually on an interactive, user-friendly dashboard. Users can analyse the results at trial or site level, changing input parameters to see the resultant effect on the duration of trial recruitment. Conclusion: This TRT is an easy-to-use tool that assists in the management of the trial recruitment process. The TRT has potential to expedite improved management of clinical trials by providing the appropriate information needed for the planning and monitoring of the trial recruitment phase. This TRT extends prior tools describing historic recruitment only to using historic data to predict future recruitment. The broader project demonstrates the value of collaboration between clinicians and engineers to optimise their respective skillsets.
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    A decision support system framework for localisation investment selection
    (Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering, 2017) Lamprecht, Andrea L.; Grobbelaar, Sara S.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Formulating localisation strategies is crucial to ensuring the development of local suppliers, which in turn results in job creation, increased export earnings, and local and national economic growth. The aim of this article is to present a generic decision support system (DSS) to guide localisation decision-making. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is used to develop the model, which is then applied to a biometric identity management system (BIMS) case study that places the study within the context of the tool, die and mould-making (TDM) industry of South Africa.
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    A decision support tool for quantifying the risk profile of south Africa’s pharmaceutical supply distribution network
    (South African Institute for Industrial Engineering, 2018-10) Nolting, Christian Wolfgang; Grobbelaar, Sara S.; Van Vuuren, Jan H.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa is facing a serious burden of disease, which is exacerbated by a dysfunctional public health care system. Blind, general estimates are often made in respect of crucial pharmaceutical inventory variables. This results in slow-moving pharmaceutical drugs being overstocked and fast-moving drugs being understocked at outlets and distribution centres. Consequently, large wastages are incurred in terms of drugs being discarded in bulk after passing their expiration date. As a result, patients are deprived of essential medicines due to enduring stock-outs. This paper aims to present the conceptual design of a decision support tool, which aids decision makers in determining pharmaceutical inventory variables that align with key objectives and keep the best interest of patients in mind.
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    The design and development of technology platforms in a developing country healthcare context from an ecosystem perspective
    (BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2020-03-12) Herman, Hilde; Grobbelaar, Sara S.; Pistorius, Calie
    Background: Research on the development and functioning of technology platforms specifically for health applications in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), is limited. The healthcare sector has also been resistant to platform adoption due to characteristics such as sensitive data and high cost of failure. A framework for the design, development and implementation of technology platforms in the South African health context could therefore contribute to the gap in research as well as provide a practical tool that platform owners could use to potentially increase the adoption of platforms in this context. Methods: The research design for this study was based on the Grounded Theory Conceptual Framework Analysis process. The process focused on mapping and investigating data sources, categorising and integrating concepts, synthesising these concepts into a framework and iteratively evaluating the framework. The first stage of the evaluation process was a preliminary evaluation exploring an existing Health platform in South Africa (MomConnect). The second evaluation stage included local and international interviews with nine experts to identify any missing concepts in the framework. Stage three included a case study and case study interviews which led to the formulation of the final framework and management tool. Results: The developed and evaluated framework comprised three components, namely the pre-use component, which includes considerations the platform owner should be aware of prior to using the framework. The framework comprises of two dimensions, 1) an ecosystem dimension to guide the platform owner to consider different ecosystem actors before embarking on designing a platform 2) a platform development dimension that include typical platform development components and presents an interpretation of the viewpoints included in the ecosystem levels. Conclusions: The final framework can be used by platform owners as a management tool. A unique contribution of this study is that the framework draws from two platform perspectives, namely the engineering and the economic perspectives to provide a holistic understanding of platforms. Finally, a contribution of this article is the tailoring of the framework for the South African health context.
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    The dynamics of regional economic integration: a system dynamics analysis of pathways to the development of value chains in the Southern African Customs Union
    (Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering, 2017) Grobbelaar, Sara S.; Meyer, Isabel A.
    Despite progress towards improved cooperation within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), it can be argued that real economic integration is still lacking. Cross-border value chain (VC) development has been proposed as a potential enabler of regional economic integration. This article draws on a systems thinking process to explore the dynamic process of regional economic integration and value chain development. Through an inductive approach, we consider pathways for value chain development using the agro-processing and automotive sectors within SACU as case studies. The outcome of the dynamic hypothesis is to inform a framework for strategic decision-making to support policy action towards developing cross-border value chains in SACU.
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    Exploring the link between ppm implementation and company success in achieving strategic goals : an empirical framework
    (Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering, 2016) Oosthuizen, Chiara; Grobbelaar, Sara S.; Bam, Wouter
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Organisations are constantly under pressure to innovate and grow by successfully executing their business strategies. The ever-increasing rate of change in technology has implications for product lifecycles, cost pressures, expectations of higher quality, and a larger variety of products and services. These trends result in mounting pressures and a huge increase in complexity, as the drivers of technology must be managed to achieve a competitive advantage. Project portfolio management (PPM) is a solution for unravelling the complexities of multi-projects. In theory, PPM assists an organisation to achieve this competitive advantage through implementing its business strategy, balancing its portfolios, maximising value, and ensuring resource adequacy. There is, however, a lack of empirical evidence on the use and success of PPM approaches in South Africa. This article presents a framework that lays the foundation of an empirical study that will aim to explore the link between PPM implementation and company success in achieving strategic objectives. We base our framework on the factors of good practice in PPM, which include 1) single-project-level characteristics and activities; 2) multi-project- level characteristics and activities; 3) the link between projects and strategy process; and 4) availability and quality of project information.
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    A framework of key growth factors for small enterprises operating at the base of the pyramid
    (MDPI, 2020-11-10) Van der Merwe, Michael D.; Grobbelaar, Sara S.; Meyer, Isabel A.; Schutte, Cornelius S. L.; Von Leipzig, Konrad H.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Enterprises operating at the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) find it difficult to simultaneously achieve economic (profitable growth) and social (poverty alleviation) outcomes. This study builds on a previously published systematic literature review that identified the key growth-promoting factors of the Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) operating in this space. A Grounded Theory Approach was followed to identify six core focus areas, which form the basis of a practical framework to evaluate SMMEs at the BoP, namely: Business modelling; business strategy; innovation; marketing; strategic alliances; and sustainable development. Expert screening interviews were conducted to evaluate the framework for credibility and confirmability. Thereafter, 57 for-profit South African enterprises were surveyed to empirically explore how SMMEs view and implement these framework components. The outcome of the study is a validated high growth-promoting BoP portfolio framework against which SMME owners can evaluate their enterprises to identify areas of growth and development.