QUESTION $5(20$ Marks$)$

Carefully study the summary of a proposal for a new study described below and answer the following questions.

An organisational researcher is proposing a study with the aim of investigating the variability in the role and impact of Chief

Digital Officers $($CDOs$)$ in driving enterprise digital transformation across different economic sectors in South Africa. CDOs

are most likely to be productive in industrial sectors that heavily rely on digital technologies and where digital transformation

is critical for competitive advantage and operational efficiency $($Lee and Kim, $2020$ Smith and Johnson, $2021).$

The researcher has formulated the following research questions for the study:

$1.$ How does the role of Chief Digital Officers in driving enterprise digital transformation vary across different economic

sectors in South Africa?

$2.$ What factors contribute to the variability in the impact of Chief Digital Officers on enterprise digital transformation across

various economic sectors in South Africa?

$3.$ To what extent do Chief Digital Officers in different economic sectors in South Africa differ in their effectiveness in driving

enterprise digital transformation?

Drawing on current industry trends and on existing literature, CDOs are hypothesised to be most productive in sectors

heavily reliant on digital technologies and where digital transformation is crucial for competitive advantage and operational

efficiency. However, given the novelty of the CDO designation, there may be challenges related to data availability and

methodological considerations that need to be addressed to ensure the robustness of the study.

The study will adopt a purposive sampling approach focusing on key economic sectors identified through industry trends

and literature review: Information Technology $($IT$)$ and Telecommunications, Financial Services, Retail and E$-$Commerce,

and Manufacturing and Industry $4\mathrm{.}0.$ This sampling strategy will allow for a targeted investigation into sectors where CDO

roles are most prevalent and impactful.

To address potential challenges related to data scarcity, multiple data collection methods will be employed. These include

semi$-$structured interviews with industry experts, CDOs, and senior executives, supplemented by document analysis of

publicly available reports, company websites, and press releases. Additionally, survey questionnaires will be utilized to

gather quantitative data on the prevalence and impact of CDO roles across sectors$.$

Given the categorical nature of variables and potential non$-$normal distribution of data, a non$-$parametric test will be

considered appropriate for analysing differences in CDO roles across sectors$.$ Non$-$parametric tests are robust to violations

of normality assumptions and can accommodate ordinal or categorical data. However, limitations of non$-$parametric tests,

such as reduced statistical power, will be acknowledged.

To mitigate challenges associated with data scarcity, alternative methods or strategies will be considered. This will include

expanding the study scope to include collaboration with industry associations or government agencies to access

aggregated industry data. Additionally, qualitative methods such as case studies or content analysis could provide valuable

insights into the role of CDOs in digital transformation efforts.

In terms of limitations and biases, the study will acknowledge potential limitations and biases associated with the selected

methods, including sample selection bias and self$-$reporting bias in interviews or surveys. Rigorous data validation

techniques and triangulation of data from multiple sources will be employed to mitigate these limitations and enhance the

credibility of the findings.

Suggestions for future research under consideration include longitudinal studies to track the evolution of CDO roles over

time, comparative studies across different countries or regions, and investigations into organisational factors influencing the

effectiveness of CDOs in driving digital transformation. Additionally, exploring emerging trends such as the integration of

artificial intelligence or blockchain technologies in digital transformation initiatives could offer valuable insights for

practitioners and researchers.

REQUIRED:

$5\mathrm{.}1$ Based on the information provided above, formulate a suitable title for the proposed study. $(3$ marks$)$

$5\mathrm{.}2$ Formulate THREE sets of null and alternative hypotheses for the proposed research questions. $(6$ marks$)$

$5\mathrm{.}3$ Based on the information provided above, specify with motivation a research design for the proposed

study.

$(5$ marks$)$

$5\mathrm{.}4$ Critically discuss the methodology proposed by the researcher. $(6$ marks$)$