Developing corporate startegies to enable resilience in the South African information systems and technology industry

Abstract

Globalisation has contributed to many new challenges in the Information Systems and Technology (IS&T) industry, which placed increased pressure on organisational long-term sustainability. Just like their global counterparts, IS&T organisations in the South African marketplace also need to be cognisant of its competitive business environment in order to survive in a very competitive environment. However, in the dynamic business environment, organisational resilience becomes a crucial building block in achieving sustainability. The objective of this article is to identify and consider key factors in the South African IS&T industry that not only embraces a thorough understanding of the business environment, but also of corporate resilient strategies that may support its long-term sustainability. Based on a PEST and SWOT analysis, it was found that the local IS&T business environment, which includes the uncertain and unpredictable role of government together high-levels of crime and unemployment, makes for both challenging and promising times in the South African IS&T industry.